Folsom Lake College
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Home Catalog Programs of Study List of Programs Art History

Art History

Overview

The Folsom Lake College art history curriculum offers a wide range of courses in introduction to art, western, and non-western art, from prehistoric to contemporary. Through the program’s diverse classes, students develop an understanding of the diverse cultural, historical, social, and religious backgrounds. The art history curriculum’s critical thinking and research components encourage students to utilize independent thought processes and analytical skills. The program provides transfer and employment opportunities, as well as personal enrichment for students.

Degrees Offered

  • A.A.-T. in Art History
  • A.A. in Art History
  • Division Dean Francis Fletcher
  • Department Chair Eunyoung Hwang
  • Phone (916) 608-6752
  • Email fletchf@flc.losrios.edu

Associate Degrees for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Art History

The Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer Degree program provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements for transfer to the California State University. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. Students should work closely with their Folsom Lake College counselor to ensure that they are taking the appropriate coursework to prepare for majoring in Art History at the institution they wish to transfer to because major and general education requirements may vary for each CSU and the degree may only transfer to specific institutions.

This program has the following completion requirements:

(1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following:

(A) Cal-GETC the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) Requirement.

(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district.

(2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

All ADTs also require that students must earn a "C" or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A "P" (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in the major if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Degree Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
ARTH C1100 Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era (3) 3 - 6
or [ ARTH 309 Art Survey: Renaissance to 19th Century (3)
and ARTH 311 ] Art Survey: Modern Art (3)
ARTH 332 Asian Art 3
ART 300 Drawing and Composition I 3
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
List A (Art History Electives): Select one course from the following
ARTH 318 History of American Art (3)
   or ARTH 324 Art of the Americas (3)
   or ARTH 325 Native American Art History (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
List B (Art Electives): Select one course from the following
ART 304 Figure Drawing I (3)
ART 320 Design: Fundamentals (3)
ART 327 Painting I (3)
ART 361 Printmaking: Survey (3)
ART 370 Three Dimensional Design (3)
ART 372 Sculpture (3)
ART 383 Metal Design: Emphasis In Fabrication (3)
ART 390 Ceramics (3)
ART 402 Beginning Clay Sculpture (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
List C (General Electives): Select one of the following courses or any course from List A and List B not already used.
ARTH 300 Art Appreciation (3)
ARTH 304 Ancient Art (3)
ARTH 306 Medieval Art (3)
ARTH 307 Italian Renaissance Art (3)
ARTH 312 Women in Art (3)
ARTH 328 Survey of African Art (3)
ARTH 330 Survey of African-American Art (3)
ARTH 333 Introduction to Islamic Art (3)
Total Units: 18 - 21

The Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum 2.0 GPA, including (a) the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) Requirement.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • assess and evaluate the contributions of artists throughout history.
  • identify and evaluate works of art or architecture according to their appropriate style and time frame.
  • analyze and critique art and architecture within the context of their functions and meanings.
  • research and assess theoretical information concerning the meanings and purposes of art and architecture.
  • demonstrate an understanding of the history of cultures and civilizations and how art and architecture is a reflection of that history.

Career Information

Art historians with undergraduate degrees are placed as registrars, preparators, and curatorial staff in art museums and galleries; they can also be employed as art critics in mass media publications, such as newspapers and magazines. An advanced degree allows an art historian a wider range of possible career applications, including museums directorships, curators, instructors, preservationists, researchers, and auction house personnel.

Associate Degrees

A.A. in Art History

The A.A. Degree in Art History is designed for students to pursue their education in Art History and Art Administration as well as for students who seek self enrichment in the field of Art History. Students, after transfer and completion of their Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Art History, can further their studies in Master’s and Ph.D. in Art History and Art Administration.

Catalog Date: August 1, 2026

Degree Requirements
Course Code Course Title Units
ARTH 304 Ancient Art 3
ARTH 306 Medieval Art 3
ARTH 309 Art Survey: Renaissance to 19th Century 3
ARTH 311 Art Survey: Modern Art 3
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
ARTH 307 Italian Renaissance Art (3)
ARTH 318 History of American Art (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
ARTH 312 Women in Art (3)
ARTH 324 Art of the Americas (3)
ARTH 325 Native American Art History (3)
ARTH 328 Survey of African Art (3)
ARTH 330 Survey of African-American Art (3)
ARTH 332 Asian Art (3)
ARTH 333 Introduction to Islamic Art (3)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
ART 300 Drawing and Composition I (3)
ART 320 Design: Fundamentals (3)
ART 323 Design: Color Theory (3)
ART 361 Printmaking: Survey (3)
ART 364 Printmaking: Relief (3)
ART 370 Three Dimensional Design (3)
ART 372 Sculpture (3)
ART 382 Metal Design: Emphasis in Mixed Media (3)
ART 383 Metal Design: Emphasis In Fabrication (3)
ART 390 Ceramics (3)
ART 402 Beginning Clay Sculpture (3)
Total Units: 21

The Art History Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus the local FLC General Education Requirement, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See FLC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • assess and evaluate the contributions of artists throughout history.
  • identify and evaluate works of art or architecture according to their appropriate style and time frame.
  • analyze and critique art and architecture within the context of their functions and meanings.
  • research and assess theoretical information concerning the meanings and purposes of art and architecture.
  • demonstrate an understanding of the history of cultures and civilizations and how art and architecture is a reflection of that history.

Career Information

Upon the completion of their continued education, students can work in galleries and museums as docents, as program directors, curators, or for private collectors and public organizations in related fields as well as educators, writers, etc.

Art History (ARTH) Courses

ARTH 300 Art Appreciation

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:C-ID ARTH 100
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is an introduction to the visual arts and architecture in various world cultures. Lecture and discussion include an overview of different materials and techniques that are used for the visual arts, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, artifacts, architecture, and printmaking. Topics also include the study of theory, terminology, the meaning and function of art, roles of artists, elements of art, and principles of design to develop visual literacy.

ARTH C1100 Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:C-ID ARTH 110
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course was formerly known as ARTH 303 Art Survey: Ancient to 14th Century.

This course introduces students to visual art and architecture from prehistory to the medieval era with a focus on art from Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. The course will further consider global interactions involving these regions. Formally known as ARTH 303. This course is not open to students who have already completed ARTH 303.

ARTH 304 Ancient Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers the development of Western art from the Prehistoric era through the Roman period. Lecture and discussion focus on the visual arts and architecture from the ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures.

ARTH 306 Medieval Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is an introduction to Medieval arts and architecture from the fall of Roman Empire through late Gothic period. The lecture and discussion include the Early Christian, Byzantine, Celtic, Islamic, Romanesque, and Gothic arts. This is a required course for students seeking the A.A. in Art History.

ARTH 307 Italian Renaissance Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course introduces the visual arts and architecture of Italy from duecento (13th century) through cinquecento (16th century). Topics include the relationship between the visual arts and culture, and artists and their works from Proto-Renaissance, Renaissance, High Renaissance, and Mannerism.

ARTH 309 Art Survey: Renaissance to 19th Century

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:Part of C-ID ARTH 120
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is a survey of art from the Proto-Renaissance (13th and 14th centuries) to Romanticism (19th century). The course examines paintings, sculptures, graphic art, artifacts, and architecture from western culture.

ARTH 311 Art Survey: Modern Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:C-ID ARTH 150; Part of C-ID ARTH 120
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is a survey of modern art from Neoclassicism to contemporary art, from 18th century to 21st century. Through lecture and discussion, the course examines visual arts and architecture from Europe and America.

ARTH 312 Women in Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is a survey course of women's art: how women are portrayed in the visual arts and the study of female artists and their works from the Middle Ages through the 21st century. The lecture and discussion include both European and non-European arts of women artists; analysis of women of diverse ethnicity and how their ethnic backgrounds shaped their arts; comparison and contrast of works by women of diverse groups; and comparison and contrast between the portrayals of men and women by male and female artists.

ARTH 318 History of American Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers American art from pre-colonial period to the present day. Lecture and discussion include visual arts and architecture of the Native Americans prior to the arrival of Europeans and Colonial periods, Early American art and architecture, 19th century, 20th century, and the early 21st century American arts.

ARTH 324 Art of the Americas

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:C-ID ARTH 145
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers the visual arts and architecture of Indigenous Mesoamerica and South America. Topics include the relationship between art and beliefs, materials and techniques used in art and architecture, and comparison and contrast between the Mesoamerican and South American cultures.

ARTH 325 Native American Art History

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A; Cal-GETC Area 3B
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is an introduction to the art and culture of Native American peoples. It will include the native peoples of the Arctic and Subarctic regions, the Northwest Coast, the Eastern Woodlands, including the Iroquois Confederacy, the Plains, the Southwest, and California. Contemporary Native American art will also be discussed. Comparisons between individual Native American cultures will be drawn, as well as comparisons between Native and Eurocentric cultures.

ARTH 328 Survey of African Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers the visual arts and architecture of Africa. Topics include cultural and philosophical background of African arts, materials and techniques used, and the impact of African art to Western art.

ARTH 330 Survey of African-American Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course covers the visual arts and architecture of black artists in America. Topics include the roots of African-American art, the Harlem Renaissance, and the political and social representations of the African-American culture.

ARTH 332 Asian Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ARTH 300 and ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A
  • C-ID:C-ID ARTH 130
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course is a survey of Asian arts and architecture from the Prehistoric era to the contemporary. The course examines arts from China, India, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. The lecture and discussion include the development of Eastern philosophy and beliefs; their relationship to the visual arts; and comparison and contrast between Asian and Western arts.

ARTH 333 Introduction to Islamic Art

  • Units:3
  • Hours:54 hours LEC
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Advisory:ENGL C1000
  • Transferable:CSU; UC
  • General Education:Local GE L3; Cal-GETC Area 3A; Cal-GETC Area 3B
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is a survey course that studies the art and culture of the Middle East. It primarily focuses on Islamic art and architecture and provides fundamental information on the formation of Islamic art, its history and philosophy. Students will learn to identify works of art produced by artists from Muslim countries and regions. They will also be able to describe verbally and in writing characteristics and key elements in Islamic art and architecture. This course will include, but not be limited to, visual examples from Arabic, Persian and Indian cultures.

ARTH 495 Independent Studies in Art History

  • Units:1 - 3
  • Hours:54 - 162 hours LAB
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This course involves a student working individually on a topic of study and research beyond the scope of regularly offered courses. Upon the approval of the proposed topic, the student will work and keep in contact with the advisory faculty to successfully complete the topic study. Students may take this course up to four times without duplication of the topics.

ARTH 499 Experimental Offering in Art History

  • Units:0.5 - 4
  • Prerequisite:None.
  • Transferable:CSU
  • Catalog Date:August 1, 2026

This is the experimental courses description.

Catalog