Visual Arts (A.A.)
Associate in Arts
Program Advisor: Lisa Griffith
413-236-4712 • lgriffith@berkshirecc.edu
The Visual Arts concentration in the Fine Arts degree program offers courses comparable to those taken during the first two years at typical professional art schools and in college or university art departments. The program’s flexible design permits students to transfer to both kinds of institutions. There is a strong emphasis on foundation courses, and each student is encouraged in the development of a portfolio. Related majors at the baccalaureate level include art education, art history, art therapy, arts management, commercial art, fashion design, film making, graphic arts, industrial design, interior design, painting, photography, sculpture, and textile design.
This is a MassTransfer eligible program.
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of this program should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the visual vocabulary of art forms and techniques;
- Demonstrate with confidence an ability to solve artistic problems during the process of creating art;
- Develop an artistic style that demonstrates creativity and the personality of the artist;
- Demonstrate an ability to articulate and write about art projects that they are executing; and
- Demonstrate a general knowledge of contemporary art history, both at a conceptual level and in the context of creating one’s own art work.
Graduation Requirements
To earn a degree in this program, a student must complete all program and general education credits, plus the following Additional Requirements.
Program Courses
| FAS-111 | Drawing I | 3 |
| FAS-120 | Drawing II | 3 |
| FAS-123 | Two-Dimensional Design I | 3 |
| FAS-124 | Three-Dimensional Design I | 3 |
| FAS-163 | Two-Dimensional Design II | 3 |
| - | | |
| FAS-225 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| FAS-227 | Figure Painting | 3 |
| - | | |
| FAS-233 | Mixed Medium I | 3 |
| FAS-263 | Mixed Medium II | 4 |
| FAS - | Specialized Electives: FAS, THR or MUS | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 31 |
General Education Courses
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 6 |
| ENG- | Literature | 3 |
| FAS - | Art History | 3 |
| - | Behavioral & Social Science | 3 |
| - | Environmental Studies | 3 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| MAT- | Mathematics | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 7 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 35 |
FAS: See footnote 1
Environmental Studies : See footnote 3
History : See footnote 2
Natural or Physical Science : See footnote 3
Additional Requirements
| Core Competencies Portfolio |
4 items |
| FORUM |
4 units |
| Health/Fitness |
30 hours |
Minimum Cumulative Average
| Overall |
2.000 |
| All required FAS courses |
2.000 |
Suggested Pathway to Graduation
The following is a suggestion for completing this program in two years. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
| FAS-111 | Drawing I | 3 |
| FAS-123 | Two-Dimensional Design I | 3 |
| FAS-124 | Three-Dimensional Design I | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| FAS - | Art History | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Second Semester
| FAS-120 | Drawing II | 3 |
| FAS-163 | Two-Dimensional Design II | 3 |
| FAS - | Specialized Elective: FAS, THR or MUS | 3 |
| COM- | Communication | 3 |
| ENG- | English Composition/Writing | 3 |
| MAT- | Mathematics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Third Semester
| FAS-233 | Mixed Medium I | 3 |
| FAS - | Specialized Elective: FAS, THR or MUS | 3 |
| ENG- | Literature | 3 |
| - | Environmental Studies | 3 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Environmental Studies : See footnote 3
History : See footnote 2
Natural or Physical Science : See footnote 3
Fourth Semester
| - | Behavioral & Social Science | 3 |
| - | | |
| FAS-225 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| - | Or | |
| FAS-227 | Figure Painting | 3 |
| - | | |
| FAS-263 | Mixed Medium II | 4 |
| HIS- | History | 3 |
| - | Natural or Physical Science | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
History : See footnote 2
Natural or Physical Science : See footnote 3
Footnotes
- Art History chosen from FAS-171, FAS-172, or FAS-173.
- History courses must have “HI” designation.
- The Natural or Physical Science requirement must be fulfilled by one 4-credit laboratory science and one 3-credit non-laboratory science or by two 4-credit laboratory sciences. Completion of an environmentally focused laboratory science course, such as BIO-109, BIO-110, ENV-101 and ENV-102, fulfills both the Natural/Physical science requirement and the Environmental Studies requirement.