The Arts: A.A., A.S.

Program Details

The Arts area of study encompasses a wide range of possible studies and concentrations in the arts including, but not limited to, the visual arts, the performing arts, digital arts and digital media, photography, music, creative writing, film, and museum studies. Students are encouraged to consider including learning about more than one artistic discipline and the cultures/histories of those disciplines in their degree plans.

Knowledge of each outcome can be demonstrated through transcript credit, individual prior learning assessment (iPLA), prior learning evaluation (PLE), or credit by examination, or specific courses at SUNY Empire State University.

Students should explain in their rationale essay how each foundation below is met in their individual degree plan by explaining how the learning in the course, iPLA, PLE, etc. connects to the foundation. Note that to meet a foundation, the learning must be centered on the arts. 

Associate degree programs in the Arts must address at least four of the following seven foundations.

Foundation # 1: Historical Perspectives   

Courses which meet this foundation include, but are not limited to:

ARTP 3010History of Physical Theater4
ARTP 3030Performance History: The Twentieth Century4
ARTS 1025Body Art: Tattooing: Introduction4
ARTS 1055Impressionism: The Birth of Modern Art4
ARTS 1100Early Art of the Netherlands: Introductory4
ARTS 2020Art History I: Prehistory to Renaissance4
ARTS 2025Art History II: Baroque to Modern4
ARTS 2041African American Art4
ARTS 2050Introduction to the History of Western Architecture4
ARTS 301020th Century Art History I4
ARTS 301220th Century Art History II4
ARTS 3050American Architectural History4
ARTS 3055American Art History4
ARTS 3080Arts of Native North America4
ARTS 3090Baroque Art & Architecture4
ARTS 3095Body Art: Tattooing: Advanced4
ARTS 3105Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?4
ARTS 3115Cuba at the Crossroads: Art Culture and Identity4
ARTS 3145Issues in Contemporary Art4
ARTS 3150Italian Renaissance Art & Architecture4
ARTS 3160Masters of the Renaissance: Advanced4
ARTS 3175Medieval Art & Architecture4
ARTS 3190Nineteenth Century Art4
ARTS 3215The Odd Couple of Art History – Van Gogh & Gauguin4
ARTS 3225The Renaissance & Reformation4
ARTS 4010Art History: Methods and Theories4
ARTS 4035Images of Women in Western Art4
ARTS 4040Indigenous Knowledge in Art4
ARTS 4055Native North American History & Art4
DANC 1005Western Dance History4
DANC 3010DEL Foundations6
DIGA 4015History & Theory of New Media4
FILM 3045The Films of Alfred Hitchcock4
FILM 3050The Golden Age: Hollywood Movies of the 1930s & 40s4
FILM 3052The American Cinema4
FILM 4015Dark Dreams: Studying the Horror Film4
HIST 1020American Art: The New World to the Modern World4
HIST 1122Art Music & History I4
HIST 3135Art Music & History I: Advanced4
HIST 4010Rock and Roll History4
MUSC 1005Exploring the World of Music4
MUSC 3010American Music, American Life4
PHOT 1005Black Photographers 1840- Present: Intro4
PHOT 1010Documentary Photography: Introductory4
PHOT 1015History of Photography: Introductory4
PHOT 3015History of Photography: Advanced4
PHOT 4010Photography as Cultural History4
THEA 1010U.S. Theatre History: Introductory4
THEA 3015U.S. Theatre History: Advanced4
THEA 3020Greek Drama4
THEA 3025History of American Musical Theatre4

Foundation # 2: Artistic Practice

Courses which meet this foundation include, but are not limited to:

ARTP 1007Acting Songs: Introductory4
ARTP 1015Performing Literature: Introductory4
ARTP 1122Playwriting Lab: Introductory4
ARTP 1127Writing the Solo Play: Introductory4
ARTP 1132Writing the Solo Musical: Introductory4
ARTP 1137Playwriting: Introductory4
ARTP 3005Creating Solo Performance4
ARTP 3012Acting Songs: Advanced4
ARTP 3015Performing Literature: Advanced4
ARTP 3122Playwriting Lab Advanced4
ARTP 4005Performance Art & Installation4
ARTP 4122Writing the Solo Play: Advanced4
ARTP 4127Playwriting: Advanced4
ARTP 4132Writing the Solo Musical: Advanced4
ARTS 1000Arts & the Environment: Introductory4
ARTS 1030Collage4
ARTS 1040Figure Drawing4
ARTS 1065Introduction to Drawing4
ARTS 1075Introduction to Painting4
ARTS 1080Introduction to Studio Art4
ARTS 1125Watercolor Painting4
ARTS 1127Drawing Into Painting4
ARTS 2040Eco Arts4
ARTS 2055Sculpture: Introductory4
ARTS 3000Advanced Nature Drawing4
ARTS 3020A Sense of Place: Drawing from Nature: Advanced4
ARTS 3025Advanced Drawing4
ARTS 3030Advanced Drawing: Comics4
ARTS 3040Advanced Painting4
ARTS 3105Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?4
ARTS 3135Illustration4
ARTS 3135Illustration4
ARTS 3180Mixed Media4
ARTS 3210The Illustrated Man-Sci-Fi Metaphors & Ray Bradbury: Advanced4
ARTS 3245Advanced Digital Photography4
ARTS 3260Advanced Watercolor Painting4
ARTS 4122Independent Arts Project4
CRWR 1000Introduction to Creative Writing4
CRWR 1005Crafting Personal Narratives in Creative Nonfiction: Intro4
CRWR 1015Creative Nonfiction: Introductory4
CRWR 1020Portraiture in Poetry4
CRWR 1025Screen Writing4
CRWR 1030Screenplays: From Concept to Production4
CRWR 1035Creative Writing: The Short Story4
CRWR 1040Creative Writing: Fiction4
CRWR 1045Stories We Think We Know (Intro)4
CRWR 2005Microfiction4
CRWR 3005Crafting Personal Narratives in Creative Nonfiction: Advanced4
CRWR 3010Creating Fictional Worlds4
CRWR 3015Creative Nonfiction: Advanced4
CRWR 3025Creative Writing: Poetry4
CRWR 3030Stories We Think We Know (Adv)4
CRWR 3035Dramatic Writing: The Hero’s Journey4
CRWR 3045Plays & Playwriting4
CRWR 3050Portraiture in Poetry4
CRWR 3055Poetry & Healing4
CRWR 4025Creating a Graphic Narrative4
DIGA 1010Digital Art & Design: Introductory4
DIGA 1035Introduction to Digital Editing4
DIGA 2010Digital Presentation4
DIGA 2122Introduction to Digital Photography4
DIGA 3015Advanced Digital Photography4
DIGA 3020Advanced Digital Presentation4
DIGA 3035Digital Art & Design: Advanced4
DIGA 3040Digital Storytelling3-4
DIGA 3045Game Design & Development4
DIGA 3065Digital Media Arts4
DIGA 3070New Media Advocacy4
DIGA 3080Digital Painting4
DIGA 4005Advanced Collage: Digital Portfolio4
DIGA 4122Professional Digital Portfolio4
FILM 2010Cell-phone Cinematography4
FILM 3005Advanced Documentary Film Production4
FILM 3005Advanced Documentary Film Production4
FILM 4005Advanced Topics in Documentary Film4
FILM 4020Experiments in Motion Media4
MUSC 1010Introduction to Guitar and Guitar Music4
MUSC 2010Songwriting: Introductory4
MUSC 3005Songwriting: Advanced4
MUSE 3010Curatorial Practice4
PHOT 1010Documentary Photography: Introductory4
PHOT 1025Photographic Narratives: Introductory4
PHOT 1030Photography from Dusk to Dawn: Introductory4
PHOT 1040Photography & The Environment: Introductory4
PHOT 1045Street Photography: Composing the Urban Landscape: Introductory4
PHOT 2005Photography Project: Introductory4
PHOT 2010The Photographic Vision4
PHOT 3015History of Photography: Advanced4
PHOT 3030Photography from Dusk to Dawn: Advanced4
PHOT 3045Photography & The Environment: Advanced4
PHOT 3050Street Photography: Composing the Urban Landscape: Advanced4
PHOT 3055Advanced Digital Photography4
PHOT 4005Advanced Photography Portfolio4

Foundation #3: Artistic Theory 

Courses which meet this foundation include, but are not limited to:

ARTP 2005Introduction to Performance Studies4
ARTP 4010Performance Theory4
ARTP 4147Theatre Community & Social Change: Advanced4
ARTS 1055Impressionism: The Birth of Modern Art4
ARTS 2041African American Art4
ARTS 301020th Century Art History I4
ARTS 301220th Century Art History II4
ARTS 3145Issues in Contemporary Art4
ARTS 3240Visual Literacy4
ARTS 4010Art History: Methods and Theories4
ARTS 4020Color Theory4
ARTS 4070What Is Art?4
DIGA 3040Digital Storytelling3-4
DIGA 3050Information Design4
DIGA 3065Digital Media Arts4
DIGA 4015History & Theory of New Media4
MUSC 4005Critical Theory & the End of Noise4
MUSE 3010Curatorial Practice4

Foundation # 4: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion   

Courses which meet this foundation include, but are not limited to:

ARTP 2005Introduction to Performance Studies4
ARTP 3035Popular Music & Social Justice: Advanced4
ARTP 4147Theatre Community & Social Change: Advanced4
ARTS 1025Body Art: Tattooing: Introduction4
ARTS 2035Diversity in the United States Arts4
ARTS 2041African American Art4
ARTS 301220th Century Art History II4
ARTS 3080Arts of Native North America4
ARTS 3095Body Art: Tattooing: Advanced4
ARTS 3105Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?4
ARTS 3115Cuba at the Crossroads: Art Culture and Identity4
ARTS 4035Images of Women in Western Art4
ARTS 4040Indigenous Knowledge in Art4
ARTS 4055Native North American History & Art4
CRWR 4015Poetry of the Oppressed: Verse Under Fire4
DANC 4005Dance Across World Cultures4
FILM 1005Frozen, Encanto, and Beyond: Analyzing Children's Animated Films (Introductory)4
FILM 2005America on Film: Race Class & Gender4
FILM 3010Frozen, Encanto, and Beyond: Analyzing Children's Animated Films (Advanced)4
FILM 3015Cuban Film Festival Residency4
FILM 3025Gender & Power in American Film4
FILM 3040Race & Representation in Cinema4
FILM 4040Transgender in American Film4
MUSC 1005Exploring the World of Music4
MUSC 3010American Music, American Life4
MUSC 3045World Music Across Cultures: Advanced4
MUSE 3015Museum Studies4
SPAN 3025Contemporary Spanish American Theater4

Foundation # 5: Research Skills   

Any course with the subject codes of ARTP, ARTS, CRWR, DANC, DIGA, FILM, MUSC, MUSE, PHOT, or THEA that requires research skills will satisfy this foundation. Students must identify in their rationale essay which course or courses they are nominating for this foundation. They must also describe at least one research project from that course(s) (or a research project that they expect to do) that achieves the learning outcome for this foundation. As with the other Arts AOS foundations, students may also demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by this foundation through transcript credit, individual prior learning assessment (iPLA), prior learning evaluation (PLE), or credit by examination.

Foundation # 6: Critical Thinking Skills   

Any course with the subject codes of ARTP, ARTS, CRWR, DANC, DIGA, FILM, MUSC, MUSE, PHOT, or THEA that requires critical thinking skills to describe, interpret, and critique artistic works will satisfy this foundation. Students must identify in their rationale essay which course or courses they are nominating for this foundation. They must also describe at least one assignment from that course(s) (or a research project that they expect to do) that achieves the learning outcomes for this foundation. As with the other Arts AOS foundations, students may also demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by this foundation through transcript credit, individual prior learning assessment (iPLA), prior learning evaluation (PLE), or credit by examination.

 
Foundation # 7: Ethical and Social Responsibility 

Courses which meet this foundation include, but are not limited to:

ARTP 3035Popular Music & Social Justice: Advanced4
ARTP 4147Theatre Community & Social Change: Advanced4
ARTS 1020Art & Sustainability4
ARTS 2035Diversity in the United States Arts4
ARTS 2041African American Art4
ARTS 3105Graffiti: Art or Vandalism?4
ARTS 3145Issues in Contemporary Art4
CRWR 1045Stories We Think We Know (Intro)4
CRWR 3030Stories We Think We Know (Adv)4
DIGA 3036Ethics of Digital Art & Design4
FILM 1005Frozen, Encanto, and Beyond: Analyzing Children's Animated Films (Introductory)4
FILM 2005America on Film: Race Class & Gender4
FILM 3010Frozen, Encanto, and Beyond: Analyzing Children's Animated Films (Advanced)4
FILM 3025Gender & Power in American Film4
FILM 3040Race & Representation in Cinema4
MUSC 3035Popular Music & Social Justice: Advanced4
MUSC 3045World Music Across Cultures: Advanced4
MUSE 3010Curatorial Practice4
MUSE 3015Museum Studies4
PHOT 1010Documentary Photography: Introductory4
PHOT 1045Street Photography: Composing the Urban Landscape: Introductory4
PHOT 3050Street Photography: Composing the Urban Landscape: Advanced4
PHOT 4010Photography as Cultural History4
THEA 3065Hamilton: An American Musical4

Learning Outcomes

  • Foundation 1: Historical Perspectives, Students will be able to identify the diverse historical perspectives of at least one form of creative expression. 
  • Foundation 2: Artistic Practice, Students will be able to analyze, create, produce, and/or perform at least one form of artistic practice.  
  • Foundation 3: Artistic Theory, Students will be able to describe the interconnectedness between artistic theory and artistic practice in at least one form of creative expression.
  • Foundation 4: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Students will be able to discuss and assess a range of social, cultural, or global perspectives in the arts.
  • Foundation 5: Research Skills, Students will be able to conduct research using libraries and credible online resources to critically assess and articulate artistic concepts or practices. 
  • Foundation 6: Critical Thinking Skills, Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills to describe, interpret, and critique artistic works.
  • Foundation 7: Ethical and Social Responsibility, Students will be able to analyze, discuss, and apply ethical and social responsibility within the arts.