9 Associate of Arts Programs in Riverside USA

The Associate Degree in Fine and Applied Arts offers a wide variety of courses to acquaint students with the creation of and performance in the arts from a global perspective. The courses in this area examine the nature of the fine and applied arts through analysis, synthesis, composition, performance, and technical development. Students will develop techniques appropriate to the art form, engage in the production and performance of the arts, examine aesthetic valuing, and participate in creative expression. This area of emphasis is designed for students interested in exploring various art forms, including digital media, creative writing, dance, film, graphic design, music, photography, communication studies, television, theatre, video, and the visual arts.

The Associate in Arts in Dance is designed to prepare students to demonstrate competence and discipline in the study of dance technique, performance, and choreography and to demonstrate proficiency in group choreography and solo dance skills. Completing this curriculum will demonstrate commitment to the serious study of Dance in technique and choreography and provide comprehensive preparation for upper-division work. Careers for dance graduates typically include performing, teaching, art administration, choreography, dance therapy, and health and fitness specialists.

Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts examine human values and experience within a wide range of cultures across the globe and over the course of history. Students will study, interpret, and evaluate classic works in architecture, art, literature, music, philosophy, religion, rhetoric, and the theater, and they will encounter questions to which there are multiple plausible answers. The study of language, philosophy, and rhetoric provides crucial tools for understanding and interpreting human knowledge and experience. Students pursuing the program in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts will enhance their skills in critical thinking and both oral and written communication. The Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts program prepares students for further study in the arts, history, humanities, literature, philosophy, communication studies, and/or world languages at a four-year baccalaureate institution and provides an excellent foundation for students interested in administration, communications, law, public service, and teaching.

The Associate of Arts in Education, Human Development, and Special Needs offers lower division coursework that provides an introduction to issues, policies, and practices of education, with an emphasis on special education. Students will build a foundation appropriate for entry into advanced study in education, including educational research, advocacy, public policy, and/or teacher preparation. The students also can participate in supervised fieldwork in K-8 settings.

The Mission of the Music Department is to provide students the means to accomplish their goals in music with an educational program that prepares them to contribute as artists, educators, audience members, and supporters of the arts. Our standard is to meet the cultural, educational, and social needs of the community through excellent musical performances, school visitations, workshops, and masterclasses. At the heart of the department are outstanding arts experiences, superior teaching, and access to an aesthetic learning education. A systematic course of study that fosters meaningful cultural experiences in the performance, understanding, and appreciation of the art and discipline of music.

Social and Behavioral Studies is a collection of academic disciplines dedicated to the scholarly study of the human experience. As a comprehensive and multidisciplinary area of study, Social and Behavioral Studies will afford the student an opportunity to explore and examine the nature and multitude of interactive relationships amongst and between individuals and between the individual and their social environment; ranging from the development of the individual to the nuances of interpersonal interaction, to the dynamic structures of national and global communities. Ultimately, the student of Social and Behavioral Studies will gain a heightened awareness of the nature of their individuality, attain a greater understanding and appreciation of the complexities and diversity of the world in which they live, and, become better equipped to succeed in an increasingly diverse and complex society.

Communication is the study of how humans construct meanings through interactions. Courses in this area may focus on the knowledge and skills needed to communicate effectively in oral, written, or visual forms; on the study of language and culture; and/or on a critical understanding of the structures and patterns of different kinds of communication as they affect individuals and society. Studies in Communication, Media, and Languages are designed for students interested in pursuing further studies in English, Journalism, Mass Communication, Media Studies, Communication Studies, and World Languages at four-year institutions. It may be useful for students interested in pursuing careers in communications, graphic design, journalism, law, marketing, public relations, radio and television, translating, and writing, among others.

Kinesiology, Health, and Wellness is a collection of courses that emphasize the principles for the growth and development of a healthy lifestyle. Students will acquire the knowledge and understanding of problem-solving strategies of these principles to integrate, apply and promote personal, individual, or group behavior conducive to the maintenance or restoration of mental and physical wellness. This emphasis will provide students with an understanding of physical skills and their development related to physical activity, exercise, and sport. This area of emphasis is designed for students interested in making positive life choices and in the study of health, nutrition, and wellness; physical education/kinesiology; athletic training; sports performance, officiating and coaching; career planning and life management; and the biology, anatomy, and physiology of the human body.

American Studies examines the American experience from the colonial period of the United States to the present. Students will study, interpret, and evaluate events, cultural products, and trends in American economic, political, and social history as well as in American architecture, art, literature, music, and religion, and they will evaluate questions to which there are multiple plausible interpretations. Students pursuing the program in American Studies will enhance their skills in critical thinking and both oral and written communication. The American Studies program prepares students for further study in English/literature, history, political science, and sociology at a four-year baccalaureate institution and provides an excellent foundation for students interested in administration, communications, law, public service, and teaching.