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California Government Exam

 

General Information

The California Government Assessment is composed of 40 multiple-choice questions and five identification items in which the examinee must define and explain in one paragraph the significance of a term related to California governance. Each multiple choice item is worth two points and each identification item is worth four points. A score of 60 or more will be necessary to pass. The assessment is 60 minutes in length and there is no penalty for guessing. The recommended study guide is: David G. Lawrence, California: The Politics of Diversity, sixth edition, Thomson Wadsworth, 2009.

Who Needs to Take the California Government Exam?

If you have met both the American history and United States Constitution portions of the American Institutions requirement through any of the following:

A. Advanced Placement (AP) credit in American history or Government/Politics: American
B. Course(s) in American history which cover a minimum of 100 years of U.S. history, including the establishment of the U.S. Constitution.
C. An American history course which covers a minimum of 100 years of history AND a course in American Government.

You may elect to complete the California state and local government portion of the American Institutions requirement by taking the California Government Examination. (Note: You can also complete the state and local government portion of the American Institutions requirement by completing a course from the list of courses found in the SDSU General Catalog.)

Registration Procedures

***Students Requiring Disability Accommodations please read!

California Gov't Online Registration (credit card or check).
Online Registration hours of availability: 6:30 a.m. - midnight (PST)

OR

Fill out the Cal Gov't Mail-In Registration Form.

OR

Come to the SDSU Student Testing, Assessment & Research Office, (SSW-2549) during business hours (Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm) and purchase a ticket of admission. The fee for the California Government Exam is $20.00.

California Government Exam Dates
Test Date Time Online/In-Person Reg Deadline Mail-In Registration Scores Released
Thursday, May 2, 2013
4:30 p.m.
May 1, 2013
April 27, 2013
May 9, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
10:30 a.m.
May 3, 2013
April 29, 2013
May 10, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
10:30 a.m.
May 31, 2013
May 27 , 2013
June 7, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
10:30 a.m.
June 14 , 2013
June 10, 2013
June 21, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
10:30 a.m.
July 5, 2013
July 1 , 2013
July 12, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
10:30 a.m.
August 9 , 2013
August 5 , 2013
August 16, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
2:45 p.m.
August 23 , 2013
August 19 , 2013
August 30, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
10:30 a.m.
September 13 , 2013
September 9, 2013
September 20 , 2013
Saturday, October 5, 2013
10:30 a.m.
October 4 , 2013
September 30 , 2013
October 11, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
10:30 a.m.
October 18 , 2013
October 14, 2013
October 25 , 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
10:30 a.m.
November 8 , 2013
November 4 , 2013
November 15 , 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
10:30 a.m.
December 6 , 2013
December 2, 2013
December 13, 2013

or Further Information

Read the American Institutions Requirement section of the current SDSU General Catalog. It can be found in the Graduation Requirements section.

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