Program: Art History and Visual Studies Minor - CSU East Bay

Apr 13, 2025

2025-2026 Cal State East Bay Catalog (BETA)

The minor in Art History and Visual Studies provides focused study on critical and historical approaches to art and other visual media. Students in this minor gain exposure to world cultures, old and new media technologies, and diverse perspectives on contemporary visual culture. They also practice and refine writing skills through this minor.

Minor Requirements (18 units)

Art BFA and Art BA (Art and Design Concentration only) students and any major outside of Art are eligible to have this minor.

Art History and Visual Studies Core

Take the following 9 units:

ART 120 - Art of Asia and the Pacific World Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
ART 323 - Art and Media in Modernity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: Social Justice
ART 326 - Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3

Advanced Art History and Visual Studies Elective

Choose one (1) course for 3 units from the following:

ART 420W - Writing about World Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
ART 423W - Writing about Art and Media in Modernity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
ART 426W - Writing about Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR

Upper Division Electives

Take two (2) University courses for 6 units, with Art History Advisor Approval. Note that courses in the Advanced Art History and Visual Studies Elective group may be repeated to obtain credit in this area.

ART 320 - Comparative World Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; Social Justice
ART 325 - Race and Representation in American Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; Diversity
ART 326 - Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3
ART 420W - Writing about World Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
ART 423W - Writing about Art and Media in Modernity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
ART 426W - Writing about Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
Courses in the Art Studio section (see the course list for ART courses) are not eligible. Students must meet with an Art department advisor to approve any upper-division elective courses not on the list above.

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Art Courses

Department of Art and Design

Go to information for this department.

Courses

Art

• ART 398 - Internship Units: 1-3
• ART 440 - Forum Units: 1
• ART 490 - Independent Study Units: 1-3
• ART 491 - BFA Critique Units: 1
• ART 492 - Professional Practices Units: 1
• ART 493J - Art & Design Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 498 - Internship Units: 1-6

Art: History

• ART 120 - Art of Asia and the Pacific World Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 127 - History of Play, Games, and Interactivity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 220 - Art of the Early Mediterranean World Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 221 - Art of the Transatlantic Modern World Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 225 - Art and Social Engagement Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A; Social Justice
• ART 226 - Histories of Design Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 229 - Writing About Art and Design Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: Second Composition
• ART 320 - Comparative World Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; Social Justice
• ART 323 - Art and Media in Modernity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: Social Justice
• ART 325 - Race and Representation in American Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; Diversity
• ART 326 - Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3
• ART 327 - Cinema Art Studies Units: 3
• ART 420W - Writing about World Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
• ART 423W - Writing about Art and Media in Modernity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
• ART 426W - Writing about Contemporary Visual Studies Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-3; UWR
• ART 493G - Art History and Visual Studies Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 497 - Issues in Art History and Visual Studies Units: 3

Art: Studio

• ART 100 - Fundamentals of Drawing Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 101 - Photography I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 102 - 2D Processes Units: 3
• ART 103 - 3D Processes Units: 3
• ART 104 - 4D Processes Units: 3
• ART 111 - Sculpture I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 115 - Ceramics I Units: 3
• ART 152 - Web Design I: Foundations Units: 3
• ART 172 - Painting I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 211 - Sculpture II Units: 3
• ART 215 - Ceramics II Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 230 - Graphic Arts Units: 3
• ART 240 - Photography II Units: 3
• ART 241 - 4D Project Development and Preproduction Units: 3
• ART 242 - Audio Production for Video and Animation Units: 3
• ART 243 - Video I Units: 3
• ART 244 - Animation I Units: 3
• ART 245 - Motion Graphics I Units: 3
• ART 246 - 3D Modeling and Animation I Units: 3
• ART 251 - Interaction and Experience Design Foundations Units: 3
• ART 255 - Game Design I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 259 - Interaction Design Studio I: Tools for Designers Units: 3
• ART 260 - Introduction to Illustration Units: 3
• ART 270 - Drawing II Units: 3
• ART 272 - Painting II Units: 3
• ART 274 - Figure Drawing I Units: 3
• ART 278 - Bookmaking I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 279 - Printmaking I Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-3A
• ART 310 - 3D Modeling and Fabrication Units: 3
• ART 311 - Sculpture III Units: 3
• ART 315 - Ceramics III Units: 3
• ART 330 - Typography I Units: 3
• ART 331 - Design Concepts and Narratives Units: 3
• ART 332 - Design for Production Units: 3
• ART 335 - Design Strategy and Collaborations Units: 3
• ART 336 - Information Design Units: 3
• ART 340A - Creative Photography I Units: 3
• ART 340B - Creative Photography II Units: 3
• ART 340C - Creative Photography III Units: 3
• ART 341 - Advanced Photography and Social Justice Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: Social Justice
• ART 343 - Video II Units: 3
• ART 344 - Animation II Units: 3
• ART 345 - Motion Graphics II Units: 3
• ART 346 - 3D Modeling and Animation II Units: 3
• ART 348A - Studio Lighting and Product Photography Units: 3
• ART 348B - Advanced Studio Lighting and Product Photography Units: 3
• ART 349A - Portrait Photography Units: 3
• ART 349B - Advanced Portrait Photography Units: 3
• ART 351 - User Experience Theory and Design Units: 3
• ART 352 - Web Design II: Screen Interactions Units: 3
• ART 355 - Game Design II Units: 3
• ART 356 - Interaction Design Studio II : Prototyping the Internet of Things Units: 3
• ART 357 - Interaction Design Studio III : Interactive Immersive Experiences Units: 3
• ART 361 - Color and Concept Units: 3
• ART 362 - Illustrating Dynamic Forms Units: 3
• ART 363 - Narrative Illustration Units: 3
• ART 364 - Advanced Illustration Units: 3
• ART 370 - Drawing III Units: 3
• ART 371 - Watermedia Units: 3
• ART 378 - Bookmaking II Units: 3
• ART 379 - Printmaking II Units: 3
• ART 418 - Advanced 3D Practice Units: 3
• ART 430 - Typography for Print and Interactive Publications Units: 3
• ART 448 - Advanced 4D Projects Units: 3
• ART 449 - Select Topics in Video Animation Units: 3
• ART 452 - Web Design III: Design Evolution Units: 3
• ART 455 - Game Development Team Project Units: 3
• ART 457 - Interaction Design Studio IV : Speculative Interaction Research Lab Units: 3
• ART 472 - Painting III Units: 3
• ART 474 - Figure Drawing II Units: 3
• ART 475 - Advanced 2D Practice Units: 3
• ART 493A - Illustration Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493B - Interaction and Game Design Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493C - Photography Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493D - 3D Art & Design Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493F - Video Animation Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493H - Fine Art Practice Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 493I - Graphic Design Senior Project Units: 3
• ART 496 - Special Topics Units: 3

Interaction Design and Interactive Art: Graduate

• MM 601 - Seminar in Interactive Art & Design Units: 3
• MM 602 - Project and Story Development Units: 3
• MM 621 - Screen Based Interaction Units: 3
• MM 622 - Physical Prototyping Units: 3
• MM 630 - Coding for Multimedia Units: 3
• MM 632 - Interaction Design Units: 3
• MM 640 - Forum Units: 1
• MM 665 - Experiments in Interactivity Units: 3
• MM 666 - Experiments in Art and Technology Units: 3
• MM 667 - Experiments in Storytelling Units: 3
• MM 680 - Interactive Content Development Units: 3
• MM 682 - Individual Multimedia Research and Practice Units: 3
• MM 690 - Independent Study Units: 1-3
• MM 693 - Interaction Design Capstone Project Units: 4
• MM 694 - Project Documentation Units: 1
• MM 698 - Internship Units: 1-6