General Education Requirements - Arts & Letters

The General Education credits must come from the approved OCCC General Education/Discipline Studies List.

In order to ensure a breadth of learning, which is the cornerstone of the General Education requirements, the following limitations apply:

  1. Courses taken to satisfy the basic college competencies in composition and mathematics will not be accepted.
  2. For AAS Degrees, no more than two courses may come from courses required by specific programs.*
  3. When an existing course meeting a General Education requirement is expanded into a multi-course sequence with the same course number with varying suffixes (e.g., 101 becomes 101a, 101b, 101c), any course in the sequence may be used to meet the General Education requirement. However, an individual student may use only one course in the sequence toward fulfillment of the requirement, even if the student takes multiple courses in the sequence.

*Note: Because of these restrictions, it is possible that a course is acceptable as General Education for some students while it is not acceptable for others. Degree candidates who are unsure of how the General Education Policy applies to their individual cases are responsible for seeking help from an advisor or counselor.

The complete and official list of courses approved as General Education/Discipline Studies is maintained by the Instructional Leadership Team.

Criteria for General Education/Discipline Studies Course Approval are developed by the Instructional Leadership Team based on the General Education Philosophy statement and the statewide outcomes and criteria for Discipline Studies for the AAOT.

Arts & Letters Course List

Course Title Cultural Literacy Offered at OCCC
ART 101 Understanding Architecture    
ART 102 Understanding the Visual Arts  
ART 103 Understanding New Media Arts    
ART 115 Basic Design: 2D Foundations  
ART 116 Basic Design: Color Foundations    
ART 117 Basic Design: 3D Foundations  
ART 119 Basic Design: 4D Foundations    
ART 131A Drawing I  
ART 140A Introduction to Digital Photography    
ART 141 Introduction to Photography    
ART 142A Darkroom Photography I    
ART 143A Darkroom Photography II    
ART 181A Painting I  
ART 197 Artist Skills/Practical Issues    
ART 203 Indigenous Art of the United States and Canada    
ART 204 History of Western Art: Prehistoric to Classical  
ART 205 History of Western Art: Early Christian to Medieval  
ART 206 History of Western Art: Renaissance to Baroque  
ART 207 History of Asian Art: Art and Architecture of India  
ART 208 History of Asian Art: Art and Architecture of China  
ART 209 History of Asian Art: Art and Architecture of Japan
ART 210 Women in Art
ART 211 Modern Art History: 19th Century Art in Europe & America    
ART 212 Modern Art History: Early 20th Century Art    
ART 213 Modern Art History: Art Since 1945    
ART 214 History of Graphic Design    
ART 216 Introduction to the History of Photography    
ART 218A Calligraphy I: Roman Capitals and Humanist Bookhand    
ART 218B Calligraphy I: Italic    
ART 218C Calligraphy I: Carolingian and Uncial    
ART 219A Hand Lettering: Monoline Techniques    
ART 219B Hand Lettering: Special Tools    
ART 219C Hand Lettering: Hand Drawn Letters    
ART 220A Calligraphy II: Roman Capitals and Humanist Bookhand    
ART 220B Calligraphy II: Italic    
ART 220C Calligraphy II: Carolingian and Uncial    
ART 231A Drawing II  
ART 237A Drawing the Human Figure    
ART 240A Photo II: Digital Photography    
ART 243 The Photographic Portfolio    
ART 244 Photo I: Black and White Photography    
ART 253A Ceramics I    
ART 254 Ceramics Hand Building    
ART 255 Ceramics Wheel Throwing    
ART 256A Ceramics II    
ART 257 Ceramics and Plaster Molds    
ART 272 Printmaking I Screenprinting    
ART 273 Printmaking I Intaglio    
ART 274 Printmaking I Relief    
ART 275 Printmaking II    
ART 277A Painting the Human Figure    
ART 279A Experimental Media: Making and Meaning    
ART 281A Painting II  
ART 284A Watercolor I    
ART 287A Watercolor II    
ART 290A Sculpture: Plaster/Clay    
ART 291A Sculpture: Carving    
ART 292A Sculpture: Mixed Media    
ART 293A Figure Sculpture    
ART 294A Sculpture: Metals    
ASL 201 American Sign Language IV    
ASL 202 American Sign Language V    
ASL 203 American Sign Language VI    
ASL 240 Introduction to the Deaf Community  
ASL 250 Accelerated American Sign Language III    
ASL 251 Accelerated American Sign Language IV    
CHLA 201 Intro to Chicanx/Latinx Studies: Historical Perspectives    
CHLA 202 Intro to Chicanx/Latinx Studies: Contemporary Issues    
CHLA 203 Intro to Chicanx/Latinx Studies: Making Culture    
COMM 100Z Introduction to Communication    
COMM 111Z Public Speaking  
COMM 111ZH Public Speaking: Honors    
COMM 112 Argumentation, Advocacy, and Debate    
COMM 140 Introduction to Intercultural Communication
COMM 204 Visual Communication for Media    
COMM 218Z Interpersonal Communication: Process and Theory  
COMM 215 Communicating in Teams and Small Groups  
COMM 227 Nonverbal Communication    
COMM 228 Mass Communication and Society  
COMM 237 Gender and Communication  
ENG 104 Introduction to Literature (Fiction)  
ENG 105 Introduction to Literature (Plays)  
ENG 106 Introduction to Literature (Poetry)  
ENG 107 Introduction to World Literature (Up to 16th-Century)    
ENG 108 Introduction to World Literature (16th-Century to Present)    
ENG 195 Film Studies: Film as Art  
ENG 196 Film Studies: Directors    
ENG 197 Film Studies: Contemporary Themes and Genres    
ENG 201 Shakespeare: Early Works  
ENG 202 Shakespeare: Later Works    
ENG 204 Survey of British Literature - Medieval Age to 1700s    
ENG 205 Survey of British Literature - 1700 to Present    
ENG 207 Literature of India  
ENG 208 Literature of China  
ENG 209 Literature of Japan  
ENG 212 Biography and Autobiography    
ENG 213 Latin American Literature  
ENG 214 Literature of the Northwest    
ENG 216 Teen and Children's Literature  
ENG 217 Literature of Genocide    
ENG 220 Literature of Comics and Graphic Novels    
ENG 222 Images of Women in Literature  
ENG 230 Environmental Literature  
ENG 237 Working-Class Literature  
ENG 240 Introduction to Native American Literatures  
ENG 244 Introduction to Asian-American Literature  
ENG 250 Introduction to Folklore and Mythology  
ENG 253 American Literature to 1865    
ENG 254 American Literature from 1865    
ENG 257 African American Literature to the Harlem Renaissance  
ENG 258 African-American Literature  
ENG 260 Introduction to Women Writers
ENG 261 Literature of Science Fiction  
ENG 265 Literature of Social Protest    
ENG 266 Literature of War  
ENG 269 Wilderness Literature    
ENG 275 The Bible as Literature    
ESOL 260 Level 8 Academic Reading    
ESOL 262 Level 8 Academic Writing    
FR 201 Second Year French - First Term    
FR 202 Second Year French - Second Term    
FR 203 Second Year French - Third Term    
GER 201 Second Year German - First Term    
GER 202 Second Year German - Second Term    
GER 203 Second Year German - Third Term    
HUM 100 Introduction to Humanities  
HUM 221 Leadership Development  
J 201 Mass Communication and Society    
J 204 Visual Communication for Media    
J 216 News Reporting and Writing  
JPN 202 Second Year Japanese - Second Term    
JPN 260A Japanese Culture  
JPN 262A Japanese Popular Culture  
MUS 105 Music Appreciation Through Listening  
MUS 108 Music as Culture
MUS 110 Fundamentals of Music  
MUS 111 Music Theory I (Part One)  
MUS 141 Intro to Songwriting  
MUS 170 Music Technology: Beats and Basics    
MUS 205 Introduction to the History of Jazz
MUS 206 Introduction to the History of Rock Music  
MUS 207 History of American Roots Music
MUS 216 History of Hip Hop Music and Culture  
MUS 236 Introduction to the Music of Latin America  
MUS 291 Guitarology: History, Players and Innovators    
NAS 201 Introduction to Native American Studies    
NAS 203 Indigenous Art of the United States and Canada    
NAS 240 Introduction to Native American Literatures  
NAS 249 Introduction to Alaska Native Studies    
PHL 191 Analysis & Evaluation of Argument    
PHL 195 Science, Skepticism, & the Unknown    
PHL 197 Manufacturing Reality: Critical Thinking and the Media    
PHL 201 Being and Knowing    
PHL 201H Being and Knowing: Honors    
PHL 202 Ethics    
PHL 202H Ethics: Honors    
PHL 204 Philosophy of Religion    
PHL 205 Biomedical Ethics    
PHL 206 Introduction to Environmental Ethics    
PHL 207 Ethics and Aging    
PHL 208 Political Philosophy    
PHL 209 Business Ethics    
PHL 210 Introduction to Asian Philosophy  
PHL 211 Existentialism    
PHL 212 Introduction to Philosophy of Mind    
PHL 221 Symbolic Logic    
PHL 222 The Philosophy of Art and Beauty    
R 201 Asian Religions  
R 210 World Religions
RUS 201 Second Year Russian - First Term    
RUS 202 Second Year Russian - Second Term    
RUS 203 Second Year Russian - Third Term    
RUS 241 Great Russian Writers-19th Century  
RUS 242 Great Russian Writers-20th Century  
SJ 210 Social Justice: Theory & Practice    
SPA 201 Second Year Spanish - First Term  
SPA 217 Spanish for Heritage Speakers - 1st Term    
SPA 218 Spanish for Heritage Speakers - 2nd Term    
SPA 260A Hispanic Culture    
SPA 265A Spanish Culture    
TA 101 Theatre Appreciation    
TA 141 Fundamentals of Acting Techniques    
WR 222 Writing Research Papers    
WR 239 Creative Writing (Word & Image)    
WR 240 Creative Writing - Nonfiction  
WR 241 Creative Writing - Fiction  
WR 242 Creative Writing - Poetry  
WR 243 Creative Writing - Script Writing    
WR 244 Advanced Creative Writing - Fiction    
WR 245 Advanced Creative Writing - Poetry    
WR 246 Advanced Creative Writing, Editing & Publishing  
WR 247 Advanced Creative Writing - Scriptwriting    
WR 248 Advanced Creative Writing - Nonfiction    
WR 249 Advanced Creative Writing, Editing & Publishing II    
WS 101 Women's Studies  
WS 201 Intercultural Women's Studies  
WS 202 Women, Activism and Social Change
WS 210 Introduction to Queer Studies