Associate in Fine Arts Degree - Art

Degree Requirements

(Total Minimum Credits Required: 61)

Each candidate for an Associate in Fine Arts—Art degree shall:

  1. Select courses to complete the required credits from:
    1. general education core requirement courses,
    2. specific program required courses and studio electives to a minimum of 61 credits.
  2. Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 25 credits in general education courses as specified below. 
    1. Communication - 9 credits
      Written
      ENGLI 1101English Composition I (C1 900) 13
      ENGLI 1102English Composition II (C1 901R) 13
      Oral
      SPEEC 1100Fundamentals of Speech Communication (C2 900) 13
      1

      Grade of “C” or higher required.

    2. Physical and Life Sciences - 4 to 10 credits
      Select at least one course from Life Sciences or Physical Sciences with a laboratory component. Students with sufficient preparation may select from IAI science majors courses. Check with www.itransfer.org. A minimum of four credits must be selected from the following list:
      Life Sciences
      Biology
      BIOLO 1100Survey of Biology (L1 900L)4
      BIOLO 1110Environmental Biology (L1 905L)4
      BIOLO 1120Introduction to Genetics (No Lab) (L1 906)3
      BIOLO 1130Fundamentals of Biotechnology (L1 906L)4
      BIOLO 1151Principles of Biological Science (L1 910L)5
      Physical Sciences
      CHEMI 1105Contemporary Chemistry (P1 903L)4
      CHEMI 1137Concepts and Applications in Nanoscience (P1 903L)4
      CHEMI 1205Intro to Forensic Science & Chemistry (P1 903L)4
      CHEMI 1211Survey of General Chemistry (P1 902L)5
      CHEMI 1551Principles of Chemistry I (P1 902L)5
      Earth Science
      EARTH 1101Physical Geology of Earth's Interior (P1 907L)4
      EARTH 1102Physical Geology of Earth's Surface (P1 907L)4
      EARTH 1105Environmental Geology (P1 908L)4
      EARTH 1119Weather Impacts and Preparedness (No Lab) (P1 905)3
      EARTH 1120Introduction to Astronomy (No Lab) (P1 906)3
      EARTH 1110Introduction to Meteorology (P1 905L)4
      EARTH 1111Climate and Global Change (No Lab) (P1 905)3
      EARTH 1115Severe and Unusual Weather (P1 905L)4
      EARTH 1122Astronomy: The Solar System (P1 906L)4
      EARTH 1124Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies (P1 906L)4
      EARTH 1126Observational Astronomy (P1 906L)3
      Select one of the following: 13-4
      EARTH 1130
      		Introduction to Oceanography (P1 905L)
      EARTH 1131
      		Fundamentals of Oceanography (P1 905)
      EARTH 1135
      		Water Science-Fundamentals of Hydrology (P1 905L)
      Select one of the following: 13-4
      EARTH 1140
      		Fundamentals of Earth Science (P1 905L)
      EARTH 1141
      		Introduction to Earth Science (P1 905)
      Physics
      PHYSI 1100Physics (P1 900L)4
      PHYSI 1150Physics and Society (P1 901)3
      PHYSI 1180Physics in the Modern Era: Quarks to Cosmos (P1 900)3
      PHYSI 1201General Physics I (P1 900L)5
      PHYSI 2111Physics for Science and Engineering I (P2 900L)5
      1

      Not both

    3. Mathematics - 3 to 5 credits
      MATH 1218General Education Mathematics (M1 904)3
      MATH 1220Quantitative Literacy (M1 901)3
      MATH 1322Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II (M1 903)3
      MATH 1533Finite Mathematics (M1 906)4
      MATH 1635Statistics (M1 902) 14
      MATH 2000Survey of Calculus (M1 900-O)3
      MATH 2115Discrete Mathematics (M1 905)3
      MATH 2134Calculus for Business and Social Science (M1 900-B)4
      MATH 2231Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (M1 900-1)5
      MATH 2232Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (M1 900-2)5
      MATH 2233Calculus and Analytic Geometry III (M1 900-3)4
      PSYCH 2280Statistics/Social & Behavioral Sciences (M1 902) 13
      SOCIO 2205Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences (M1 902) 13
      1

      Only one from these three courses may count toward overall degree requirement credit. MATH 1322 Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers II may not be used to meet this requirement.

    4. Humanities and Fine Arts -  6 credits
      Select at least one course from Humanities and the required Fine Arts course.
      Humanities
      Chinese
      CHINE 2202Intermediate Chinese II (H1 900)4
      English
      ENGLI 1130Introduction to Literature (H3 900)3
      ENGLI 1150Short Fiction (H3 901)3
      ENGLI 1151Novel (H3 901)3
      ENGLI 1152Poetry (H3 903)3
      ENGLI 1153Drama (H3 902)3
      ENGLI 1154Film As Literature (HF 908)3
      ENGLI 1157Children's Literature (H3 918)3
      ENGLI 1158Bible As Literature (H5 901)3
      ENGLI 1159Greek Mythology (H9 901)3
      ENGLI 1160Native American Literature (H3 910D)3
      ENGLI 1161Multicultural Literatures of the U.S. (H3 910D)3
      ENGLI 1165Literature, Gender, and Sexualities (H3 911D)3
      ENGLI 2220British Literature to 1800 (H3 912)3
      ENGLI 2221British Literature From 1800 Through The Present (H3 913)3
      ENGLI 2223American Literature From the Colonial Period to the Civil War (H3 914)3
      ENGLI 2224American Literature From the Civil War to the Present (H3 915)3
      ENGLI 2226World Literature (H3 907)3
      ENGLI 2227Modern European Literature (H3 907)3
      ENGLI 2228Shakespeare (H3 905)3
      ENGLI 2262Non-Western Literature (H3 908N)3
      French
      FRENC 2202Intermediate French II (H1 900)4
      FRENC 2251Conversation and Composition I (H1 900)3
      FRENC 2252Conversation and Composition II (H1 900)3
      German
      GERMA 2202Intermediate German II (H1 900)4
      GERMA 2251Conversation and Composition I (H1 900)3
      GERMA 2252Conversation and Composition II (H1 900)3
      History
      HISTO 1110Foundations of the European World (H2 901)3
      HISTO 1120Europe in the Modern World (H2 902)3
      HISTO 1160World Civilization Since 1300 (H2 907)3
      HISTO 2205History of Asia (H2 903N)3
      HISTO 2220History and Culture of China (H2 903N)3
      HISTO 2225History and Culture of Russia (H2 908)3
      HISTO 2230History and Culture of Japan (H2 908)3
      HISTO 223520th Century World History (H2 903N)3
      HISTO 2245History and Culture of England (H2 908)3
      Humanities
      HUMNT 1102Introduction to Humanities: Ideas and Values (H9 900)3
      HUMNT 1103Introduction to World Mythology (H9 901)3
      HUMNT 1104Women in Arts: Cultural and Artistic Expressions of Gender (HF 907D)3
      HUMNT 1105Humanities Beyond the U.S. & Europe (HF 904N)3
      HUMNT 1110The Arts and Cultural Diversity (HF 906D)3
      HUMNT 1120Introduction to Medical Humanities (H9 900)3
      HUMNT 1150Intersections of Humanities, Math, And Science (H9 900)3
      Italian
      ITALI 2202Intermediate Italian II (H1 900)4
      Japanese
      JAPAN 2202Intermediate Japanese II (H1 900)4
      Korean
      KOREA 2202Intermediate Korean II (H1 900)4
      Motion Picture/Television
      MPTV 1154Film As Literature (HF 908)3
      Philosophy
      PHILO 1100Introduction to Philosophy (H4 900)3
      PHILO 1110Ethics (H4 904)3
      PHILO 1116Environmental Ethics (H4 904)3
      PHILO 1120Logic (H4 906)3
      PHILO 1125Critical Thinking (H4 906)3
      PHILO 1150World Religions (H5 904N)3
      PHILO 2010Ancient Philosophy (H4 901)3
      PHILO 2011Early Modern Philosophy (H4 902)3
      PHILO 2150Philosophy of Religion (H4 905)3
      PHILO 2155Asian Thought (H4 903N)3
      Religious Studies
      RELIG 1100Introduction to Religion (H5 900)3
      RELIG 1110Introuction to the Bible (old Testament) (H5 901)3
      RELIG 1120Introduction to the Bible (New Testament) (H5 901)3
      RELIG 1150World Religions (H5 904N)3
      RELIG 2155Asian Thought (H4 903N)3
      RELIG 2160Judaism, Christianity and Islam (H5 901)3
      Russian
      RUSSI 2202Intermediate Russian II (H1 900)4
      Spanish
      SPANI 2202Intermediate Spanish II (H1 900)4
      SPANI 2206Spanish for Heritage Speakers I (H1 900)4
      SPANI 2208Spanish for Heritage Speakers II (H1 900)4
      SPANI 2251Conversation and Composition I (H1 900)3
      SPANI 2252Conversation and Composition II (H1 900)3
      Fine Arts
      Art
      ART 2213Art Histories Since 1950 (F2 902)3
    5. Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 to 6 credits
      Choose at least one of the following courses:
      Anthropology
      ANTHR 1000Introduction to Anthropology (S1 900N)3
      ANTHR 1100Cultural Anthropology (S1 901N)3
      ANTHR 1105Practical Anthropology (S1 904D)3
      ANTHR 1130People and Cultures of the World (S1 904D)3
      ANTHR 1200Discovering Archaeology (S1 903)3
      ANTHR 1400Race, Sex and Human Evolution (S1 902)3
      Economics
      ECONO 2200Principles of Economics (S3 900)3
      ECONO 2201Macroeconomics and the Global Economy (S3 901)3
      ECONO 2202Microeconomics and the Global Economy (S3 902)3
      Geography
      GEOGR 1100Western World Geography (S4 901)3
      GEOGR 1105Eastern World Geography (S4 902N)3
      GEOGR 1120Economic Geography (S4 903N)3
      GEOGR 1130Cultural Geography (S4 900N)3
      History
      HISTO 1130History of the United States to 1865 (S2 900)3
      HISTO 1140History of the United States Since 1865 (S2 901)3
      HISTO 2210History and Culture of Africa (S2 907N)3
      HISTO 2215History and Culture of South Asia (S2 916N)3
      HISTO 2242African-American History (S2 923D)3
      HISTO 2260United States History Since 1945 (S2 901)3
      Political Science
      POLS 1100Introduction to Political Science (S5 903)3
      POLS 1101American Politics (S5 900)3
      POLS 1105State and Local Politics (S5 902)3
      POLS 2203Comparative Politics (S5 905)3
      POLS 2220World Politics (S5 904N)3
      Psychology
      PSYCH 1100General Psychology (S6 900)3
      PSYCH 2230Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence (S6 903)3
      PSYCH 2233Developmental Psychology: Adolescence (S6 904)3
      PSYCH 2235Developmental Psychology: Adulthood (S6 905)3
      PSYCH 2237Developmental Psychology: The Life Span (S6 902)3
      PSYCH 2240Social Psychology (S8 900)3
      Sociology
      SOCIO 1100Introduction to Sociology (S7 900)3
      SOCIO 1120Sociology of Sex, Gender and Power (S7 904D)3
      SOCIO 2210Social Problems (S7 901)3
      SOCIO 2215Racial and Ethnic Relations (S7 903D)3
      SOCIO 2220Sexual Relationships, Marriage & Family (S7 902)3
  3. Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 credits in Art requirements as specified below:
    1. Art History Core Courses - 9 credits
      ​Complete the Art History sequence at College of DuPage before transfer:
      ART 2211Art Histories Before 1400 CE3
      ART 2212Art Histories 1400 to 19503
      ART 2213Art Histories Since 19503
    2. Art History Elective - 3 credits
       Choose from the following courses, or any additional approved art history elective at the 2000 level:
      ART 2214Non-Western Art3
      ART 2215History of Adornment3
      ART 2216Introduction to Philosophy of Art3
      ART 2217Art and Nature3
      ART 1823Selected Topics in Art (Lecture)1-3
      or ART 2820 Advanced Selected Topics I
      MPTV 1111Film/Video Aesthetics3
      MPTV/ENGLI 1145Film History3
      PHOTO 1105History of Photography3
    3. Art Studio Core Courses - 12 credits
      Complete the Art Studio Core courses before enrolling in Art Studio Elective courses:
      ART 1101Drawing I3
      ART 1151Two-Dimensional Foundations Studio3
      ART 1152Three-Dimensional Foundations Studio3
      ART 2201Life Drawing I3
    4. Art Studio Electives - 12 to 15 credits
      Select at least 4 of the following elective courses, or any additional approved art studio elective at the 2000 level, with at least 1 from 3D Electives and 1 from 4D/Digital Media Electives:
  4. Earn no more than 6 credits in History in the Humanities and Fine Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences categories combined for general education credit.
  5. Earn no credit with a satisfactory/fail grade option.
  6. Earn no more than 42 credits for the Communication, Physical and Life Sciences, Mathematics, Humanities and Fine Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences categories by demonstrated competence through the Advanced Placement Program (AP), designated course-specific subject examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the College of DuPage Proficiency Through an Instructor Program.

Notes: Although designed to meet transfer requirements, the A.F.A. degree may not complete the requirements of the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) General Education Core Curriculum for lower division general education requirements at participating schools.

Students will need to fulfill the General Education requirements of the college/university to which they transfer. Transfer admission is competitive. Completion of the A.F.A. does not guarantee admission either to a baccalaureate program or to upper division art courses. Students may be required to demonstrate their skill level through audit, placement test or portfolio review. Most schools require a portfolio review for admission to a Bachelor in Fine Arts program, for registration in a second studio course in a medium, and/or for scholarship consideration. Students are encouraged to complete the A.F.A. degree prior to transferring.