Civic Literacy Requirement

The 2017 Florida Legislature amended Section 1007.25, Florida Statutes, to require undergraduate degree-seeking students initially entering  a a State University System (SUS) and/or Florida College System (FCS) institution in 2018-2019  and and thereafter to demonstrate competency in civic literacy. This requirement is based on the student’s catalog year; therefore, the Civic Literacy requirement does not apply to students who initially entered the Florida State University System (SUS) or Florida College System (FCS) before fall 2018.

The 2021 and 2024 Legislature further amended Florida Statutes, requiring students to complete both a civic literacy course and an exam. As a result, there are three four cohorts of students currently matriculating at Florida public institutions subject to varying requirements. As demonstrated in Table 1, the exact civic literacy requirements are based on the academic term in which a student first enrolled in a Florida public institution.

Any transfer student who enters a State University System institution and has not met the civic literacy competency requirement must meet the requirement based on the date the student initially transfers to the State University System institution.  A student who has previously completed the civic literacy competency requirement at a Florida College System institution or State University System institution is considered to have met the civic literacy competency requirement. 

Additional information can be found at uwf.edu/civicliteracy and and on the Civic Literacy Implementation and Guidance Documentand SUS BOG Regulation 8.006. 

Table 1. Civic Literacy Requirements by Cohort of Students 

Attention:  The cohort details "Students first entering the SUS or FCS" refers to entering the University of West Florida (UWF). 

Additionally, the 2021 Legislature made two additional exceptions: approving the use of accelerated mechanisms for meeting the course competency requirement and exempting high school for Cohorts 3 and 4, approved accelerated mechanisms may meet the course and/or assessment requirement, and students who pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam Examination
(FCLE) in high school are exempt from the postsecondary exam requirement. These two changes are in effect for Cohort 3assessment requirement. 

Beginning with fall term 2024 and thereafter, any undergraduate degree-seeking student, regardless of their cohort, can use any of the approved options for Cohort 4 to satisfy civic literacy competency before graduation.

There are multiple ways to satisfy this requirement. You should work with your academic advisor to determine which option is best for your degree requirements/degree plan. Remember that students entering for the first time in Summer 2021 or after must complete both a course AND exam. 

(a) To satisfy Course Competency: Successfully passing either POSX041 American Government or AMHX020 Introductory Survey Since 1877. Each of the courses must include the following competencies:

1. Understanding of the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government;
2. An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application;
3. Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government; and
4. An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation and landmark executive actions and their impact on law and society.

(b) To Satisfy Exam Competency: Achieving the standard score on one of the following assessments:

Table 2: Methods for Meeting Exam Competency