Georgia Code 32-171 states that “…no undergraduate student in any college or university shall receive a certificate of graduation or a degree without successfully completing course work or previously passing a satisfactory examination on the history of the United States and the history of Georgia, and upon the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia.” No student can receive an undergraduate degree without meeting these requirements.

In essence, this statute establishes four requirements:

1. Instruction or successful completion of an examination in United States history.
2. Instruction or successful completion of an examination in Georgia history.
3. Instruction or successful completion of an examination in the United States Constitution.
4. Instruction or successful completion of an examination in the Georgia Constitution.

The mandate to meet the Georgia Legislative requirements is expressed in BOR Policy Manual Section 3.3.4 United States and Georgia History and Constitutions and Academic and Student Affairs Handbook Section 2.4.4 Details Regarding Courses in Core IMPACTS Domains (see discussion under the Citizenship Domain). University System of Georgia (USG) institutions ensure that their degree-seeking students meet these four requirements by requiring students to take the appropriate course(s) at an USG institution or by examination.

To meet the United States and Georgia history requirement, most USG institutions require students to take and pass HIST 2110, 2111, or 2112 (Survey of U.S. History, Survey of U.S. History I, or Survey of U.S. History II). When taught at USG or TCSG institutions all of these courses include Georgia history content that meets the Georgia history requirement.

To meet the United States and Georgia constitution requirement, most USG institutions require students to take POLS 1101 American Government. When taught at USG or TCSG institutions this course includes Georgia constitution content that meets the Georgia constitution requirement.

Courses other than those listed above may be used to fulfill these requirements at some institutions. At two USG institutions courses are designed so that students may meet all four requirements by taking a single course: Albany State University (POLS 1101 American Government) and University of North Georgia (HIST 2111 U.S. History I OR HIST 2112 U.S. History II OR POLS 1101 American Government).

If students meet any or all of the requirements at one USG or Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institution and transfer to a USG institution, those requirements are still met upon transfer, even if the student met the Georgia Legislative requirements by taking a single course at the sending institution and two courses are needed to meet the requirements at the receiving institution.

Students who have been awarded credit for HIST 2110, HIST 2111, HIST 2112, or POLS 1101 based on examination scores or by transfer of credit from outside the USG or TCSG must still meet the Georgia Legislative requirements. There are no exceptions to these requirements for any student enrolling in an undergraduate degree (associate, nexus, bachelor) program at a USG institution.

Transferred credit
Students who are awarded credit for HIST 2110, HIST 2111, HIST 2112, or POLS 1101 based on credit transferred from most non-USG/non-TCSG institutions must pass the GA History and/or GA Constitution exams to satisfy the Georgia Legislative requirements. This is because these non-USG/non-TCSG institutions are not subject to the legislative mandate to include content in Georgia History and Georgia Constitution. Exemption tests are offered to students whose U.S. History or Political Science course(s) did not include Georgia History or Georgia Constitution.

Some non-USG/non-TCSG institutions in Georgia do include Georgia History and Georgia Constitution content in their U.S. History and American Government courses, as documented in their catalog course descriptions. Students who are awarded transfer credit for these courses at specific Georgia institutions may also receive credit for Georgia History and Georgia Constitution requirements, as appropriate. A list of qualifying courses and institutions is provided in the linked table.

Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credit
Students who are awarded credit for HIST 2110, HIST 2111, HIST 2112, or POLS 1101 based on scores from Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations must pass the GA History and/or GA Constitution exams to satisfy the Georgia Legislative requirements.

CLEP and DSST credit
Students who are awarded credit for HIST 2110, HIST 2111, HIST 2112, or POLS 1101 based on scores on CLEP or DSST tests must pass the GA History and/or GA Constitution exams to satisfy the Georgia Legislative requirements.

Second Baccalaureate Degree
For students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree, where the first baccalaureate degree was earned from a non-USG institution, the history requirements can be satisfied by passing HIST 2110, 2111, or 2112 or by passing the U.S. and/or Georgia history exams. The Constitution requirements can be satisfied by passing POLS 1101 or by passing the U.S. and/or GA Constitution exams.

Student who have received credit for U.S. History or American Government without meeting the legislative requirements have two options for satisfying the Georgia Legislative Requirements (listed below). Students with transfer or exam credit for these courses should consult with their advisors immediately upon enrollment at USG institutions and make plans for meeting the Georgia Legislative requirements, ideally within four semesters of admission. Students cannot graduate without meeting these requirements.

1. They can take and pass the course(s) that meet the requirement(s) at a USG institution.
2. They can take examinations on Georgia history and the Georgia Constitution to demonstrate mastery of the essentials of Georgia history and the Georgia Constitution.

The table below summarizes the USG courses that meet the Georgia Legislative Requirements at each USG institution, as well as ways to demonstrate mastery of the essentials of Georgia history and the Georgia Constitution for students with transfer credit or credit-by-examination.

The information in the table below is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, students should always check with their institutions to ensure that they have the most current and accurate information regarding the Georgia Legislative requirements.

Georgia Legislative Requirements at USG Institutions