I. Regulations
Davis Division Regulation 522 sets forth the Baccalaureate Degree Requirement in General Education. Civic and Cultural Literacy, a component of Core Literacies (522.C), includes the requirement for 3 units of coursework in American Cultures, Governance and History (522.C.2).
Regulation 523 sets forth the Criteria for General Education Certification of courses, stating “A course in American Cultures, Governance and History provides an understanding of the historical processes, institutional structures, and core analytic skills necessary to think critically about the nature of citizenship, government and social relations in the United States.” (523.C.4)
II. Interpretation
The objective of American Cultures, Governance, and History Literacy is to prepare students to take up the responsibilities and demands of citizenship in an increasingly interconnected and diverse nation.
Courses that meet the American Culture, Governance and History Literacy must present issues pertinent to the governance or history of the United States and analyze major forces underlying historical events and political institutions within the United States.
Minimum Elements Checklist
Courses in the American Culture, Governance and History Literacy must:
ME1) Require students to:
- bring a historical understanding and critically analyze the nature of participation in the civic spheres in American Society.
-OR- - think analytically about the nature of citizenship, government, institutions, and social relations in the United States.
In justifying ME1, describe how the course presents opportunities for students to critically analyze the nature of participation in the civic spheres of American Society or think analytically about the nature of citizenship, government, institutions, and social relations in the United States.
ME2) Assess students for competency in the American Cultures, Governance and History literacy.
In justifying ME2, describe how course assignments allow students to demonstrate competency in the American Cultures, Governance, and History literacy. Provide specific examples of how student competency in the ACGH literacy is assessed.
ME3) Ensure that developing the ability to bring historical understanding and analytical skills necessary to think critically about the nature of citizenship, government, and social relations in the United States are learning objectives throughout the course.
In justifying ME3, describe how students develop literacy in American Culture, Governance and History throughout the course and how this literacy is addressed across student learning objectives of the course.
III. ICMS Submission Requirements
The Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) evaluates whether the course proposal satisfies the minimum elements checklist above. COCI uses the information provided in the answers to the General Education literacy justification questions and the Expanded Course Description. Departments requesting that a course be approved for this GE literacy must answer the literacy questions in the Integrated Curriculum Management System (ICMS). Where provided, the italicized notes below the Minimum Elements above may help guide course proposers in drafting responses in ICMS.
Last revised and approved by Undergraduate Council
June 5, 2026