WEST LAFAYETTE — Beginning this fall, students at Purdue University in West Lafayette will have an extra graduation requirement.
On Friday, Purdue trustees approved adding a civics literacy test as a graduation requirement starting with the 2021 school year.
The requirement will go into effect at Purdue Fort Wayne, Purdue Northwest, and the Purdue colleges at IUPUI in fall 2022.
“Purdue students have shown they fare better than the national averages when it comes to civic knowledge, but there remains much room for improvement. These curricular and experiential requirements will help our students grow and reach their potential as contributing citizens of our world," Phillip VanFossen, the James F. Ackerman Professor of Social Studies and director of the Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship in the College of Education, said.
Students will complete the Proficiency by passing a test of civic literacy and one of three paths:
- Attending six approved civics-related events.
- Completing 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement that use C-SPAN material.
- Completing one of these approved courses
Purdue says the Civics Literacy Proficiency program was created with the goal of adding to the educational experience of Purdue students in an effort to graduate a knowledgeable and engaged citizenry.
