Online Degrees & Certificates
AA in 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 an 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 the exposure to the artistic expression of varied cultures and civilizations. This guided program assists students in developing specialized art theory necessary to apply and transfer to art programs at local universities.
Learn more about the program on the Art History website.
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
Units Required
Major: 39.5-41.5
Online Courses for Art History
The courses listed BELOW are offered as online courses at least once every two years. Please see the Class Schedule for verification.
- For a complete listing of online courses offered during the current quarter, visit Online Course Information.
- If you need any additional degree information or confirmation, please contact the Counseling Division.
NOTE: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.
Associate Degree Requirements
| ONLINE COURSE | TITLE | UNITS |
|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency: Select one of the following | ||
| ENGL 1A | Composition & Reading | 5 |
| ENGL 1AH | Honors Composition & Reading | 5 |
| ESLL 26 | Advanced Composition & Reading | 5 |
| 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 required * 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)
* 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.
Core and Support Courses
Core Courses
| ONLINE COURSE | TITLE | UNITS |
|---|---|---|
| ART 1 | Introduction to Art | 4.5 |
| ART 2A | History of Art: History of Western Art from Prehistory through Early Christianity | 4.5 |
| or ART 2AH | Honors History of Art: History of Western Art from Prehistory through Early Christianity | 4.5 |
| ART 2B | History of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance | 4.5 |
| or ART 2BH | Honors History of Western Art from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance | 4.5 |
| ART 2C | History of Western Art from the Baroque to Contemporary | 4.5 |
| ART 2F | Introduction to Asian Art | 4.5 |
| ART 3 | History of Modern Art from Post-Impressionism to Present | 4.5 |
Support Courses (12.5 - 14.5 units)
Select one course each from List 1, List 2, and List 3
| ONLINE COURSE | TITLE | UNITS |
|---|---|---|
| List 1 | ||
| ART 2D | African, Oceanic & Native American Art | 4.5 |
| ART 2E | A History of Women in Art | 4.5 |
| ART 2G | Introduction to Islamic Art | 4.5 |
| ART 2J | American Art | 4.5 |
| List 2 | ||
| ANTH 2A | Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| or ANTH 2AH | Honors Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| HIST 4A | History of Western Civilization to 800 CE | 4 |
| HIST 4B | History of Western Civilization: 700-1800 | 4 |
| HIST 4C | History of Western Civilization 1789-Present | 4 |
| HUMN 1 | Cultures, Civilizations & Ideas: The Ancient World | 4 |
| or HUMN 1H | Honors Cultures, Civilizations & Ideas: The Ancient World | 4 |
| HUMN 2 | Cultures, Civilizations & Ideas: Of Empires & Conflict | 4 |
| JAPN 4* | Intermediate Japanese I | 5 |
| PHIL 11 | Introduction to the Philosophy of Art & Aesthetics | 4 |
| PHIL 24 | Comparative World Religions: East | 4 |
| PHIL 25 | Comparative World Religions: West | 4 |
| SPAN 4* | Intermediate Spanish I | 5 |
| List 3 | ||
| ART 4A | Fundamentals in Drawing | 4 |
| ART 19A | Oil Painting I | 4 |
| or ART 19B | Acrylic Painting I | 4 |
| ART 45A | Beginning Ceramics Handbuilding | 4 |
| PHOT 5 | Introduction to Photography | 4 |
| or PHOT 8 | Photography of American Cultures | 5 |
| or PHOT 8H | Honors Photography of American Cultures | 5 |
| or PHOT 10 | History of Photography | 4 |
| or PHOT 10H | Honors History of Photography | 4 |
| Total Units |
39.5-41.5 | |
For a list of on-campus courses that satisfy degree requirements, please visit Art History 2024 - 2025 Degrees & Certificates.
Based on the 2024- 2025 degree program.