Academic Catalog

Art History

Program Description

The Art History program offers an Associate in Arts degree and a Certificate of Achievement and provides students with an awareness of art, economic, political, religious, and social history. Students leave the program with increased sensitivity to art-related issues and the ability to think critically about art and art history. Knowledge of art history engenders a heightened understanding of history, a familiarity with the major issues in human cultural development, and exposure to the artistic expression of varied cultures and civilizations. This guided program assists students in developing specialized art theories necessary to apply and transfer to art programs at local universities.

Learn more about the program on the Art History website.

Associate Degree for Transfer

This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Art History AA-T listing.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to collect and assess primary and secondary source information and successfully analyze and comment on that information in the form of a reasoned term paper.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate in written form a strong awareness of the political, social, religious, and technological factors that influence cultures and change in those cultures.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities include the following: college professor, teacher, arts administrator, museum/gallery curator, corporate art advisor, museum docent, consultant on historical style for film and TV production, museum conservator, historical conservationist, art critic, tour guide, travel consultant, research assistant, and art dealer.

Award Type(s)

  • AA = Associate in Arts Degree
  • CA = Certificate of Achievement

Units Required

  • Major: 39.5-41.5
  • Certificate(s): 39.5-41.5

Associate Degree Requirements

English Proficiency
Select one of the following:
ENGL 1ACOMPOSITION & READING5
ENGL 1AHHONORS COMPOSITION & READING5
ESLL 26ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING5
or equivalent
Ethnic Studies
Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC
Mathematics Proficiency
College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra

A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:

  • Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
  • Core courses (27 units)
  • Support courses (12.5-14.5 units)
1

Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.


Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificate.

Core and Support Courses

Core Courses
ART 1INTRODUCTION TO ART4.5
ART 2AHISTORY OF ART: HISTORY OF WESTERN ART FROM PREHISTORY THROUGH EARLY CHRISTIANITY4.5
or ART 2AH HONORS HISTORY OF ART: HISTORY OF WESTERN ART FROM PREHISTORY THROUGH EARLY CHRISTIANITY
ART 2BHISTORY OF WESTERN ART FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE RENAISSANCE4.5
or ART 2BH HONORS HISTORY OF WESTERN ART FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE RENAISSANCE
ART 2CHISTORY OF WESTERN ART FROM THE BAROQUE TO CONTEMPORARY4.5
ART 2FINTRODUCTION TO ASIAN ART4.5
ART 3HISTORY OF MODERN ART FROM POST-IMPRESSIONISM TO THE PRESENT4.5
Support Courses
Select one course each from List 1, List 2, and List 3:12.5-14.5
List 1
AFRICAN, OCEANIC & NATIVE AMERICAN ART
A HISTORY OF WOMEN IN ART
INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART
AMERICAN ART
List 2
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION TO 800 CE
HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: 700-1800
HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION 1789-PRESENT
CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
HONORS CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: THE ANCIENT WORLD
CULTURES, CIVILIZATIONS & IDEAS: OF EMPIRES & CONFLICT
INTERMEDIATE JAPANESE I 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF ART & AESTHETICS
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: EAST
COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS: WEST
INTERMEDIATE SPANISH I 1
List 3
FUNDAMENTALS IN DRAWING
OIL PAINTING I
ACRYLIC PAINTING I
BEGINNING CERAMICS HANDBUILDING
BEGINNING CERAMICS POTTER'S WHEEL
INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HONORS PHOTOGRAPHY OF AMERICAN CULTURES
HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
HONORS HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Total Units39.5-41.5
1

Course recommended to become familiar with the language, criteria, contexts, and frameworks through which we write about and interpret art in an academic setting, and to gain exposure to the processes and methods of art production.

Certificate Requirements

Certificate of Achievement in Art History

  • Units: 39.5-41.5

The certificate of achievement is awarded upon completion of the core and support courses. General education courses are not required.