Art History: AA-T Degree
This degree option provides a comprehensive foundation in art history in preparation for transfer in the field to a Baccalaureate program in the California State University system.
The Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer is designed to provide a clear pathway to a CSU institution for students who plan to transfer and complete a CSU major or baccalaureate degree in Art History. California Community College students who are awarded an Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer are guaranteed admission with junior standing somewhere in the CSU system and given priority admission consideration to their local CSU institution or to a program that is deemed similar to their community college major. This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or institutions.
To fulfill the requirements for this degree, students will complete the required and elective courses in the area of emphasis and Cal-GETC pattern requirements totaling no more than 60 semester CSU-transferable units.
Additional NVC graduation requirements do not apply to this degree. Students must successfully pass all courses in the area of emphasis with a minimum of “C” (or “P”) and maintain an overall minimum 2.0 GPA. Additionally, students pursuing this degree option must work with a counselor and faculty advisor to ensure appropriate elective course selections for their intended area of emphasis for the baccalaureate degree.
Career Opportunities
Museums/Galleries--curators, collections management, exhibition design, events planning, image rights and reproduction Education--primary and secondary teaching, college/university teaching, visual resources curating Art Sales--antiques dealing and appraisal, art authentication, gallery sales Business--corporate collection and management, market research, product development, website development Travel and Tourism--tour guide/cultural ambassadors for domestic and foreign cities, tour guides for cruises, resorts, hotels.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Recognize works of art and architecture from diverse historic periods and geographic areas.
- Employ both observational skills and deductive reasoning to understand art and architecture as forms operating within a specific historical, political, philosophical, or religious context.
- Through written and oral communication, discern the ways in which specific works of art and architecture relate to one another (comparison/contrast) and to other forms of visual culture.
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (9 units) | 9 | |
| History of Western Art: Prehistoric Through Medieval | ||
or ARTH-106 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary | |
| Fundamentals of Drawing | ||
| History of Asian Art | ||
| Required Electives: List A (3 units) | ||
| Complete 1 course from the following OR any course not already taken from the required course list above: | 3 | |
| Art of the Ancient Americas | ||
| Introduction to Visual Culture | ||
| History of Graphic Design | ||
| Survey of Modern Art | ||
| History of Photography | ||
or PHOT-180 | History of Photography | |
| Required Electives: List B (3 units) | ||
| Complete 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| 2D Foundations | ||
| 3D Foundations | ||
| Figure Drawing | ||
| Beginning Ceramics: Hand-Building | ||
| Sculpture | ||
| Introduction to Digital Art | ||
| Foundations of Photography | ||
| Beginning Darkroom Photography | ||
| Beginning Digital Photography | ||
| Required Electives: List C (3 units) | ||
| Complete 1 course from the following: | 3 | |
| Any course from List A or B not already used, or | ||
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology and Prehistory | ||
| Mesoamerican Archaeology | ||
| Introduction to Visual Culture | ||
| Survey of Modern Art | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Survey of Studio Arts | ||
| Ethnic Studies 1 | ||
| The American Mind 2 | ||
| Native American Studies | ||
| Introduction to Africana Studies | ||
| Chicanx Studies | ||
| Women's Ethnic Heritage in the United States | ||
| Critical Mixed Race Studies | ||
| Filipina/x/o American Studies | ||
| Asian Pacific Islander American Studies | ||
| World History 1 | ||
| World History 2 | ||
| Culture and Gender in Theater | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy 1 | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy 2 | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Photography | ||
| Photography in a Multicultural United States | ||
| Total Units | 18 | |
To receive an Associate Degree for Transfer, students must complete 60 CSU transferable semester units with a grade point average of at least 2.0, and the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) beginning fall 2025. Consultation with a Counselor is highly encouraged to ensure all requirements are met.