High School Fine Arts Courses

Interpreting the origins of art gives students a unique perspective on their own work. In Art History 1, students will analyze various art forms including painting, sculpture, and architecture over changing periods of time. Beginning with the study of the earliest cave paintings, students will create art to immerse themselves in the content and study movements and masters over changing periods of time.

NOTE: This course covers many works of fine art over the centuries. Often, great artists portrayed the male and female form in various positions and clothing. Efforts have been made to be as conservative as possible. However, some artists and their works could not be represented without allowing partial nudity or suggestive positions.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Appreciating the cultural context of art in the modern era relies on analyzing artistic principles, abstract symbolism, and design techniques. Students in Art History 2 will explore trends from Post-Impressionism to street art and understand the formal and conceptual issues that foster changes in art throughout history.

NOTE: This course covers many works of fine art over the centuries. Often, great artists portrayed the male and female form in various positions and clothing. Efforts have been made to be as conservative as possible. However, some artists and their works could not be represented without allowing partial nudity or suggestive positions.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

The arts are not created in a vacuum. They are the result of the people and cultures that create them. Arts and Society 1 takes the student on a chronological walk through history, stopping along the way at a variety of historical, political, cultural, and artistic key moments. From 4000 BCE to 1750 CE, the student analyzes the relationship between societal culture and the arts being produced.

NOTE: This course covers many times during world history that are controversial and full of change. Many sensitive subjects are covered, including politics and religion.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

How do the people and the cultures of society affect the art around them? Students in Arts and Society 2 step into history and explore key moments from 1751 to the present in politics, culture, and art. Arts and Society enhances students’ global awareness as they learn to interpret these significant events and their impact on the arts.

NOTE: This course covers many times during world history that are controversial and full of change. Many sensitive subjects are covered, including politics and religion.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Introducing students to diverse areas in the arts can broaden their perspective on the arts in general. Arts Explorations encourages students to experience each of the modern arts disciplines including Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, Media Arts, and Dance. Students will also be able to identify areas of special interest where they would like continued study and ways that the arts can be a part of their career paths.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Who is the greatest artist of all time? Is it Leonardo da Vinci? Claude Monet? Michelangelo? Pablo Picasso? Is the greatest artist of all time someone whose name has been lost to history? You will learn about some of the greatest artists while also creating art of your own, including digital art. We will explore the basic principles and elements of art, learn how to critique art, and examine some of the traditional art of the Americas, Africa, and Oceania in addition to the development of Western art.

College Prep • UC Approved Elective

Have you wondered how professional photographers manage to capture that perfect image? Gain a better understanding of photography by exploring camera functions and the elements of composition while putting theory into practice by taking your own spectacular shots! Learn how to display your work for exhibitions and develop skills important for a career as a photographer. In the second semester, further develop your photography skills by learning more professional tips, tricks, and techniques to elevate your images.

Explore various photographic styles, themes, genres, and artistic approaches. Learn more about photojournalism and how to bring your photos to life. Using this knowledge, build a portfolio of your work to pursue a career in this field!

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

In today’s world, photographs are all around us, including in advertisements, on websites, and hung on our walls as art. Many of the images that we see have been created by professional photographers. In this course, we will examine various aspects of professional photography, including the ethics of the profession, and examine some of the areas that professional photographers may choose to specialize in, such as wedding photography and product photography. We will also learn more about some of the most respected professional photographers in history and we will learn how to critique photographs in order to better understand what creates an eye-catching photograph.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Digital Photography 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

For every Broadway dancer, every television star, and every pop singer, there are countless people behind the scenes helping to make it happen. Explorations in Arts Careers introduces students to the skills that are part of many fascinating careers in the arts. Studying the arts creates independent and innovative thinkers and many doors are open to an artist with the proper training.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

The culture of cinema and television tells a unique story of history and innovation. Students in Explorations in Film and Television will be introduced to industry icons and stars of the big and small screen. By studying and writing about film and television, students will analyze trends in technology and culture and better understand how to be an informed viewer.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

From television to video games, media is everywhere. In Explorations in Media Arts, students will study the art behind the media, how it is created, the history of media, and the legal and ethical issues that arise while creating media arts. Students will apply critical thinking skills to creating web, video, animation, and graphic media projects.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Drawing and painting are two of the most basic forms of self-expression. In Explorations in Studio Arts, students will elevate those skills and develop an understanding of colors, shapes, composition, and design. By studying renowned artists and their styles, students will investigate their own forms of expression and build a vocabulary of tools and materials to enhance their creativity.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Capturing a special moment in a photograph is powerful. In Introduction to Digital Photography, students will study the history of photography as well as the basic operations of a digital camera. As they are introduced to different styles of photography and photographers, students will begin to develop their skills as well as their own eye for photography.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Manipulating an image is its own unique form of art. By using accessible software tools and applications including Photoshop, students in Photo Manipulation will learn strategies for creating complex imagery. Students will incorporate the principles of design while creating unique new concepts in their art.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

A powerful image can tell an eloquent story without words. Students in Photojournalism will be introduced to some of the pioneers who set the standards for this unique way of storytelling. As they study the principal types of photojournalism and the ethical responsibilities a photojournalist has behind the lens, students will develop their own storytelling skills through their writing and their photographs.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

With the right foundation, creativity can flourish. In Studio Arts 1, students build the groundwork for their art by practicing unique exercises to develop drawing, painting and mixed media skills. Incorporating their understanding of composition, design, colors and forms, students will use the appropriate materials and tools to work from realism to abstract.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Art

Developing a unique personal style and creating complex imagery is possible for any artist. Students in Studio Arts 2 will engage in techniques that take their work to a more sophisticated level. Analyzing other artists and their works will help students find deeper meaning and new interpretations.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Studio Arts 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Music in America has a rich history. In American Music Appreciation, students will navigate this unique combination of culture and creativity that spawned jazz, rock and roll, and hip hop. From early church music to 21st-century pop, students will gain a new understanding of the key developments, people, and genres in American music.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

What defines classical music? Students in Classical Music Appreciation will gain an understanding of the structure of conventional music that follows long-established principles, as compared to more spontaneous music, like folk and jazz. By studying composers and the society that shaped them, students will gain a new appreciation for the classical music form.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Music is part of everyday lives and reflects the spirit of our human condition. To know and understand music, we distinguish and identify cultures on local and global levels. This course will provide students with an aesthetic and historical perspective of music, covering a variety of styles and developments from the Middle Ages through the 21st Century. Students will acquire basic knowledge and listening skills, making future music experiences more informed and satisfying.

College Prep • UC Approved Elective

Music can be simple, yet incredibly complex. Students in Explorations in Music 1 are introduced to music theory, instrument families, music notation, and organization. By analyzing the ways music is connected to other disciplines and industries and learning music terminology, students will progress in their understanding of music.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

What is a symphony and an opera? How do you recognize a song from Japan or Russia? In Explorations in Music 2, students will study different forms of music from around the world. By learning about the musical identities of different cultures and countries, students will be able to identify different genres, instruments, and styles in the world of music.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Explorations in Music 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Art

There is a vibrant chord of music that runs through every culture in the world. Students in Music Around the World will explore the music of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. From Finland to Mongolia to Zimbabwe, students will study the impact a country’s history and societal values have on the music of that nation.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Understand the beautiful language of music. In Music Theory 1, students will learn the “alphabet” that makes up music including music notation. Learn how to read music and to follow the structure including pitch, rhythm, harmony, scales, keys, and chords, empowering any avid music listener or future musician.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Explorations in Music 2 or some previous music study

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Elevate music comprehension by understanding the concepts and rules. Music Theory 2 is both theoretical and practical and encompasses advanced harmonic and rhythmic structures, instrumentations and key changes. Through sight and sound, students will deepen their appreciation of music with a grasp of music theory.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Music Theory 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Choreography is a statement about society, culture, and history. Students in Choreography and Choreographers will gain insight into the creative processes and will trace the work of influential choreographers from the 16th century to the present.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Throughout human history, some form of dance has evolved in every civilization. Students in Dance Around the World will explore dance as a ritual, religious and performed art from the primitive ages through modern day. Historic and cultural perspectives will be examined to study those influences on the work of choreographers and dancers.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

The history of American dance is complex and rich with innovation. Dance in America takes the student on a journey through the social and political climates that fostered its development. From early ballet companies to Broadway and music videos, numerous choreographers, artists, and dancers have contributed to the evolution of American dance.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Grace, beauty, and the pursuit of excellence are hallmarks of ballet and modern dance grew out of that tradition. In Explorations in Dance 1, students will study the foundations of the ballet style from clothing and training to rehearsal and performance and the evolution of modern dance. Students will meet the artists on stage and behind the scenes who help to create the magic of ballet and modern dance.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

The bright lights of Broadway have showcased many dancers’ talents. Students in Explorations in Dance 2 will be introduced to the audition process, learn about the roles of agents and unions, as well as explore some of the most exciting Broadway shows. The basics of jazz and tap dance are introduced as well as the many places dancers can use their talents.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Explorations in Dance 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

What inspires choreographers and dancers? Students in Introduction to Dance will study the main elements of dance: space, time, and energy. They will discover how a choreographer uses these elements to create a dance piece and explore how dancers respond with their own creativity.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Watching a well-done performance is enjoyable. Explorations in Theatre 1 helps students understand the effort that goes into that performance. Through the perspective of the performer, the playwright, and the director, students will gain an appreciation of the artists who have contributed to both musical and non-musical performances and an understanding of the actor’s world.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Beyond the actors you see on stage, many others are behind the scenes making it all happen. Students in Explorations in Theatre 2 will build a vocabulary of the people and the equipment at work behind the scenes in the theater. Understanding the business aspects of producing a performance as well as the artistic considerations in technical production enhances future audience members’ appreciation for the theatre.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Explorations in Theatre 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

Humans have been performing since the first person told a story. Students in History of Theatre 1 will gain an appreciation of the ancient literature, architecture, acting styles, and artists that were major influences in early theatre. From ancient times to 1650, students will learn how theatre and society have influenced each other to engage and entertain.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

From a stage in a barn to the lights of Broadway, theatre has a vibrant history. In History of Theatre 2, students will study the technology, artists, literature, and architecture from 1651 to present. Key points in the development of theatre and the playwrights and producers behind them will enrich students’ appreciation for modern theatre.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of History of Theatre 1

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

If all the world is a stage, then Theatre Around the World is an adventure. Students will travel through the countries of the world to see the similarities and differences of theatre in each culture. From ancient Indian Sanskrit theatre to famous African playwrights, students will understand how theatrical expression can unite people across the globe.

College Prep • UC Approved Visual and Performing Arts

AP^® Art History is designed to provide college-level instruction in art history and prepare students for the AP exam in early May. This course is divided into two semesters, during which students examine major forms of artistic expression from the past and present and from a variety of cultures. Students learn to look at works of art critically, with intelligence and sensitivity, and to articulate what they see or experience.

Advanced Placement • UC Honors Approved Visual and Performing Arts

The level of rigor in these AP^® Fine Arts courses is equivalent to that required of students in a freshman or sophomore college course in this area of study. These courses have been audited and approved by the College Board and prepare students for the College Board Advanced Placement® examination.