The American Institutions graduation requirement, as mandated in Title 5, Section 40404, requires that students satisfactorially complete a minimum of one course in United States History, U. S. Constitution, the operation of representative democratic government under that Constitutition, and the process of California State and local government.

Chancellor's Office Executive Order 405 delegates authority to campus presidents as to how to meet the requirement. At Cal Poly, the American Institutions course requirement is incorporated into the General Education program (Area D1).