Undergraduate Studies
Welcome to the Division of Art and Visual Culture Education
The Division offers a comprehensive approach to learning about art, visual culture, and education that prepares students as excellent teachers, effective community collaborators, and future leaders. Majors can choose one of two strands: the teaching option and the community and museums option. Graduates of the teaching option are qualified to teach art to K-12 students in Arizona, as well as in most states across the USA. Graduates of the community and museums option prepare for jobs in galleries, museums, and other arts-based community settings. The Division’s graduates enjoy an extremely high job placement rates. National statistics warn of an acute teacher shortage over the next ten years; thus, teaching is a viable career choice. If you would like to talk more about the major and its options or have questions not answered here, please contact one of the art and visual culture education faculty.
Degrees Offered:
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) with a major in Art Education: Teaching Option or Community and Museums Option
- A Dual Major: B.F.A. with a major in Art Education and B.F.A. with a major in Studio (this option requires 11 courses above the B.F.A. in Art Education)
- A MINOR in Art Education (18 units in Art and Visual Culture Education)
If you already have a baccalaureate degree and are interested in post-baccalaureate certification or a graduate degree, please see separate links.
Students can apply directly to the art and visual culture education major (either option) once they have been admitted to the University of Arizona. Admission requires a short essay: "In 500 words or less, explain what you see as the role(s) of art and visual culture education within contemporary society requires a 500 word essay on the theme. " Admission is ongoing, meaning that you may apply at any time. Please contact a School of Art advisor at 621-2618. Once you have declared your major, the advisor will assign you an art education faculty mentor.
Coursework in Art and Visual Culture Education
The B.F.A. in Art Education (both options) comprises UA general education courses, studio and art history courses, art education courses, College of Education courses, and the student teaching practicum. Courses integrate studio, history, theory, issues of diversity and social justice, and the practice of art and visual culture education. Teaching option graduates qualify for the K-12 Art Specialist Endorsement on a Secondary Certificate for the State of Arizona. Teaching option students must pass the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment exams in Art and Professional Knowledge-Secondary, and meet US and Arizona Constitution and Reading requirements for certification. For more information, see Teaching option coursework section. Community option graduates do not have professional examinations or additional requirements beyond those stipulated in the Community and museum option coursework section.
Grade Point Average
Students in the Teaching option are required to maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average in art education and education courses. All students are expected to approach their work with the utmost professionalism, as described in the "Fitness to Teach Criteria" outlined by the College of Education.
Steps to Completing Your Degree
You are encouraged to apply for the major as soon as you know you've decided to major in Art and Visual Culture Education. You may begin the course work outlined below before applying for the major.
Year 1
- Art foundations: ART 101, ART 102, ART 104, ARH 201, ARH 202
- General Education requirements: 18-21 credits
Non-curricular:
- Apply for Art and Visual Culture Education major
Year 2
- Begin 200 level Art courses: 3 courses in 2D media and 2 courses in 3D media.
- Continue to take General Education courses
- ARE 330, Foundations of Art and Visual Culture Education, can be taken in the 4th or 5th semester
- Apply for Art and Visual Culture Education major (if not done before)
- Arrange to be added to the Art Education email listserv, which provides student with important notices about the major, deadlines, and events in the School of Art and the College of Fine Arts. Contact Danielle Embry (dembry@email.arizona.edu).
- Certification majors: After completion of 56 units and admission to Art and Visual Culture Education major, apply for College of Education Affiliate Program through an art and visual culture education faculty member. To be admitted, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 and meet "Fitness to Teach Criteria" developed by the College of Education.
- Apply for fingerprint clearance. Dates of fingerprinting are posted in the art and visual culture education faculty office hall and online: http://coe.arizona.edu/pages/dep_aass/fingerprint.php.
Fingerprinting can also be completed through the UA Police Department and city police departments. Please visit the UA Police Department for more information: http://www.uapd.arizona.edu/Fingerprint%20locations.pdfYear 3
- Take ARE 330, Foundations of Art and Visual Culture Education, if not taken in semester 4
- Take ARE 476, Art and Cultural Criticism in Art Education or ARE 469, Teaching Media and Visual Culture; ARE 434, Diversity Issues in Art and Visual Culture Education; ARE elective
- Complete ART studio Distribution courses at the 200 level (if not done before)
- Begin ART Concentration: 3 courses in one medium
- Take 1-2 ARH 300/400 level courses
- Certification majors: Take Education courses: TTE 300, Observation in Schools, EdP 310, Learning in Schools, TTE 350, Schooling in America
- Certification majors: Complete General Education coursework (if not done before)
- Community and Museums majors: arrange for a 300 level internship. Work with your faculty mentor and a community agency where you would like to do the internship. This internship is taken prior to the senior internship.
- Community and museum option majors: Take supporting coursework.
Non-curricular:
Year 4
- Participate in a Portfolio Review (you must participate in two during your studies). Please contact an Art and Visual Culture Education faculty member for dates and requirements.
- Apply for Art and Visual Culture Education major (if not done before)
- Certification majors: Once admitted to Art and Visual Culture Education major, apply for College of Education Affiliate Program (if not done before)
- Apply for Fingerprint Clearance (if not done before)
- Complete ARE elective
- Complete any remaining ARE coursework
- Complete ARH requirement: 6 credits at the 300 or 400 level
- Complete ART Concentration requirement: 3 courses at the 300/400 level in one medium
- Certification majors: Complete ARE 431, Pedagogical practices in art education or ARE 460, Curriculum Theory in Art and Visual Culture Education
- Complete ARE 438, Teaching Art and Visual Culture/ Wildcat Art
- Certification majors: Complete LRC 416, Structured English Immersion and SERP 301b, Mainstreaming in Secondary Schools, as well as any other Education coursework not completed in year 3 (SERP 301b may be taken concurrently with student teaching)
- Community and museum option majors: Complete supporting coursework.
- Community and museum option majors: Complete second internship, arranged through an Art and Visual Culture Education advisor.You must meet with an art and visual culture education faculty member during the first four weeks of classes the semester prior to internship to schedule the internship. The internship involves a substantial time commitment, meeting with your Internship supervisor and faculty mentor, and completing a professional portfolio.
- Please note that failure to act professionally and/or an insufficient grade point average will unfortunately prohibit you from being recommended for student teaching or internship
Non-curricular:
- Participate in the second Portfolio Review. Please contact an Art and Visual Culture Education faculty member for dates and requirements.
- Certification majors: Apply for student teaching.
- All coursework must be completed before student teaching
- Application for student teaching placement takes place early in the semester prior to student teaching. A mandatory meeting is held in the College of Education during the third or fourth week of each semester for persons planning to student teach the following semester. Announcements of the meeting are posted via the art and visual culture education listserv, on the bulletin board in the art and visual culture education faculty office hall, and on the College of Education website. After attending the meeting, students arrange an appointment with an art and visual culture education faculty member to determine a school placement and to have her or him sign the application form.
- Failure to act professionally and/or an insufficient grade point average will prohibit a student from being recommended for student teaching
- Certification majors: Complete the non-curricular requirements toward certification in Arizona:Take the Arizona Educator Proficiency Exams (AEPA) in Art and Professional Knowledge--Secondary. Students often take these tests after completing education coursework.
Year 4 or 5Certification majors: Complete the student teaching experience and course:
- TTE 493b.
- Student teaching is the capstone experience in the degree program. In addition to apprenticing in a middle or high school all day for a semester, it involves attending bi-weekly meetings with the university supervisor, completing assignments for the meetings, and completing the Student Teaching Portfolio. Unprofessional behavior will prohibit a student from passing student teaching.
- SERP 301b may be completed concurrently with TTE 493b.
Non-curricular:
- Apply for the Degree Check
- As early as possible in the semester prior to graduation (usually the student teaching semester), the student files an application for Degree Candidacy. Each senior is provided with an official degree check, which will inform you of any remaining degree requirements. Advisors in the School of Art are responsible for helping you complete your degree check and make application for candidacy (621-2618).
- Certification majors:Complete and pass the Arizona & U.S. Constitution tests or course alternatives (PoliSci 210 at the UA, or approved course at Pima College or University of Phoenix)
- Certification majors: It is the student’s responsibility to complete all paperwork required by the College of Education for institutional recommendation and to contact the Arizona Department of Education to fill out the required forms and pay the necessary fees for provisional certification in Arizona
Double Majors
Students may double major with a BFA in Art Education and a BFA in Studio Art; eleven additional courses are required. Check with the School of Art Advisors (621-2618) to learn about the BFA in Studio degree.
Art Education Minor
The minor involves 18 units of art and visual culture education coursework as outlined below:
- ARE 130 and ARE 330
- 3 units from: ARE 434
- 3 units from: ARE 476 or ARE 469
- 6 units from: ARE 420, 431, 434, 476, 460, 469, 496h
Please speak with an art and visual culture education faculty member or a School of Art advisor (621-2618) for more information.
Overview of BFA in Art and Visual Culture Education coursework and requirements
For a sample of a schedule that will allow you to graduate in four years, click here. For descriptions of the courses, please see the University's on-line catalogs at: http://catalog.arizona.edu/allcats.html
Please don’t forget that you will need to fill out the BFA in Art Education grid with an art advisor in the Student Services Center, School of Art (621-2618).
A. Teaching Option
The following is a listing of required Art Education and College of Education courses for the Teaching Option.
Art and Visual Culture Education Courses*:
| Course Number* | Course Title | Availability |
|---|---|---|
ARE 330 |
|
Fall & Spring |
ARE 431 |
|
Spring |
ARE 434 |
|
Fall |
ARE 476 or ARE 469 |
|
Fall |
ARE elective |
|
Term Varies |
ARE 438 |
|
Spring |
*All courses above are 3 credits
College of Education Courses*:
| Course Number | Course Title | Availability |
|---|---|---|
TTE 300 (4 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
EdP 310 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
TTE 350 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
LRC 416 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
SERP 301b (2 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
TTE 493b (12 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
*Some College of Education courses are often offered in the summer as well as fall and spring semesters. We do not recommend that you take TTE 300 in the summer.
Other Required Coursework:
These requirements may vary according to the catalog under which you entered; please see an Advisor in the School of Art --call 621-2618 for an appointment--and refer to the degree requirements in the UA catalog.
| General Education* | Art Foundations | Additional Art and Art History Courses |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Non-Curricular Requirements*:
• US & Arizona Constitutional Exams This can be achieved by taking: POL SC 210, or a course at Pima Community College, or at the University of Phoenix, or by taking the test. Please contact the College of Education Student Services Area or the Arizona Department of Education for details and test dates.
• Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment (AEPA). Students take assessment exams in:
(i) Art and (ii) Professional Knowledge: Secondary
Please contact the College of Education Student Services Area or the Arizona Department of Education. for details and exam dates .• Fingerprints (required for student teaching) All students must be fingerprinted in order to student teach in Arizona’s schools. Please allow AT LEAST TWO MONTHS for processing. The College of Education schedules fingerprinting sessions.
• Meeting criteria for the College of Education Fitness to Teach
* These requirements are mandated by the Arizona State Department of Education for the K-12 Art Specialist Endorsement on a Secondary Certificate for the State of Arizona. This certification approximates certification requirements in most states.
B. Community and Museums Option
The following is a listing of required Art Education and College of Education courses for the Community and Museums Option.
Art and Visual Culture Education Courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Availability |
|---|---|---|
ARE 330 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring
|
ARE 420 (3 credits) |
|
Varies
|
ARE 434 |
|
Fall
|
ARE 476 or ARE 469 |
|
Fall
|
ARE electives |
|
Varies
|
ARE 393 (3 credits) |
|
Fall OR spring
|
ARE elective (3 credits) |
|
Varies
|
| ARE 493 (9 credits) OR ARE 493 (6 credits) AND TAR 407 |
|
Varies
|
| General Education* | Art Foundations | Additional Art and Art History Courses |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Professional Activities in the Division and for Education Majors
The Division has a successful and popular community outreach program, including Wildcat Art, a Saturday laboratory school for K-12 students.
Art and Visual Culture Education students participate in community-based interdisciplinary art and visual culture education within the context of courses. For example, students have taught photography in an after-school program and to gifted students at Davis Bilingual Elementary School, and also work closely with the Center for Creative Photography.
All students are provided an opportunity to participate in the UA Student Chapter of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) & the Arizona Art Education Association (AAEA).To join the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and Arizona Art Education Association (AAEA) (membership in one automatically creates membership in the other), contact NAEA at: 1916 Association Dr., Reston, VA 20191-1590, (703) 860-8000, fax: (703) 860-2960 Website: http://www.naea-reston.org. For more information about the student chapter, please visit their website at: http://www.arts.arizona.edu/naea
Education Career Services are located on the fourth floor of the west wing of the Student Union Building, Suite 411 (above the Bookstore): 621-4224; Website: http://www.career.arizona.edu. The Office of Education Career Services provides a wide range of career services to all current and prospective educators, from kindergarten teachers through university professors. Services are provided to graduates of the College of Education as well as school librarians, speech pathologists, rehabilitation majors, sports medicine/athletic trainers, and graduates of other colleges who wish to be employed in higher education. Services range from initial career counseling and planning, including supply and demand projections, to career exploration, job search skills, and placement services, including the maintenance of the educator's placement or credential files.
A number of workshops are offered to assist educators in successfully entering the job market, including resume/vita assistance, job search skills, interviewing, and others. Individual assistance is available. An Employment Opportunities in Education bulletin is published and a Wildcat job line number (791-6456) may be called for available openings.
Current students should contact Education Career Services during their next-to-last semester on campus to begin workshops and initiate their job search activities.
