A Liberal Arts major includes coursework from various academic disciplines. At VVC, the Liberal Arts major has three areas of emphasis to choose from: Arts & Humanities, Math & Science, and Social & Behavioral Sciences. These majors require a student to spend a significant amount of time on studies focused on one of these three areas of emphasis. Students planning to transfer into a major that is not available at VVC often choose to major in Liberal Arts because they can easily plan courses that meet their transfer requirements as well as this Associate of Arts major. Please work with a counselor to carefully craft the plan is that right for your goals.
Transfer
Please visit the VVC Transfer Center in Building 23 or schedule an appointment with a counselor if you have questions.
Liberal Arts, AA Degrees
The Associate degree in Liberal Arts is designed for students who wish to have a broad knowledge of the liberal arts and sciences plus additional coursework in an Area of Emphasis. Within this major, students who plan on transferring to a university can typically satisfy both their general education requirements as well as many pre-major requirements for transfer. Consult with a counselor for information regarding your intended major and the specific college or university of your choice. Visit assist.org for more information. For a printable format for these majors please visit the Liberal Arts Majors document.
Requirements:
To earn this degree, complete the major coursework with “C” grades or better and all of the following graduation requirements: 60 minimum degree-applicable units (including a maximum 4 units of activity); 2.0 minimum overall GPA; 12 degree-applicable units through VVC; Information Competency; Global Citizenship; Kinesiology, and the VVC General Education pattern. Courses may count in one area only, either in the major or in a general education category. Courses counted in one AA/AS major may not be used in another AA/AS major.
- Choose an Area of Emphasis
- Complete a minimum of 18 units from ONE of the three areas of emphasis below
Liberal Arts: Arts and Humanities Emphasis, AA
State Control Number: 18595
Program Code: LAAH.AA
Approved for Federal Financial Aid: Yes
These courses emphasize the study of cultural, literary, and humanistic activities and artistic expression. Students will evaluate and interpret the ways in which people through the ages in different cultures have responded to themselves and to the world around them in artistic and cultural creation. Students will also learn to value aesthetic understanding and incorporate these concepts when constructing value judgments
Complete at least 18 units from the following, with at least two courses in any one subject.
ANTH 106 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology1
ART 101 Survey of Art History1
ART 102 Survey Art History1
ART 104 Film As an Art Form1
ART 105 Introduction to Art
ART 106 Art Concepts
ART 107 Art & Life of Greece1
ART 108 Art and Life of Italy1
ART 109 Survey of African American Art
ART 110 Introduction to the Arts of Africa
ART 112 Design I
ART 113 Design II
ART 114 Color Theory
ART 120 Acrylic Painting I
ART 122 Life Drawing I
ART 125 Drawing I
ART 150 Oil Painting I
CART 133 Digital Imaging
CMST 105 Intercultural Communication
ENGL 102.0 Composition and Literature
ENGL 102H Honors Composition and Literature
ENGL 109 Creative Writing2
ENGL 116 Authors of the Theatre3
ENGL 220 Modern Fiction
ENGL 225 Poetry
ENGL 230 Survey of American Literature 1600-18651
ENGL 231 Survey of American Literature 1865 to Present
ENGL 232 Chicanx and Latinx Literature1
ENGL 233 African American Literature
ENGL 234 Native American Literature1
ENGL 235 Children's Literature1
ENGL 240 World Literature Ancient-Early Renaissance1
ENGL 241 World Literature Renaissance-Modern1
ENGL 245 Survey of British Literature Early Medieval-Neoclassics
ENGL 246 Survey of British Literature Romantic Period to 20th Century1
ENGL 247 Shakespeare
HIST 103 World History to 15001
HIST 104 World History Since 15001
HIST 115 History of California
HIST 117 History of U.S to 1876
HIST 117H Honors Us History to 1876
HIST 118 History of U.S From 1876
HIST H118 Honors History of the United States From 1876
HIST 130 Latin American History to 18221
HIST 131 Latin American History From 18221
HIST 153 African American History
HIST 155 Women in U.S. History1
KIN 103 History and Appreciation of Dance1
MUSC 100 Introduction to Music
MUSC 101 Fundamentals of Music
MUSC 102 Music Theory I
MUSC 103 Music Theory II
MUSC 116 Music in America
MUSC 117 History of Jazz1
MUSC 118 Survey of Rock and Roll1
MUSC 202 Intermediate Theory-Chromatic Practice I
PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 108 Introduction to Ethics and Contemporary Moral Issues
PHIL 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought1,3
PHIL 117 Philosophy of Religion3
PHIL 120 History of Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 121 History of Modern Philosophy1
POLS 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought2,3
RLST 101 Introduction to Religious Studies1
RLST 105 Old Testament, Hebrew Bible, Religions of the Ancient Near East1
RLST 106 Introduction to the New Testament and Early Christian Literature1
RLST 110 Religions of the Middle East and the West1
RLST 111 Religions of South and East Asia1
RLST 115 Religion in America
RLST 117 Philosophy of Religion3
TA 101 Introduction to Theatre
TA 102 History of Theatre1
TA 104 Oral Interpretation of Literature
TA 107 Intermediate Acting
TA 110 Principles of Design for Theatre
TA 116 Authors of the Theatre3
Languages:
ASL 122 American Sign Language I1
ASL 123 American Sign Language II1
ASL 124 American Sign Language III1
ASL 125 American Sign Language IV1
FREN 101 Elementary French1
FREN 102 Elementary French1
SPAN 101 Elementary Spanish1
SPAN 101A Fundamentals of Spanish 101A1
SPAN 101B Fundamentals of Spanish 101B1
SPAN 102 Elementary Spanish1
SPAN 103 Intermediate Spanish1
SPAN 104 Intermediate Spanish1
| 1 | Course fulfills the VVC Global Citizenship competency. |
| 2 | Course does not transfer to UC |
| 3 | Cross-listed courses are the same course listed under different departments ENGL 116 Authors of the Theatre = TA 116 Authors of the Theatre; PHIL 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought = POLS 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought; PHIL 117 Philosophy of Religion = RLST 117 Philosophy of Religion |
Liberal Arts: Mathematics/Science Emphasis, AA
State Control Number: 18594
Program Code: LAMS.AA
Approved for Federal Financial Aid: Yes
These courses emphasize the natural sciences which examine the physical universe, its life forms and its natural phenomena. Courses in Math emphasize the development of mathematical and quantitative reasoning skills beyond the level of intermediate algebra. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the methodologies of science as investigative tools. Students will also examine the influence that the acquisition of scientific knowledge has on the development of the world‘s civilization.
Complete at least 18 units from the following, with at least one course in math and one in science, with at least two courses in any one subject.
AGNR 123 Introduction to Plant Science
AGNR 170 Environmental Science and Sustainability
AGNR 170L Environmental Science Laboratory Laboratory
ALDH 125 Medical Aspects of Drugs & Alcohol
ANTH 101 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
ANTH 101L Physical Anthropology Laboratory
ASTR 101 Descriptive Astronomy
BIOL 100 General Biology
BIOL 107 Introduction to Human Biology
BIOL 118 Principles of Heredity
BIOL 201 Biology of Cells
BIOL 202 Biology of Organisms
BIOL 203 Population and Environmental Biology
BIOL 211 Human Anatomy
BIOL 221 General Microbiology
BIOL 231 Human Physiology
CHEM 100 Introductory Chemistry
CHEM 201 General Chemistry
CHEM 202 General Chemistry
CHEM 206 Introductory Chemistry II: Organic Chemistry
CHEM 207 Introductory Chemistry III: Biochemistry
CHEM 281 Organic Chemistry
CHEM 282 Organic Chemistry II
GEOG 101 Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOG 101L Geography 1 Laboratory
GEOG 130 Introduction to Weather and Climate2
GEOL 101 Physical Geology
HLTH 102 Contemporary Problems in Personal and Community Health
MATH 104 Trigonometry2
MATH 105 College Algebra
MATH 105H Honors College Algebra
MATH 120 Introduction to Statistics
MATH 120H
MATH 120S Introduction to Statistics With Skills Support
MATH 132 The Ideas of Math
MATH 226 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
MATH 226H Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
MATH 227 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II
MATH 227H Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculus II
MATH 228 Analytic Geometry and Calculus III
MATH 228H Honors Analytic Geometry and Calculs III
MATH 231 Linear Algebra
MATH 270 Differential Equations
OCEA 101 Oceanography
PSCI 101 Principles of Physical Science
PHYS 100 Introductory Physics
PHYS 201 Engineering Physics I-Mechanics
PHYS 202 Engineering Physics II - Fluids, Sound, and Thermodynamics
PHYS 203 Engineering Physics III Electricity And Magnetism
PHYS 204 Engineering Physics IV-Optics and Modern Physics
PHYS 221 General Physics I
PHYS 222 General Physics II
PSYC 109 Biopsychology
PSYC 215 Introduction to Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences
| 2 | Course does not transfer to UC. |
Liberal Arts: Social/Behavioral Science Emphasis, AA
State Control Number: 18596
Program Code: LASBS.AA
Approved for Federal Financial Aid: Yes
These courses emphasize the perspectives, concepts, theories and methodologies of the social and behavioral sciences. Students will learn about themselves and others as members of a larger society. Topics and discussion to stimulate critical thinking about ways people have acted in response to their societies will allow students to evaluate how societies and social subgroups operate.
Complete at least 18 units from the following, with at least two courses in any one subject.
AGNR 175 Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Society1
AGNR 178 Agriculture Economics2
ANTH 101 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
ANTH 102 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology1
ANTH 103 Introduction to Archaeology
ANTH 106 Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology1
CHDV 100 Child Growth & Development
CHDV 106 Child, Family, and Community
CJ 101 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CMST 105 Intercultural Communication1
ECON 101 Principles of Economics: Macro1
ECON 102 Principles of Economics: Micro1
ENGL 234 Native American Literature
GEOG 101 Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOG 102 Introduction to Cultural Geography1
GEOG 103 Geography of California
GEOG 104 World Regional Geography1
GUID 101 First Year Experience
GUID 105 Personal & Career Success
GUID 107 Learning Strategies and Study Skills2
HIST 103 World History to 15001
HIST 104 World History Since 15001
HIST 115 History of California
HIST 117 History of U.S to 1876
HIST 117H Honors Us History to 1876
HIST 118 History of U.S From 1876
HIST H118 Honors History of the United States From 1876
HIST 130 Latin American History to 18221
HIST 131 Latin American History From 18221
HIST 153 African American History
HIST 155 Women in U.S. History1
KIN 104 Psychology of Physical Performance2
PHIL 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought1,3
POLS 101 Introduction to Political Science
POLS 102 Introduction to American Government And Politics
POLS 103 State and Local Government2
POLS 110 Introduction to International Relations1,2
POLS 112 Introduction to Comparative Government And Politics1
POLS 113 Politics of Middle East and North Africa1
POLS 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought1,3
POLS 206 Introduction to Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management1
PSYC 101 Introductory Psychology
PSYC 110 Developmental Psychology
PSYC 121 Human Sexuality and Intimacy
PSYC 204 Social Psychology
PSYC 213 Abnormal Psychology
RLST 113 Religion and Society1
RLST 115 Religion in America
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology1
SOC 102 Social Problems
SOC 103 Introduction to Marriage and Family2
SOC 107 Introduction to Race and Ethnicity1
| 1 | Course fulfills the VVC Global Citizenship competency. |
| 2 | Course does not transfer to UC |
| 3 | Cross-listed courses are the same course listed under different departments ENGL 116 Authors of the Theatre = TA 116 Authors of the Theatre; PHIL 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought = POLS 114 Introduction to Political Theory and Thought; PHIL 117 Philosophy of Religion = RLST 117 Philosophy of Religion |
Program Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are statements of the kind of learning a program hopes a student will achieve. The PLOs describe the knowledge, skills, problem-solving, communication and values that apply to all certificates and/or degrees within that program. For the IGETC program, PLOs link to the college's Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).
Upon completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Communication: Read and write analytically including evaluation, synthesis, and research; deliver focused and coherent presentations.
- Computation: Apply complex problem-solving skills using technology, computer proficiency, decision analysis (synthesis and evaluation), applications of mathematical concepts and reasoning, and the analysis and use of numerical data.
- Creative, Critical and Analytical Thinking: Apply procedures for sound reasoning in the exercise of judgment and decision making; demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a respect for learning; solve problems through analysis, synthesis, evaluation and creativity; identify, evaluate and appropriate use of multiple sources of information.
- Social and Personal Responsibility: Evaluate the relationship between natural, social and economic systems and the significance of sustainability; demonstrate responsible attitudes toward cultural diversity, citizenship, personal contribution to local and international communities, and the effect of human actions on the environment.
- Information Competency: Students demonstrate information competency and critical thinking skills through their ability to effectively locate, retrieve, evaluate and utilize use library and information resources within the guidelines of academic standards to meet collegiate and personal information needs.
- Health and Human Flourishing: Synthesize educational aims into a holistic approach to the many facets of human flourishing; apply principles of physical, psychological and emotional health and fitness; demonstrate scholarly skills that support intellectual virtues for life-long learning; embrace concepts of fiscal responsibility; and define goals that extend beyond oneself.