Since 2013, questions in the Civics and Society portion of the Advanced Subjects Test (AST Civics) have been based on the 2010 version of the Senior High School Curriculum Guidelines. The updated guidelines switched the order of Units 2 and 3 in the 2006 Provisional Guidelines for Senior High School Curriculum, deleted some of the materials, added more time for students to participate in civic activities, and also strengthened the spirit of cultivating students into informed and engaged citizens.

In light of the changes in the Curriculum Guidelines, AST Civics has also experienced some changes. The test continues on the direction of the previous tests that were based on the 2006 Guidelines, but questions about civic duties, education, and thoughts are added.

Objectives

The AST aims to provide universities with admissions guides. It also helps students to evaluate what they have learned in high school as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the AST Civics focuses on evaluating students’ readiness for further study in the field of humanities and social sciences.

The AST Civics aims to evaluate students in the following three categories.

1. To evaluate students’ knowledge of humanities and social sciences

1. 1a. To understand the theme and content of each unit
2. 1b. To understand the relations between the themes of different units

2. To evaluate students’ ability to explain and discuss current social issues

• 2a. To explain and discuss current social issues using their knowledge of humanities and social sciences
• 2b. To explain and analyze information related to humanities and social sciences

3. To evaluate students’ understanding of and thoughts about modern citizenship

• 3a. To make judgments based on the spirit of citizenship
• 3b. To understand and reflect on the essence of being a citizen and one’s civic duties

Scope

Questions on the AST Civics are based on the materials covered in the 10th and 11th grade required Civics courses as well as the 12th grade elective ones. The courses and the content of each unit are as follows.

Required courses: Unit 1: Self, Society, and Culture; Unit 2: Politics and Democracy; Unit 3: Morality and Law; Unit 4: Economy and Sustainable Development

Elective courses: Unit 1: Modern Society and Law; Unit 2: Democracy and Economy

See the Civics portion of the Senior High School Curriculum Guidelines for detailed content and concepts included in the test.

Focus of the Questions

1. All questions are based on the Senior High School Curriculum Guidelines.
2. The test covers important concepts in social sciences as well as major social issues around the world.
3. The test includes charts, graphs, statistics, and other data.
4. Question types include multiple-choice questions with single or multiple answers in the forms of individual questions, question groups, or questions with charts/graphs.
5. AST Civics questions can appear in sets to evaluate students’ ability to read, understand, organize, summarize information and make inferences based on the information given.
6. Questions can be based on materials regarding modern citizenship and thoughts.