This course provides a survey of art history from the Paleolithic era through the Proto-Renaissance period. The course objectives are to identify and analyze works of art in their historical and social contexts. Students will be evaluated based on attendance, online discussion posts, assignments, and four exams. The recommended text is Gardner's Art Through the Ages. The course is taught by Professor Will Adams on Thursdays with both in-person and online components.

1. THE HISTORY OF ART: PART I
Professor Will Adams • wadams5@valenciacollege.edu
Thursdays, 4:00 – 5:15 PM & Online • Downtown Campus – Union West, Room 303
Course Description
§ This course offers a visual and historical survey from the dawn of human artistic expression in the
Paleolithic era through the Proto-Renaissance period.
§ Emphasis is placed on the visual analysis of painting, sculpture, and architecture, as well as the relationship
of the artist to the society of each period.
§ This course is a Gordon Rule course in which the student is required to demonstrate college-level writing
skills through multiple writing assignments. A minimum grade of C required if used to satisfy Gordon Rule
requirement.
Course Objectives
§ Identify works of art by style, artist, period, & medium.
§ Place artworks within social and historical context.
§ Expand art vocabulary, including architectural terms.
§ Identify architectural elements in conjunction with specific cultural developments.
§ Compare & contrast various works of art.
§ Understand a historical timeline & its relationship to the art of the time.
Recommended Text
Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Concise Global History
Student Evaluation Formula
Attendance & Class Participation 25%
§ Campus meetings are a requirement.
§ Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting, and count as part of the attendance &
participation grade.
§ Please be aware that, under Valencia’s Attendance Policy, there is no such thing as an “excused
absence”.
Canvas Discussion Posts 25%
§ You will be required to post at least twice on weekly discussion boards.
§ Your first, original post will be due by 11:59 PM EST each Wednesday evening.
§ Your second, response post will be due by 11:59 PM EST each Sunday evening.
§ Your second post must respond to a classmate’s first, original post.
§ Late posts will incur a 5% penalty for each day late.
§ Discussion boards will close at 11:59 PM EST each Sunday evening.
Online Assignments & Quizzes 25%
§ You will be required to submit various written or multimedia submissions.
§ Your submission will be due by 11:59 PM EST each Sunday evening.
§ Submissions will close at 11:59 PM EST each Sunday evening.
Exams 25%
§ Four examinations will be administered, once every 4 weeks, in class.

2. § Examinations will not be cumulative in their subject matter.
§ Study Guides for exams will be provided on Canvas the week before.
Grading Scale
100 – 90% = A
89 – 80% = B
79 – 70% = C
69 – 60% = D
59 – 0% = F
Schedule of Class Meetings
Date Classroom Canvas
Week 1
Thursday
8/29
NO CLASS – UCF GAME
Assignment
Proust Questionnaire: Due by 11:59 PM
EST on Sunday
Week 2
Thursday
9/5
HURRICANE DORIAN – NO CLASS
Week 3
Thursday
9/12
Lecture: Connecting with the Cosmos
- Art of the Stone Age
Activity: Cave painting activity
Art in Context Discussion
▪ 1st
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Wednesday
▪ 2nd
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Exam #1 Study Guide Posted
Week 4
Thursday
9/19
Exam #1 – 4:00 PM EST in Union West-303
Week 5
Thursday
9/26
Lecture: Ancient Egyptian Funerary
Architecture & Embalming
Assignment
Personalized Sarcophagus Lid: Due by
11:59 PM EST on Sunday
Week 6
Thursday
10/3
Lecture: The Art of the Ancient
Aegean
Symmetry: Is It Truly Beauty?
Discussion
▪ 1st
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Wednesday
▪ 2nd
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday

3. Week 7
Thursday
10/10
Lecture: Classical Greek Architecture
Activity: Jenga Group Activity
Assignment
Greek Architectural Façade Sketch: Due
by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday
Exam #2 Study Guide Posted
Week 8
Thursday
10/17
Exam #2 – 4:00 PM EST in Union West-303
Week 9
Thursday
10/24
Lecture: Power to the People – The
Art of the Roman Republic
Assignment
Roman Bust: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week
10
Thursday
10/31
Lecture: The Burden of Glory – Art &
Architecture in Imperial Rome
The Art of Propaganda Discussion
▪ 1st
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Wednesday
▪ 2nd
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week
11
Thursday
11/7
Lecture: Pompeii: Roman Time
Capsule
Out-of-Class Presentation Reading
The Byzantine Era: The Empire Evolves
Byzantine Era Quiz
Due by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday
Exam #3 Study Guide Posted
Week
12
Thursday
11/14
Exam #3 – 4:00 PM EST in Union West-303
Week
13
Thursday
11/21
Lecture: Romanesque Art &
Architecture
Heaven on Earth Discussion
▪ 1st
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Wednesday
▪ 2nd
Post: Due by 11:59 PM EST on
Sunday
Week
14
Thursday
11/28
Thanksgiving Break – No Class
Week
15
Thursday
12/5
Lecture: The Architecture of Gothic
Cathedrals
Assignment
Stained Glass Visual Lesson: Due by 11:59
PM EST on Sunday
Week
16
Tuesday
12/10
Exam #4 – 5:00 PM EST in Union West-303

4. Late Work Policy
▪ No late work will be accepted.
▪ The final exam must be taken on the date assigned.
Extra Credit Policy
▪ Each test throughout the class’s duration will include one extra credit question equal to 10% of the test’s
total point value (i.e. A five-point extra credit question for a fifty-point test).
▪ In addition, extra credit may be earned by writing more than the required number of pages for any written
assignment.
▪ Extra credit for extra written work will be given up to a maximum of 15% of the assignment’s total point
value.
▪ No other extra credit opportunities will be available.
Classroom Decorum
▪ Conduct yourselves with maturity, and with respect for your classmates and instructor.
Guidelines for Written Work
▪ All written work should be set in Times New Roman 12-point font, with double spacing and standard 1”
page margins.
▪ Finally, minimum page totals for any written assignment require that the written page be filled in its
entirety to count as one page.
Attendance Policy
▪ Students are expected to attend every class. Attendance will be taken and will count as a portion of the
final grade.
▪ It is always the student’s responsibility to contact the professor about issues that may lead to excessive
absences.
▪ It is also the student’s responsibility to arrange to receive class notes or handouts from missed classes from
his or her fellow students or Canvas.
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is intellectual theft and will not be tolerated. Presentation of the ideas and words of others as if they
are your own work constitutes plagiarism. Direct use of another author’s words or ideas, as well as paraphrasing
must be cited. Plagiarism in any work will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.
Access Services
§ Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a notification from the
Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during
the first two weeks of class.
§ The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation
of disabilities.

5. Disclaimer
This outline may be altered, at the instructor’s discretion, during the course of the term. It is the
responsibility of the student to make any adjustments as announced.