2024 - 2025 MCPS High School Course Bulletin

Fine Arts

The purpose of the fine arts curriculum is to open the minds of students to new and diverse worlds and cultures and enable them to creatively express themselves and value the multiple perspectives of others. Students are actively involved learners in the arts. Through their experiences in the arts, they become creative and critical problem solvers, independent and divergent thinkers, self-motivated workers, and innovators.

Students are led in an exploration of self, others, and the world in relation to the art forms. Students are given opportunities in the fi ne arts to apply learning in new ways by connecting and integrating content across disciplines. The fi ne arts—dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts—provide each generation with knowledge of other cultures, past and present, and are among humanity’s greatest aesthetic and intellectual achievements. The curricula in fi ne arts courses are guided by four artistic processes identified in the new MCPS Frameworks: Creating, Performing/ Presenting, Responding, and Connecting; and are aligned to both the National Fine Arts and Maryland State Fine Arts standards.

The fine arts encourage students to take intellectual risks and to think critically and creatively when presented with opportunities to make choices and to solve complex, open-ended problems with the possibility of multiple solutions. Excellence in the fine arts is developed through continuous practice, craftsmanship, refinement, and reflection. The creative process encourages students to build resilience, perseverance, self-awareness, and a growth mindset. The fi ne arts prepare students to engage meaningfully with others in an ever-changing world. The skills learned through study and practice of the fi ne arts ensure students are equipped for future studies and careers.



Graduation Requirements

One credit in Fine Arts is required for graduation: Courses that satisfy the fine arts requirement are marked FA.


Dance

A variety of dance courses satisfy the graduation requirement for fine arts.  6017/6018, Dance as Fine Art, is described here.  Other dance courses are listed in the table above.  For their descriptions, see the Online Course Bulletin. Check with your counselor to find out what dance courses are offered at your school. 

All Dance courses may be repeated for elective credit.

ART2000A / ART2000BDance Fine Art A
ART2003A / ART2003BDance 2A
ART2004A / ART2004BDance 3A
ART2005A / ART2005BModern Dance A
ART2006A / ART2006BTap Dance 1A
ART2007A / ART2007BAdv Tap Dance 2A
ART2008A / ART2008BAdv Tap Dance 3A
ART2009A / ART2009BHip Hop Dance A
ART2010A / ART2010BDance Company A
ART2011A / ART2011BJazz Dance 1A
ART2012A / ART2012BJazz Dance 2A
ART2013A / ART2013BJazz Dance 3A
ART2014A / ART2014BBallet 1A
ART2015A / ART2015BBallet 2A
ART2016A / ART2016BChoreography 1A

Media Arts

ART2108A / ART2108BProduction and Performance A

General Music

Public performances during and after school hours may be required to meet course objectives.

ART2071A / ART2071BPiano HS 1A
ART2072A / ART2072BPiano HS 2A
ART2073A / ART2073BPiano HS 3A
ART2074A / ART2074BPiano HS 4A
ART2075A / ART2075BMusic Theory Comp 1A
ART2076A / ART2076BAP Music Theory A
ART2077A / ART2077BMusic Theory Comp 2A
ART2078A / ART2078BMusic Perspectives A
ART2080A / ART2080BGuitar HS 3A
ART2081A / ART2081BGuitar HS 4A
ART2082A / ART2082BGuitar HS 1A
ART2083A / ART2083BGuitar HS 2A
ART2084A / ART2084BMusic Technology A

Choral Music

ART2087A / ART2087BChorus HS 1A
ART2088A / ART2088BChorus HS 2A
ART2089A / ART2089BChorus HS 3A
ART2090A / ART2090BChamber Singers A
ART2091A / ART2091BShow Choir A

Instrumental Music

ART2092A / ART2092BBeginning Band HS A
ART2093A / ART2093BConcert Band A
ART2094A / ART2094BSymphonic Band A
ART2154A / ART2154BWind Ensemble A
ART2096A / ART2096BBeginning Orchestra HS A
ART2097A / ART2097BConcert Orchestra A
ART2099A / ART2099BSymphonic Orchestra A
ART2155A / ART2155BPhilharmonic Orchestra A
ART2150A / ART2150BJazz Lab Band A
ART2100A / ART2100BJazz Ensemble A

Theatre

ART2106A / ART2106BTheatre HS 1A
ART2107A / ART2107BTheatre HS 2A
ART2103A / ART2103BAdv Acting A
ART2104A / ART2104BStage Design A
ART2105A / ART2105BPlay Directing A
ART2101A / ART2101BMusic Theatre A

Visual Arts

ART2033A / ART2033BAdv 2D Studio Art 4A
ART2054A / ART2054BAP Art History A
ART2053A / ART2053BFunctional Fine Art & Craft 1A
ART2052A / ART2052BArt History A
ART2052A / ART2052BArt History A
ART2019Adv Drawing 2
ART2020Adv Contemp Mixed Media 2
ART2031A / ART2031BAdv 2D Studio Art 2A
ART2032A / ART2032BAdv 2D Studio Art 3A
ART2045A / ART2045BCeramic Sculpture 1A
ART2046A / ART2046BAdv Ceramic Sculpture 2A
ART2047A / ART2047BAdv Ceramic Sculpture 3A
ART2050A / ART2050BGraphic Art & Design 1A
ART2051A / ART2051BAdv Fashion Production 3A
ART2069A / ART2069BDigital Art 1A
ART2070A / ART2070BAdv Digital Art 2A
ART2042A / ART2042B2D Studio Art 1A
ART2001A / ART2001BFoundation of Art and Culture A
ART2043A / ART2043BAdv Painting 2A
ART2038A / ART2038BPhotography 1A
ART2039A / ART2039BAdv Photography 2A
ART2037A / ART2037BDarkroom Photography A
ART2062A / ART2062BAP Drawing A
ART2063A / ART2063BAP Drawing A DP
ART2064A / ART2064BAP 2D Art & Design A
ART2065AP 2D Art & Design DP
ART2066A / ART2066BAP 3D Art & Design A
ART2067AP 3D Art & Design DP
ART2068A / ART2068BVisual Art Level 1A DP
ART2055A / ART2055BVisual Art Level 2A DP
ART2056A / ART2056BAP Visual Art Centr 3A DP
ART2058A / ART2058BAP Visual Art Centr 4A TP
ART2057A / ART2057BAP Visual Art Centr 4A DP
ART2040A / ART2040BAP 2D Photography A
ART2041A / ART2041BAP 2D Photography A DP
ART2061A / ART2061BAdv Animation 2A
ART2044A / ART2044BAdv Printmaking 2A
ART2048A / ART2048BAdv Ceramic Sculpture 4A
ART2059A / ART2059BDigital Art 3A
ART2060A / ART2060BAdv Digital Art 4A
ART2049A / ART2049BAdv Functional Craft 2A
ART2022A / ART2022BFashion Illustration 1A
ART2030A / ART2030BAdv Fashion Illustr 2A
ART2023A / ART2023BFashion Production 1A
ART2024A / ART2024BAdv Fashion Production 2A
ART2034A / ART2034BAdv Photography 3A
ART2151A / ART2151BAdv Fashion Production 3A
ART2035A / ART2035BAdv Photography 4A
ART2152A / ART2152BAdv Fashion Production 4A

International Baccalaureate (IB) Fine Arts

ART2018A / ART2018BIB Art Design 1A
ART2021A / ART2021BIB Art Design 2A
ART2079A / ART2079BIB Adv Music A
ART2126A / ART2126BIB Theatre 1A
ART2127A / ART2127BIB Theatre 2A
ART2110A / ART2110BIB Film 1A
ART2111A / ART2111BIB Film 2A
ART2124A / ART2124BIB Dance 1A
ART2125A / ART2125BIB Dance 2A