Arts and Humanities
A.A. Degree Arts and Cultural Studies · Berkeley City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Summary
Program Description
The A.A. in Arts and Humanities offers students a critical introduction to and appreciation for works of artistic and philosophical importance across the globe. The degree is designed to introduce students to the humanities, broadly understood, recognizing the role of philosophical inquiry and creative thought and action as a foundation of the human condition. The critical thinking skills and self-understanding developed through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in the arts and humanities. Successful completion of the curriculum in this AA offers students a breadth and depth of knowledge that could be focused on single discipline degrees as well as applied to an interdisciplinary degree. The degree is intended for students who are considering transfer in arts and humanities but may not have decided on a major or for students who are looking to complete a degree for job promotion. In all cases, students should consult with a counselor to develop a program of study.
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Career Opportunities
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Successful completion of the curriculum in Arts and Humanities offers students a breadth of knowledge that could be focused into single discipline degrees as well as applied to an interdisciplinary degree. The degree is intended for those who are considering transfer but have not decided on a major; those who are required to complete a degree for job promotion; or individuals who may wish to further their education and are considering a major that is interdisciplinary in focus.
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Learning Outcome(s)
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- Recognize and describe specific examples from various creative and philosophical movements and perspectives in well organized and effective essays or other written forms.
- Evaluate and make cogent arguments about significant ideas, theories, genres, styles, movements and/or specific works in human creativity and thought.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 18 units from a minimum of three disciplines from the following list of courses: | 18 | |
| ART 1 | Introduction to Art History | 3 |
| ARTH C1100 | Survey of Art from Prehistory to the Medieval Era | 3 |
| ARTH C1200 | Survey of Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
| ART 4 | History of Modern Art (1800 to Present) | 3 |
| ART 13 | History of Women in Art | 3 |
| ART 16 | Introduction to Islamic Art | 3 |
| ART 182 | Introduction to Visual Culture | 3 |
| ENGL 17A | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 17B | Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENGL 20 | Introduction to Dramatic Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 23 | Contemporary Queer Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 44B | Masterpieces of World Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 47 | Children’s Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 50 | Multicultural American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 85A | Literature in English Through Milton | 4 |
| ENGL 85B | Literature in English: Late 17th through Mid-19th Century | 4 |
| ENGL 85C | Literature in English: Mid-19th through the 20th Century | 4 |
| HIST 2A | History of Europe to 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 2B | History of Europe Since 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 3A | World History to 1500 | 3 |
| HIST 3B | World History Since 1500 | 3 |
| HUMAN 1 | Introduction to Humanities | 3 |
| HUMAN 5 | Storytelling in American Culture | 3 |
| HUMAN 15 | Popular Culture | 3 |
| HUMAN 21 | Film: Art and Communication | 3 |
| HUMAN 26 | Global Cinema | 4 |
| HUMAN 30B | Human Values/Aesthetics | 3 |
| HUMAN 40 | Religions of the World | 3 |
| HUMAN 52 | Women and Cinema | 4 |
| HUMAN 53 | Comparative Film Genres | 4 |
| HUMAN 55 | The Representation of Immigration in Cinema and Television | 4 |
| HUMAN 57 | Film Directors and Artists | 4 |
| HUMAN 182 | Introduction to Visual Culture | 3 |
| MUSIC 10 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| MUSIC 15A | Jazz, Blues, and Popular Music in the American Culture | 3 |
| MUSIC 15B | Jazz, Blues, and Popular Music in the American Culture | 3 |
| MMART 123 | The Art of Documentary Film | 3 |
| PHIL 1 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 2 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 11 | Formal Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 20A | History of Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 20B | History of Modern European Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 31A | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 35 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| SPAN 1A | Elementary Spanish | 5 |
| SPAN 1B | Elementary Spanish | 5 |
| SPAN 2A | Intermediate Spanish I | 5 |
| SPAN 2B | Intermediate Spanish II | 5 |
| SPAN 38 | Latin American Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 39 | Latin American Novel | 3 |
| SPAN 40 | Hispanic Civilization and Culture | 3 |
| WS 35 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| WS 52 | Women and Cinema | 4 |