A.A. in Visual Arts
The Visual Arts curriculum offers instruction in theory, practice and history. These three areas of study provide the foundation needed to begin a career in Visual Arts. The foundation courses meet prerequisite requirements to UC, CSU systems and four-year art schools.
Students are encouraged to work closely with an advisor or counselor in course selection. Electives should be chosen carefully to meet requirements of transfer institutions.
A.A. Degree Level Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing the Visual Arts A.A. Degree will:
- Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of Visual Arts history, techniques and theory.
- Use critical, analytical and aesthetic thought processes, and communication skills specific to the discipline.
Students receiving this degree must meet the following requirements:
- Complete the District General Education Pattern, CSUGE or IGETC.
If transferring to a CSU or UC students are strongly recommended to complete the CSUGE or IGETC General Education Patterns. Students looking to transfer to an out of state or private college should consult with a counselor for the appropriate GE pattern selection. - Complete with a “C” or better each course as specified by the major.
- Maintain an overall GPA of a 2.0 or better in all degree applicable coursework.
- Meet the local area requirement of Kinesiology/Dance.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses: | ||
| ART 100A | Survey of Western Art from Prehistory through the Middle Ages | 3 |
| or ART 100AH | Survey of Western Art from Prehistory through the Middle Ages - Honors | |
| or ART 100B | Survey of Western Art from Renaissance to Contemporary | |
| or ART 100BH | Survey of Western Art from Renaissance to Contemporary - Honors | |
| ART 111 | Beginning Drawing | 3 |
| ART 120 | Two-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| Select three (3) of the following courses: | ||
| Art History - Ancient Art | 3 | |
| Art History - Western Medieval Art | 3 | |
| Art History - Renaissance and Baroque Art in Western Europe | 3 | |
| Art History - Modern and Contemporary Art | 3 | |
| Art History - Topics in Contemporary Art | 3 | |
| Introduction to the Visual Arts | 3 | |
| Intermediate Drawing | 3 | |
| Figure Drawing I | 3 | |
| Figure Drawing II | 3 | |
| Three-Dimensional Design | 3 | |
| Beginning Painting | 3 | |
| Intermediate Painting | 3 | |
| Beginning Ceramics | 3 | |
| Intermediate Ceramics | 3 | |
| Experimental Ceramics | 3 | |
| Beginning Ceramics - Handbuilding | 3 | |
| Ceramic Design and Decoration | 3 | |
| Ceramics: Tile and Mosaic | 3 | |
| Computer Art Basics | 3 | |
| Introduction to Art: Mobile Digital Devices | 3 | |
| Digital Media Productions I | 3 | |
| Commercial Graphic Design | 3 | |
| Introduction to Typography | 3 | |
| Computer Graphics I | 3 | |
| Web Design I | 3 | |
| Animation I | 3 | |
| Beginning Clay Sculpture | 3 | |
| Intermediate Clay Sculpture | 3 | |
| Advanced Clay Sculpture I | 3 | |
| Advanced Clay Sculpture II | 3 | |
| Sculpture and Metalwork | 3 | |
| Art Portfolio and Resume Production | 3 | |
| Motion Picture Appreciation | 3 | |
or ART 199H | Motion Picture Appreciation - Honors | |
| History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary | 3 | |
or ART 206H | History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary - Honors | |
| History of Asian Art | 3 | |
or ART 207H | History of Asian Art - Honors | |
| Advanced Painting | 3 | |
| Advanced Ceramics I | 3 | |
| Advanced Ceramics II | 3 | |
| Web Design II | 3 | |
| Animation II | 3 | |
| Basic Photography | 3 | |
| Intermediate Photography | 3 | |
| Total Units | 18 | |
2-Year Curriculum Map Example
This map represents one possible pathway through the program and is only for reference.
*It is highly recommended that you make an appointment to create a customized education plan that fits your needs.
Note: Co-requisite MATH course (2 units) and/or substitute ENGL 101E (5 units) may be needed based on placement.
| Fall Term 1 | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| ART 111 | Beginning Drawing | 3 |
| ENGL 101 or ENGL 101H |
Reading and Composition or Reading and Composition - Honors |
4 |
| MATH 160 |
Mathematics for Everyday Living - A Liberal Arts Course or Introductory Statistics or Introductory Statistics - Honors |
4 |
| ART 100A or ART 100AH |
Survey of Western Art from Prehistory through the Middle Ages or Survey of Western Art from Prehistory through the Middle Ages - Honors |
3 |
| Units | 14 | |
| Winter Term 1 | ||
| ENGL 103 |
Composition and Critical Thinking or Composition and Critical Thinking - Honors or Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking or Argumentative Writing and Critical Thinking - Honors |
3 |
| Units | 3 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| ART 120 | Two-Dimensional Design | 3 |
| SPCH 100 |
Interpersonal Communication or Interpersonal Communication - Honors or Public Address or Public Address - Honors |
3 |
| ETHN 101 or ETHN 116 |
Introduction to Ethnic Studies or Introduction to Chicano/Latino Studies |
3 |
| ART 100B or ART 100BH |
Survey of Western Art from Renaissance to Contemporary or Survey of Western Art from Renaissance to Contemporary - Honors |
3 |
| Units | 12 | |
| Summer Term 1 | ||
| HIST 107 |
History of the United States before 1877 or History of the United States before 1877 - Honors or History of the United States since 1877 or History of the United States since 1877 - Honors or History of the African-Americans to 1876 or History of the African-Americans since 1876 or History of Women in the United States |
3 |
| Units | 3 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| Select two art electives. | ||
| ENGL 290 |
Ethnic Voices in Film or Children's Literature or Children's Literature - Honors or Literature of the Bible or American Food And Culture: Global Origins, History, and Current Impacts or Great Religions of the World or Introduction to LGBTQ Studies |
3 |
| ANTH 210 |
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology or Introduction to Cultural Anthropology - Honors or Introduction to Psychology or Introduction to Psychology - Honors or Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Sociology - Honors |
3 |
| ART 101 or ART 102 or ART 103 or ART 104 or ART 105 or ART 110 or ART 112 or ART 115 or ART 116 or ART 121 or ART 130 or ART 131 or ART 140 or ART 141 or ART 142 or ART 143 or ART 145 or ART 146 or ART 150 or ART 152 or ART 153 or ART 158 or ART 159 or ART 162 or ART 167 or ART 168 or ART 180 or ART 181 or ART 182 or ART 183 or ART 184 or ART 189 or ART 199 or ART 199H or ART 206 or ART 206H or ART 207 or ART 207H or ART 230 or ART 240 or ART 241 or ART 267 or ART 268 or PHTO 101 or PHTO 102 |
Art History - Ancient Art or Art History - Western Medieval Art or Art History - Renaissance and Baroque Art in Western Europe or Art History - Modern and Contemporary Art or Art History - Topics in Contemporary Art or Introduction to the Visual Arts or Intermediate Drawing or Figure Drawing I or Figure Drawing II or Three-Dimensional Design or Beginning Painting or Intermediate Painting or Beginning Ceramics or Intermediate Ceramics or Experimental Ceramics or Beginning Ceramics - Handbuilding or Ceramic Design and Decoration or Ceramics: Tile and Mosaic or Computer Art Basics or Introduction to Art: Mobile Digital Devices or Digital Media Productions I or Commercial Graphic Design or Introduction to Typography or Computer Graphics I or Web Design I or Animation I or Beginning Clay Sculpture or Intermediate Clay Sculpture or Advanced Clay Sculpture I or Advanced Clay Sculpture II or Sculpture and Metalwork or Art Portfolio and Resume Production or Motion Picture Appreciation or Motion Picture Appreciation - Honors or History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary or History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary - Honors or History of Asian Art or History of Asian Art - Honors or Advanced Painting or Advanced Ceramics I or Advanced Ceramics II or Web Design II or Animation II or Basic Photography or Intermediate Photography |
6 |
| Units | 12 | |
| Winter Term 2 | ||
| ASTR 115 |
Planetary Astronomy or Planetary Astronomy - Honors or Physical Oceanography or Introduction to Forest Ecology or Physical Geography or Introduction to Weather and Climate |
3 |
| KIN 170 |
Fitness for Life or Health and Wellness in Society or Health and Wellness - Honors or Introduction to Nutrition |
3 |
| Units | 6 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| ANTH 212 | Introduction to Physical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 212L | Introduction to Physical Anthropology Lab | 1 |
| POLI 103 or POLI 103H |
American Government and Politics or American Government and Politics - Honors |
3 |
| ART 101 or ART 102 or ART 103 or ART 104 or ART 105 or ART 110 or ART 112 or ART 115 or ART 116 or ART 121 or ART 130 or ART 131 or ART 140 or ART 141 or ART 142 or ART 143 or ART 145 or ART 146 or ART 150 or ART 152 or ART 153 or ART 158 or ART 159 or ART 162 or ART 167 or ART 168 or ART 180 or ART 181 or ART 182 or ART 183 or ART 184 or ART 189 or ART 199 or ART 199H or ART 206 or ART 206H or ART 207 or ART 207H or ART 230 or ART 240 or ART 241 or ART 267 or ART 268 or PHTO 101 or PHTO 102 |
Art History - Ancient Art or Art History - Western Medieval Art or Art History - Renaissance and Baroque Art in Western Europe or Art History - Modern and Contemporary Art or Art History - Topics in Contemporary Art or Introduction to the Visual Arts or Intermediate Drawing or Figure Drawing I or Figure Drawing II or Three-Dimensional Design or Beginning Painting or Intermediate Painting or Beginning Ceramics or Intermediate Ceramics or Experimental Ceramics or Beginning Ceramics - Handbuilding or Ceramic Design and Decoration or Ceramics: Tile and Mosaic or Computer Art Basics or Introduction to Art: Mobile Digital Devices or Digital Media Productions I or Commercial Graphic Design or Introduction to Typography or Computer Graphics I or Web Design I or Animation I or Beginning Clay Sculpture or Intermediate Clay Sculpture or Advanced Clay Sculpture I or Advanced Clay Sculpture II or Sculpture and Metalwork or Art Portfolio and Resume Production or Motion Picture Appreciation or Motion Picture Appreciation - Honors or History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary or History of Latin American Art - Colonial through Contemporary - Honors or History of Asian Art or History of Asian Art - Honors or Advanced Painting or Advanced Ceramics I or Advanced Ceramics II or Web Design II or Animation II or Basic Photography or Intermediate Photography |
3 |
| Units | 10 | |
| Total Units | 60 | |
Note: Course selections may affect total unit value.
Career Opportunities
There are a variety of careers you can do with this major.
To explore more about this major, schedule an appointment with a career counselor.