Art History Certificate of Achievement
Program Overview
The Certificate in Art History at the College of San Mateo offers a comprehensive exploration of art and architecture from ancient times to the present. Through core courses and selective options, students develop critical analysis skills, understand art's historical and cultural contexts, and prepare for careers in art-related fields such as teaching, museum curation, and art criticism.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Certificate in Art History at the College of San Mateo (CSM) is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the visual arts within their social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts. Through the exploration of art and architecture from the ancient world to the present day, students develop a critical appreciation for artistic expression and its role in shaping human history and creativity. The program prepares students for further studies in art history or related fields, as well as for careers in art-related professions.
Objectives:
- To identify and describe major monuments and movements in the history of art.
- To identify and describe stylistic characteristics in order to place works of art in their historical and stylistic context.
- To apply critical analysis to compare and contrast works of art.
- To relate works of art to the societies in which they were created.
Program Structure:
Required Core Courses (15 units):
- ART 101: Art and Architecture from the Ancient World to Medieval Times (c. 1400)
- ART 102: Art of Renaissance and Baroque (c. 1300-1700)
- ART 103: Art of Europe and America: Neoclassical (c. 1750-Present)
- ART 104: Modern Art
- ART 204: Drawing I
Required Selective Courses (3 units):
Students choose one course from the following list:
- ART 105: Asian Art and Architecture
- ART 124: Old Masters' Aesthetics and Techniques
- ART 206: Expressive Figure Drawing and Portraiture
- ART 207: Life Drawing
- ART 214: Color
- ART 223: Oil Painting I
- ART 301: Two-Dimensional Design
- DGME 103: Fundamentals of Two-Dimensional Design
- ART 350: Visual Perception
- ANTH 110: Cultural Anthropology
- FILM 100: Introduction to Film
- HIST 100: History of Western Civilization I
Careers:
The Certificate in Art History prepares students for careers in a variety of fields, including:
- College professor
- Teacher
- Arts administrator
- Museum/gallery curator
- Corporate art advisor
- Museum docent
- Slide librarian
- Consultant on historical style for film and TV production
- Museum conservator
- Historical conservationist
- Art critic
- Tour guide
- Travel consultant
- Research assistant
- Art dealer
San Mateo Colleges of Silicon Valley
Overview:
San Mateo Colleges of Silicon Valley (SMCSV) is a group of three community colleges located in San Mateo County, California: Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College. SMCSV offers both in-person and online study options for international students.
