Liberal Arts

Overview & Programs

The faculty and staff of the School of Liberal Arts welcomes you to an academic area that encompasses the disciplines of Art, Music, Photography, Communication Studies, Film and Television Studies, Theatre Arts, Foreign Language, English, English as a Second Language, Reading, Journalism, and American Sign Language.

We are committed to providing quality programs and services toward developmental education, transfer degrees, and workforce development. Please contact us for any guidance or assistance about our programs, faculty or courses.

Meet The Administrative Staff

Administration
Name
Title
Email
Ext.
Room
Glines, Neil
Dean of Liberal Arts
7250
1307C
Edmonds, Jason
Art Lab Technician
4427
1312
Gonzalez, Dani
Admin Assistant IV
4417
1307B
Castillo, Alina
Admin Assistant IV
7114
1307B
Laws, Sidney
Photography Lab Tech
1307B
4418
Scharfen, Craig
Theatre Production Tech
4705
1293

Disciplines in
Liberal Arts

Fine and Applied Arts

Art

Students may select from two art programs — Two-Dimensional or Three-Dimensional. These programs are designed to develop visual skills in a variety of art media.

Art History

This program provides the academic and practical experience to prepare students for a career, or further education at a four-year institution, in art history and related fields.

Art History for Transfer

The Associate in Arts in Art History for Transfer provides the academic and practical experience that will prepare students fo a career in the Art History, or to transfer into the CSU system to complete a baccalaureate degree in Art History

Art – Graphic Art & Illustration

This program provides the student with sufficient academic and practical experience for entrance into the job market as a graphic artist, or for study towards the B.A. in college or professional school.

Art – Studio Arts for Transfer

This program provides the academic and practical experience to prepare students for a career, or further education at a four-year institution, in studio art. The program is designed for students to develop visual skills in a variety of art media.

Film and Television

This program is designed to provide fundamental theory and practical experiences required for a career in film and/or television.

Music

The Solano Music program provides students with the foundations for a broad range of musical specializations such as instrumental performance, vocal performance, jazz performance, composition, theory, musicology, ethnomusicology, music education, and music industry. Students will learn how to compare the characteristics of various musical cultures and historical periods. Upon finishing the Music program, graduates will be able to analyze and perform the elements of music with technical facility and artistry as a soloist and as a member of an ensemble.

Photography, Professional

Pre-employment training in professional photography is designed to prepare students for self-employment and employment in the private and public sectors and covers a broad spectrum of photographic fields, e.g., advertising illustration, industrial, portraiture, medical, commercial, photojournalism, and landscape.

Gainful Employment Information: Photography, Professional

Theatre Arts

This program is designed to provide a foundation in theater arts for the student who wishes to enter the entertainment industry. Students may choose from two emphasis areas — Acting and Technical.

Theatre Arts for Transfer

Theatre teaches practical skills, performance techniques, and creativity. It is the goal of this department to provide students with the tools needed to pursue a university degree or a career in the performing arts. In terms of university degrees, the curriculum of all core Solano College Theatre courses have been designed to equal courses offered in the UC and CSU system. The Associate of Arts in Theatre for Transfer provides the academic and practical experience that will prepare students for a career in the Theatre industry, or to transfer into the CSU system to complete a baccalaureate degree in Theatre.

Humanities

English

This program teaches writing, critical thinking, reading, and research skills as they apply to the areas of composition, creative writing, and the analysis of literature, the latter of which is presented through genre, survey, figure, and thematic courses.

English for Transfer

The Associate in Arts Degree in English for Transfer (AA-T) is for students who intend to complete a bachelor’s degree in English at a CSU. Students will take courses in English as well as related fields required for English majors. This program teaches writing, critical thinking, reading, and research skills as they apply to the areas of composition, creative writing, and the analysis of literature. Course work in creative writing is presented in sequenced writing workshops and courses in literacy publishing. Course work in literature explores primarily British and American writers through genre, survey, figure, and thematic courses.

English As A Second Language

The ESL courses emphasize study in English of reading, writing, speaking, and listening for non-native speakers. The program includes practice in the above areas as well as vocabulary acquisition and grammar work with the goals of building fluency in English and moving the students into mainstream college courses.

Foreign Languages, General

This program introduces the fundamentals of language learning (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture) with emphasis on language production, grammar, syntax, vocabulary acquisition, and exposure to the culture. This program provides study in more than one language.

Foreign Languages, Individual

This program introduces the fundamentals of language learning (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture) with emphasis on language production, grammar, syntax, vocabulary acquisition, and exposure to the culture. This program requires study be accomplished in one language only.

Journalism

Journalism teaches critical thinking and communication skills that enable students to translate events and issues of importance accurately and responsibly. Student who may benefit from the major are those anticipating careers in newspapers; television or film; photojournalism; layout, computer graphics or graphic design; advertising or public relations; or media management.

Journalism for Transfer

Journalism teaches critical thinking and communication skills that enable students to translate events and issues of importance accurately and responsibly. Students who may benefit from the major are those anticipating careers in newspapers, television or film, photojournalism, layout, computer graphics or graphic design, advertising or public relations, or media management.

Liberal Studies

This program is designed to broaden students knowledge, abilities, and skills to create a foundation in the liberal arts. Students gain a broad background in the social and behavioral sciences, humanities, communication, fine and preforming arts, mathematics, and the physical and biological sciences. The students are able to complete lower division major preparation and general education for transfer while simultaneously completing the Liberal Studies Associate in Arts. This program provides opportunities for students who are exploring degree options and are not yet certain about their specific degree goals at the four-year level.

Philosophy

The philosophy program consists of one comprehensive survey course augmented by special courses in critical thinking, ethics, political philosophy, and religion. All constitute a basic and well-rounded introduction to philosophy. Each course presumes no prior study of philosophy.

American Sign Language

An introductory course on the culture and language of the deaf in this country. The course includes the acquisition of Fingerspelling skills and basic functional vocabulary of ASL. In addition to fluency in these two separate skills, the student will acquire basic knowledge of ASL syntax and nonverbal aspects of ASL, a history of the deaf in the country and deaf education, variations in Manual Communication, and the Culture of the Deaf. There will be both written and signed examinations, a research project, homework assignments, and individual examinations to demonstrate competency in both expressive and receptive ASL. Students will be expected to acquire a vocabulary of approximately 500 words (signs) and be proficient in Fingerspelling.

Communications Studies

This program is a broad based program concerned with the preparation and delivery of messages in interpersonal, public and mediated situations. This program focuses on understanding the communication process and improving communication skills. The program prepares the students to pursue professional goals in a variety of career possibilities including Community College Teacher, Speech Writer, Communications Consultant, Lawyer, Minister, Personnel Director, Television Director or Producer, Broadcast Journalist, Public Relations, Political Campaign Aide, Sales, Counselor.