Greg Rosenke, Unsplash Many American colleges and universities are neglecting civics education. While some states or university system boards require students to study key documents and events in American history through mandatory course requirements, most do not. Instead, students are permitted to fulfill their history or social studies requirements by taking niche or specialized courses on a wide range of themes, often unrelated to civics. Consequently, countless college graduates leave college without a solid foundation in American history or government.
In this report, we first analyze which states require civics as a condition for high school and college graduation. In another section, we analyze the teacher preparation programs at flagship universities across the country to see how well teachers are being prepared to pass on civic knowledge. By examining these data, policymakers, university administrators, and the public can learn how well their state’s institutions are performing and where improvements may be needed. Whether the focus is on implementing civics requirements at the institutional, system, or state level, this comparison aims to provide a clear picture of the current state of civics in higher education.
Recommendations include:
- Teaching civics to future teachers
- Enhancing the curriculum to include a robust civics course
- Implementing a College Civics Literacy test as a prerequisite for graduation
- Commemorating Constitution Day
- Conducting periodic civic knowledge surveys
College is a crucial time to prepare students for responsible citizenship. The knowledge they learn about their country’s history, ideas, and institutions will influence how they conduct themselves in their professional and personal lives. Students need to take civics in high school. But it is also important for college students to study civics at a deeper and more advanced level. Colleges should do everything they can to ensure that college graduates—including future teachers—are equipped with an in-depth understanding of the ideas and history on which this country rests. Fortunately, many opportunities for reform exist. Implementing any one of these recommendations would be a significant stride toward improving students’ civic knowledge.
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Shannon Watkins
