Academic Catalogs

Art, Associate of Arts Degree

Banner Code: 3_AA_ART

Control Number: 18049

Financial Aid Eligible


This major encourages the development of technical skills, art appreciation, and personal creative vision. Art majors begin with a series of foundation courses that are designed to develop students’ understanding and application of visual language across a range of media. This major will equip students with a variety of skills and visual strategies that they will be able to apply in meaningful contexts. Through study of arts, students learn how to find creative solutions to problems and how to express their individuality.

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

  1. Interpret the ideas being communicated by analyzing the visual elements and principles of design.
  2. Solve visual problems involving craftsmanship by using the creative process.
  3. Recognize, distinguish, and correlate the basic elements of form and utilize it to make original art.

Associate Degree Requirements

Unit Requirement

Complete at least 60 units of acceptable college work with a minimum of 12 units completed in residence at Coastline. Earn an overall grade point average of 2.0 or higher from all colleges attended and a 2.0 or higher grade point average at Coastline.

*Students must be in good academic standing (not on probation and/or disqualification) during the semester graduation is petitioned.

Program of Study

Complete the required courses in one of the programs as detailed In the Requirements for the Major section of this catalog. All coursework must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

General Education

Complete one of the three General Education options below (visit the General Education page for details):

Option 1 — AA/AS Local Degree GE: designed for students pursuing an Associate degree and who may or may not be planning to transfer to a four-year university. The degree is transferable to many colleges and universities.

Option 2—CSU GE Breadth: designed for students who are planning to transfer to a university in the CSU system. It may also be appropriate for transfer to some independent colleges and universities.

Option 3—IGETC: designed for students who are planning to transfer to a university in the CSU or UC system. It also may be appropriate for transfer to some independent colleges and universities.

Global and Multicultural Studies Requirement

Complete at least 2.5 units from any Global and Multicultural Studies courses. See what courses fulfill the Global and Multicultural Studies Requirement.

Course Title Units
Required Core
Complete the following:
ART C100Survey of Art: Prehistory through Late Gothic3
or ART C101 Survey of Art: Renaissance to Contemporary
or ART C105 Introduction to Art
ART C110Color and Design: 2-D3
ART C120Drawing 13
ART C121Life Drawing 13
ART C122Painting 13
ART C111Color and Design - 3-D3
or ART C150 Ceramics 1
Units Required for Major18
Local General Education, CSU General Education, or IGETC patternVaries
Electives to satisfy unit requirementVaries
Total Units60

Art Degree Program Map

This program map is a recommended example of all major (program) requirements as well as general education requirements for two-year completion or transfer. This path may be altered to fit your individual academic needs. These two-year program maps were created by program faculty and counselors and demonstrate a recommended path to completion. Students are advised to meet with a Coastline Counselor for individualized program planning.

Your Path to Success

Follow this path to earn your degree in Art in 2 years.

Don’t forget to consult a counselor for an education plan!

See a graphic of the Art Associate Degree roadmap.

Course Title Units
1st Semester
ENGL C100Freshman Composition4
MATH C100Liberal Arts Mathematics3
COUN C105Strategies for College Success3
ART C110Color and Design: 2-D3
ART C105Introduction to Art3
2nd Semester
ENGL C102Critical Reasoning, Reading, and Writing3
CMST C110Public Speaking3
ART C101Survey of Art: Renaissance to Contemporary3
ART C120Drawing 13
GEOL C105General Geology3
GEOL C105LGeology Lab1
3rd Semester
HIST C170United States History to 18763
ART C104The History of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art3
ART C122Painting 13
BIOL C100Introduction to Biology3
SOC C100Introduction to Sociology3
4th Semester
ART C150Ceramics 13
HUM C135History and Appreciation of the Cinema3
SOC C233Racial and Ethnic Relations in America3
PSCI C180American Government3
ART C102Contemporary Art History3