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Art Education Online MAE

Earn your mae at umass dartmouth.

Increase your capacity to question issues related to teaching, thinking, learning, and producing in and through the visual arts, with a Master of Art Education (MAE) online. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a novice in art education, or a related field, you’ll find educational opportunities that serve many interests and career goals in this online program.

Professional licensure:  This Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-approved program is for those who already have an initial license and are seeking Professional Licensure. If your intention is not to obtain MA Professional Licensure, please check with your state's education licensure board to determine if this program will satisfy their certificate requirements.

We offer flexible selections between research and practice orientations in synchronous and asynchronous online classes. You’ll address broadly conceived themes like:

• human development and creative expression
• curriculum and leadership
• and community partnerships.

We prepare art teachers to be reflective practitioners who use 21st-century technology, national standards, and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework as they further develop their studio, aesthetics, and pedagogical skills as makers, thinkers, and researchers in the discipline. Our students teach in public or private schools or in community settings. Through the program of study, you will:

• Increase studio, art history, critical literacy, and evaluation skills
• Develop reflective praxis of studio inquiry and action research
• Read and analyze literature in the field of art education and related fields
• Align curriculum and meaningful assessment to the needs of K-12 learners
• Implement research skills
• Collect and analyze data to inform decision making about best practices in art teaching

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

Art Education curriculum

Courses in art education, aesthetics/art history/criticism, and studio are enriched by unique experiences embedded in praxis.

MAE progression form

Toward the goal of advancing the reform of education through the arts, the graduate program requires all students to demonstrate off-site partnership and action research experiences. The penultimate course in the program combines studio and research skills as students engage in structured art-based research. The program culminates in a student-directed capstone project and presentation.

Practical, theoretical & studio-based

Through self-directed inquiry, graduate students can tailor the curriculum to their individual interests, teaching, and career goals. The MAE program provides the necessary experience, whether the objective is to teach in public or private schools or community settings—such as daycare centers, hospitals, welfare agencies, museums, alternative schools, geriatric centers, or vocational rehabilitation centers. Opportunities for supervised fieldwork exist in each of these areas.

For those whose objective is to teach in public schools, the program provides theoretical and practical experience. Graduates may earn their post-baccalaureate initial license through the MAE Post Baccalaureate, and the professional license through the MAE program. This is in compliance with Massachusetts state licensure requirements.

The MAE program offers a sequence of practical, theoretical, and studio-based experiences through which students build on their knowledge, skills, and confidence as arts educators. Interstate recognition makes art teacher coursework earned at UMass Dartmouth reciprocally valid in many other states. The program also emphasizes professional development and lifelong learning for teachers who already hold teaching licenses in the arts or related fields.

The overarching learning outcomes for this program of study were developed to meet the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) standards and align with the National Core Standards for Visual Arts as approved by the National Art Education Association (NAEA). This online MAE online is a Massachusetts ESE-approved program and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

Student success, admissions requirements.

• Strong potential as an artist/educator
• MAE Professional Licensure requires a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in art education or related field + initial license to teach K-12 art
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative average in undergraduate studies
• Portfolio which demonstrates capability for advanced work within a chosen discipline
• 2 letters of recommendation from previous professors and/or employers, evaluating the applicant’s potential for academic success, commitment to teaching, or quality of artwork
• Statement of professional goals and program intent
• Current resume or curriculum vitae

Applicants must pass both the Communications and Literacy and the Visual Arts portions of the  Massachusetts Test of Educators Licensure  (MTELs) before making an application to the MAE program. MTEL scores must be reported to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Applicants to the MAE program who are not seeking Massachusetts licensure (i.e., those holding licensure in another state, international students, or those who wish to work in alternative teaching venues outside of the K-12 system) are required to make a written statement that they will not seek Massachusetts licensure while in residency in the MAE program. The National Praxis Exam or an active teacher license in another U.S. State can be used in lieu of the MTEL scores.

Each applicant's foundation of knowledge from teaching, gained through having at least initial licensure or comparable course content, is evaluated in deciding to offer admission to either the 33- or 54-credit program. A pre-admission interview, sample essay, or research report may be requested of some applicants.

• Submit your application materials to the  Office of Graduate Studies
• Submit your portfolio of recent work to  SlideRoom

We accept students on a rolling admissions basis. However, applicants are urged to submit completed applications before November 15 or March 15 for consideration for entrance in the following academic semester. 

University requirements for graduate admissions

• Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
• Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
• Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
• Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts. 
• Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
• International students : official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details . We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical, and Public Policy. 
• All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration. 

Program deadlines

Art Education faculty

You'll work with and learn from faculty with knowledge and expertise across a range of disciplines, including:

• 21st-century learning
• action research
• adult professional development
• art-based research
• art education
• art integrated curriculum
• creative process
• elementary education
• grounded theory research
• interdisciplinary curriculum
• professional development
• program evaluation
• secondary education
• social justice and urban environments

Faculty are also practicing artists, with specializations in:

• mixed media
• photography

Learning Style: Online

Online courses are taught by UMass Dartmouth faculty to provide high quality instruction and personal attention. Students have the flexibility to accommodate work and home responsibilities within the structure of defined assignment due dates. The majority of our online courses are taught asynchronously.

Explore more

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
• UMassD Course Catalog

Application Deadlines

Fall: Rolling Spring: Rolling Summer: Rolling

Cathy Smilan

Professor / MAE Graduate Program Director Art Education, Art History & Media Studies College of Visual & Performing Arts 352A

508-910-6594 [email protected]

Online & Continuing Education

Foster Administration -->, 001 285 Old Westport Road Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300

508-999-9202 508-910-9060 online@admissions.umassd.edu

UMassD is a Military Friendly School, with leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience.  Learn more about veteran services and benefits at UMassD.

Art & Art Education

As of May 3rd, access to Teachers College is limited to TC ID holders. Guests and visitors who wish to visit the Macy Art Gallery must email [email protected] 36 hours in advance of coming to campus. Per the current TC restriction, all external guests and visitors (including alumni) must be pre-approved. There are no exceptions. The Macy Art Gallery (MY 444) is open to the public on Monday - Thursday, from 11am - 4pm.

AAE Staff work remotely on Fridays. Summer Fridays will be observed from 5/17 to 8/30. 

STUDENT TEACHERS EXHIBITION

The Macy Art Gallery welcomes the annual exhibition of Art and Art Education Program's graduating student teachers and their students. This year's show features a sample of artwork in range of media by P-12 students alongside artwork by the graduating class of 2024.

April 22 – May 15, 2024 

Design Your Future

Whether you’re an experienced art educator or just starting your teaching career, the Art & Art Education program at TC will help you envision your future and achieve your goals.

View Our Programs

Be an Artist

At TC, becoming an educator, researcher, or leader doesn’t mean putting your studio practice on hold. Continue or renew your visual arts practice in our studio community while growing as a maker, critic, educator, curriculum designer, curator, researcher, and leader.

Learn About Us and Our Facilities

Collaborate with Us

Work with our distinguished faculty and supportive student community to teach, lead, and conduct research and creative projects in schools, colleges, museums, galleries, community centers, and alternative sites all around the world.

Read About Our People

Welcome to the Program in Art and Art Education

The Art and Art Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University is dedicated to preparing art educators, teacher educators, and leaders in visual arts education. Our curriculum is designed so you can teach and lead programs wherever you go, whether that’s in a P-12 classroom, a museum, a community art center, a university, or beyond. Our dedicated studios—from drawing and painting to sculpture and new media and digital technologies—allow you to actively create art while you continue your studies. In fact, all of our degree tracks require studio work. We believe it’s in the studio that you develop new ways seeing, experiencing, and responding to the world allowing you to expand your expertise in teaching others to do so as well. This focus on the studio as teaching laboratory distinguishes our program within Teachers College Columbia University, one of the leading graduate schools of education in the world.

Degree Tracks

Master of arts.

Initial Cert: Visual Arts Pre-K-12

Non-Certification

• Studio Practice for Art Educators (Hybrid)

Master of Education

Doctor of education, doctor of education in college teaching.

of Visual Art

Advanced Certificate in Creative Technologies

Choose your concentration.

• Museum Education
• Art Pedagogy
• Creative Technologies
• The Arts & Community Engagement
• Academic Research in Art Education

Students who wish to work with education initiatives in museums in the US and around the world may complete the Museum Education area of focus . This area of focus explores the art museum as a civic and educational institution, examines the role of museum education departments, and introduces students to innovative museum education programs and pedagogical practices.

Students who seek to sharpen their expertise designing pedagogically sound, imaginative studio art learning opportunities may complete the Art Pedagogy area of focus. This concentration equips students to teach people of different ages in different learning contexts—schools, museums, community centers, and beyond. It combines courses in the artistic development of children and adolescents, curriculum development, studio-based practice with applications for teaching, cultural diversity in art education, and special education, along with an optional art teaching internship.

 Learn More

This concentration explores and strengthens the relationship between art, technology, and education. The goal is to prepare you to be a leader in educational ecologies that interweave digital tools and creative materials in multi- and cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and playful pedagogies.

Students whose aim is to be an art educator in community settings may take courses in the Community Engagement area of focus as part of their degree.

Students who are particularly interested in conducting rigorous, high-level scholarly research in art education may complete the Academic Research in Art Education concentration.

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For admissions, please contact  [email protected]

Admissions information, application requirements.

• Art and Art Education
• Art and Art Education NY State Initial: Visual Arts Pre-K-12

Fund Your Degree

• Tuition & Fees
• Financial Aid
• Request Info

Program Director : Dr. Olga Hubard

Teachers College, Columbia University 444 Macy Hall

Phone: (212) 678-3360

Email: artofc@tc.edu

University Catalog 2023-2024

Art education - b.f.a..

About This Program

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Art Education prepares students for pre-K–12 visual arts licensure. Graduates from this program are prepared to use learner-centered pedagogy using expressive, technical and organizational skills, with a basic understanding of the cultural and social foundations underlying art and design in education. Our graduates deeply immerse in and demonstrate strengths in diversity, equity and inclusion practices; principles of child development and the creative growth of learners; traditional and digital media; art history and aesthetic concepts; artistic studio practices; instructional strategies based on reflective practice; and inclusive, engaging and transformative learning environments.  Read more...

Contact Information

• Program Coordinator: Linda Hoeptner-Poling | [email protected] | 330-672-7895
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers

• High school teachers in traditional, special needs and technical schools, plus museums, community and enrichment programs
• Middle school teachers in traditional, special needs and technical schools, plus museums, community and enrichment programs
• Preschool and elementary teachers in traditional, special needs and technical schools, plus museums, community and enrichment programs

Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students .

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices .

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students .

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students .

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website .

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

Program Requirements

Progression requirements, graduation requirements, major requirements.

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Students must meet all professional requirements for admission to advanced study.

• Upon entry to this program, student must make an appointment to see an academic advisor to discuss application for advanced study.
• Minimum 2.500 overall GPA and 2.500 major GPA are necessary for admission to advanced study, student teaching and graduation in this program.
• Successful completion of the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) are not required for graduation, but are required for licensure.
• Students must receive a rating of “satisfactory” on selected works exhibited during their portfolio review.
• ARTH 12001 is designed for non-art majors, and will not fulfill major requirements for art majors.

Licensure Information

Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments in order to apply for licensure. See Ohio Department of Education-Educator Preparation website for more information on assessments specific to licensure type. Taking and passing the licensure tests prior to graduation is encouraged but not required.

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program learning outcomes.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Articulate their beliefs about art education and defend their position, as well as demonstrate in-depth engagement in issues of the field.
• Research, plan, conduct and assess art experiences for pre K-12 grade students, grounded in the National and Ohio Visual Art standards.
• Examine and learn from observed student and teacher behaviors to understand effective teaching practices.
• Comprehend the visual stages of development as they relate to mental, social, emotional and physical development of children in order to plan appropriate lesson instruction.
• Develop and articulate knowledge of various theories related to teaching, artmaking, art criticism, art history and aesthetics, as well as theories related to instructional and interdisciplinary practices.
• Apply principles of classroom management, safety practices and motivational techniques in teaching.
• Organize and manage the time, space and resources of an instructional setting for teaching art.
• Learn to use community resources, such as museums and community artists, and make connections between communal needs, the learner and the art education curriculum.
• Effectively plan and install art exhibits.
• Competently use materials and media to communicate visually.
• Effectively communicate verbally and through writing their ideas of art education in relation to contemporary art education theory and the application of those ideas in art classrooms.
• Become advocates for the field of art education.
• Develop an understanding of their communal, national and global identities, in the context of the personal as well as professional educators.
• Create and teach appropriate art curricula that meet the cultural, emotional, academic, physical, sensory and behavioral needs of students.
• Understand the significance of and apply curricula that promote appreciation and critical understanding of diversity, inclusivity and interdisciplinarity.
• Learn about career planning and related professional issues, such as national assessments, unions, professional development possibilities, graduate studies and life-long learning.
• Continue to reflect critically on their teaching practices.
• Be prepared in professional responsibilities as a member of the art education community.
• Adapt their curriculum accordingly.
• Use technology in an ethical, critical and creative manner as a means to acquire, provide, organize and communicate knowledge.

Full Description

Professional licensure disclosure.

Requirements for Admission to Advanced Study for Art Education and Music Education

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education prepares students to effectively teach visual art by applying a learner-centered pedagogy to embrace the many dimensions of human intelligence and aesthetic education.

Art educators understand child development to successfully engage learners in the complete artistic process of thinking—perceptual, imaginative, formative, expressive and communicative—by combining a range of subject matter, symbols and ideas. They organize and evaluate teaching activities for creating and analyzing works of art and design from contemporary and past cultures. This involves using a variety of media, technology and community resources, making connections between visual art and other disciplines, as well as assessing the learning outcomes of their students.

In addition, art educators are prepared to meet the needs of all students with an understanding of the value of diversity. They create safe and equitable learning environments in which to nurture life-long skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and constructing meaning.

Graduates of the degree program will be eligible to be certified for pre-K-12 visual art teacher licensure.

Study Abroad/Away Opportunities:

• Travel opportunities to New York, London, Paris and China
• Study abroad through Kent State's Florence program in Florence, Italy (full semester or summer art and design experience)
• Ohio Art Education Association and National Art Education Association Travel Studies

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure .

Admission to advanced study is required of all art education and music education majors and minors prior to enrolling in upper-division education courses. Upon completion of coursework, as determined by program area, students should have satisfied the prerequisites for admission to advanced study. Students must submit an application for advanced study by the second Friday of the term during which all prerequisites for advanced study will be completed, and at least one semester prior to beginning any coursework for which "Admission to Advanced Study" is a prerequisite. Students at the Kent Campus apply for Advanced Study through the College of Education, Health and Human Services Student Portal, which can be accessed through the Vacca Office of Student Services web page. Students completing a licensure program at a regional campus should check with that campus for instructions on how to apply for "Advanced Study." Please note: Admission to advanced study is required for students pursuing an undergraduate major that leads to teacher licensure. Please be aware that reapplication may be necessary if postponing advanced study coursework or if withdrawn for one year or more.

• College Writing: Students are required to attain a minimum C grade in each writing courses ( ENG 11011 and ENG 21011 or equivalent).
• SPED 23000  
• Art Education majors must have earned a minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA in order to be admitted to Advanced Study.
• Music Education majors must have earned a minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA and a minimum 2.750 major GPA at the time of application in order to be admitted to Advanced Study.
• Disposition Assessment/Professional Disposition Plans (PDPs): Students are required to have completed all professional dispositions plan (PDPs) at the time of application to be eligible for advanced study.
• Advising Appointment: Art Education and Music Education students should make an advising appointment with a professional advisor in the Vacca Office of Student Services (or Regional Campus advising office if completing the program at that campus) for information about applying for Advanced Study and educator licensure. Advising appointments at the Kent Campus are made through the Vacca Office of Student Services' website at www.kent.edu/ehhs/services/voss .
• Teacher Candidate Acknowledgments and Legal Questions for Licensure: Candidates are required to electronically sign four statements acknowledging that they have read and understand the following areas: background check requirements; professional dispositions; licensure application information; legal questions asked on the licensure application. Statements can be found on the student portal.

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Art Teaching Credential Program

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Required Coursework

NOTE:  If you are planning to apply to CSULB for the credential, please see the  Application Tips Guidelines

There are multiple ways to meet Subject Matter Competency for the Art Credential Program. If you plan to meet Subject Matter Competency by taking additional coursework, below is a potential course plan for you.

The Credential Program Courses are also listed below.

It is important that you meet with the Art Credential Advisor and attend an information meeting prior to taking courses in the program. This will insure that you understand how you will meet the subject matter requirement and have a clear idea of what courses to take.

All of the following lower division courses must be taken: (30 units)

Art 111A, Foundation Art History I Art 111B, Foundation Art History II Art 111C, Foundation Art History III    or Art 113A, Asian Art Early Sacred Cultures    or Art 111C, Asian Art Later Traditions Art 130, Foundation Two Dimensional Design  Art 131, Foundation Three Dimensional Art 181, Foundation Drawing Art 184, Foundation Life Drawing Art 251A, Beginning Ceramics: Handbuilding Art 251B, Beginning Ceramics: Wheel Throwing Art 287, Foundation Painting

ART HISTORY (upper division) (6 units)

Choose one of the following:

Art 438, Twentieth Century Art to 1945 or Art 439, Twentieth Century Art from 1945.

Art 455, Traditional Art of Africa: Thematic Art 456, American Indian Art: Western Perspective Art 457, Pre-Columbian Mexican Art Art 458, Modern Latin American Art Art 466, Buddhist Art of India & Southeast Asia Art 467, Hindu and Islamic Art of India Art 468, Early Chinese Art Art 469, Later Chinese Art Art 470A, Japanese Buddhist Art to 1500 Art 470B, Japanese Art 1500-1868 Art 471A, Modern Japanese Plastic Art Art 471B, Modern Japanese Graphic Art

STUDIO (upper division) (15 units)

Choose from the following:

Art 381, Intermediate Drawing Art 383, Life Painting Art 384, Intermediate Life Drawing Art 385, Watercolor Painting Art 387, Intermediate Painting

Art 340, Intermediate Photography Art 342A, Color Photography Art 349, Computer Art Art 371A, Illustration A Art 371A, Illustration B Art 376, Printmaking: Relief Printing Art 377, Printmaking: Silkscreeen Art 450A Intermedia

Art 355, Enameling Art 356, Jewelry Casting Art 357A, Beginning Metals and Jewelry Art 357B, Beginning Metals and Jewelry Art 358A, Metalsmithing Art 359A, Architectural Metalwork & Blacksmithing Art 362A, Sculpture Foundry Investment Art 363, Sculpture: Carving and Fabrication

Art 317, Fiber: Textile Dyeing Art 328A, Fiber Sculpture Art 341A, Intermediate Ceramics: Handbuilding Art 341B, Intermediate Ceramics: Wheel Throwing.

Art Education (18 units)

Art 401, Crosscultural and Community Based Practices in Art (spring only) Art 305, Art Disciplines and New Technology Art 407, Materials and Methods for K-12 (Fall only) Art 408, Perspectives in Contemporary Art Education. Art 412, Aesthetic Theories in Art Education (spring only) Art 415, On-site Studies in Art Education 

The Education Part of the Credential:

EDSS 300A  Introduction to Teaching Art This course must be taken in order to apply for the Single Subject Program.

These courses may be taken before, with or after EDSS300A. You do not need to be admitted into the Single Subject Program to take these classes.

EDSP 355B  Collaborative Models of Inclusive Education: Partnerships and Strategies for Teaching All Students EDP301 or 302 or 305 Child/Adolescent Development/Educational Psychology HSC 411B  Health Science for Teachers

ART 305 - Art Disciplines and New Technology (Level 1 Technology)

Once you have been accepted into the Single Subject Program, you can take the following Education courses:

EDSE 435  U.S. Secondary Schools/Intercultural Education. EDSE 436  Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment & Mangement. EDSE 457  Reading and Writing in Secondary Schools. EDSS 450A  Curriculum and Methods in Teaching Art

Student Teaching

EDSS 472A,B,C (15 units total)

EDSS 473A Student teaching seminar in the Arts

Art Education

As part of a professionally oriented art school at a major research institution, the Art Education program at BU School of Visual Arts is uniquely positioned to offer students a comprehensive preparation to a career in the discipline. Students engage in the study of the cultural, social, cognitive, emotional, and artistic dimensions of children and youth development with a focus on diversity and inclusion. They develop skills in applying innovative pedagogies that meet the demands of teaching and research in a global and contemporary environment.

BU School of Visual Arts students prepare to be teaching artists by engaging in coursework and research that include interdisciplinary studies, collaboration with other programs and colleges, arts-based research methods, and immersive practice in PreK-12 schools, museums, or in the community.

Unique in its concept, the Art Education program offers students the opportunity of completing the coursework and internships that prepares them for endorsement in both Massachusetts licenses in the teaching of Visual Arts, Prek-8 and 5-12. As a result, students enrolled in the BFA, the 4 +1 BFA/MA, and the MA with Initial License benefit from an outstanding teacher preparation program that results in one of the highest rates of placement in the state.

Boston University offers a number of programs that lead to a professional license or certification. Provided here is state-specific licensure information regarding the Master of Art in Art Education with Initial License degree program. This information also applies to the Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Art in Art Education 4+1 program.

For candidates not seeking licensure, MA in Art Education programs include on-campus and online delivery. These flexible modalities provide an extended professional development through an advanced degree for those already practicing or preparing to pursue doctoral research. Graduate students benefit from a choice of courses offering in-depth enrichment in both the historical roots of the discipline and critical perspectives afforded by contemporary theories and practices.

Some of Our Grads

Graduates from the art education program enjoy successful careers, teaching both in the greater boston area and throughout the country..

• Dawn Benski , Fine Arts Department Chair, Scituate Public Schools
• Kristi Oliver,  recipient of the Massachusetts Art Educator of the Year Award, President of the Massachusetts Art Education Association
• George Ratkevich,  Visual Arts Coordinator, Burlington Public School System
• Lindsay Erben,  Director of the Arts Institute of Middlesex County Overseeing arts, culture, and history under Middlesex County Government

Degrees Offered

Featured faculty.

Felice Amato

Assistant Professor of Art, Art Education

Rébecca Bourgault

Assistant Professor of Art, Art Education; Chair of Art Education

Diana Hampe

Lecturer in Art, Art Education

Nicole Pond

Jana Silver

Art Education Field Work Coordinator

Meet Art Education Assistant Professor, Felice Amato

Having taught Spanish and art for nearly 20 years in Minnesota public schools, Felice Amato, Assistant Professor of Art Education at BU, feels a lot of reward in teaching. She also feels this way when immersed in her art.

In CFA’s Faculty Feature series, Amato shares with CFA how the Art Education department at BU cultivates the belief that art educators are artists, as well as teachers, encouraging students to teach from a place of deep knowledge and love of art.

“ Art is a reflection of society, but it is also a catalyst for change. We’re not just preparing students to be teachers. We’re teaching our students to teach theirs to be designers, thinkers, and problem-solvers. “

Hear from Amato on the various opportunities art education students receive – from Summer Studios for online students to learning in small cohorts, having personal interaction with faculty and facilitators, all while having the benefits of studying in a large research university.

Q&A WITH FELICE AMATO

Related Work

Cey Adams, Departure: 40 Years of Art and Design

Related Interests:

• Arts & Education
• Interdisciplinary Art

Explore More

Degrees & programs.

MA Art Education with Initial License

MA Art Education

BFA/MA (4+1) Art Education with Initial License

BFA Art Education

Online MA Art Education

BM Music Education

BM/MM (4+1) Music Education

MM Music Education

News & events, related news.

2020 MA Art Education Thesis

School of Visual Arts Welcomes Three New Faculty Members

BU School of Visual Arts to Host Multiple Formats: Contemporary Art Book Symposium and Art Book Fair

Teacher Appreciation Week feature: Jordan Muñoz, Online Art Ed Student

Music Education Professor André de Quadros Receives Chorus America Award

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Belmont Public Schools Honors BU Art Educator Nicole Pond with the 2023 Outstanding Teacher Award

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The Art Education program at the Lamar Dodd School of Art is grounded in critical, experiential, and interdisciplinary inquiry.

As a community of art educators we explore the intersections of contemporary art, histories of art education, visual culture, service-learning, social justice, and digital technology.

Art Education

Degree Requirements  (UGA Bulletin)

BFA in Art Education Area Requirements & Sample four-year plan

(Please refer to the Schedule of Classes for a complete listing of courses and check Athena for course restrictions.)

Investigating Critical and Contemporary Issues in Art Education

TBD | CRN 51289

For education majors and related fields, this service-learning course provides an introductory space for students to interact with and learn more about critical and contemporary issues related to art education and the different forms it can take, both within and outside of K-12 settings. Students investigate a wide range of topics and approaches to art education, including community-based art practices, sustainability, play, teaching with contemporary art, and non-traditional sites of learning. This course offers opportunities for students to explore the multiple facets of art education through hands-on teaching experiences, reflection, and artmaking.

• All majors welcome!
• No prerequisites
• Fulfills UGA Experiential Learning requirement

Art & Society: Visual Culture, Diversity, & Pedagogy

TBD | CRN 43494

Roberto Lugo, The Talented Mr. Trotter: You Can Be Anything, 2022, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Steve Weinik, © City of Philadephia Mural Arts Program/Roberto Lugo.

For education majors and related fields, this course probes intersections of visual culture, diversity, contemporary art, and pedagogy. Students investigate pedagogical implications of visual culture studies grounded in critical theories of diversity, addressing race, ethnicity, gender, sex, dis/ability and class in the U.S. Relevant contemporary art is explored for educational significance. 

• Fulfills Franklin Multicultural and University Cultural Diversity Requirements

ARED 4350S/6350S

Elementary curriculum in art education.

Hanawalt | Undergrads: CRN 38305 | Grads: CRN 38306

The purpose of this course is to engage with practices, theories, and discourses relevant to elementary curriculum in art education. Each semester, students will work both individually and collaboratively to investigate contemporary perspectives and dialogues within the field of art education through critical and experiential inquiry. Over the course of the semester, students will: perform research, analyze school contexts, study learners, engage in an art classroom in a local school, design and lead art experiences, document personal and student learning, develop art curricula, and present the results of inquiry. Through the experiences of this course, students will navigate the complex journey of developing a professional identity as a teacher and leader in the field of art education.

Time for field experiences is built into this course, therefore it is a requirement that students have their pre-service certificate processed prior to the start of the fall semester.

ARED 5470/7470

Issues & practices in teaching.

Pinneau | Undergrads: CRN 18719 | Grads: CRN 18725

The student teaching experience is designed to allow art education students in their final semester to continue their preparation as art teachers within the classroom setting. A mentor teacher, UGA supervisor, and UGA seminar instructor will work together to help students further develop their teaching skills. Students also install an exhibition of work for the BFA Exit Show at the end of the semester.

Curriculum Theory and Practice in Art Education

Bustle | CRN 53264

This class is a graduate level investigation of curriculum that focuses on the relevance of theory to the practice of curriculum development and implementation. In this regard, students will reflect on personal experience with art education curriculum, explore historical and contemporary art/education curriculum theories, discuss the role of research in curriculum development and decision-making, critique operational curriculum innovations, and design curriculum based on theoretical perspectives. By the end of the course students should be able to apply what they have learned about specific curriculum theories and the analysis of curriculum decision-making to their own pedagogy regardless of setting (schools, community, museums, or virtually).

Disability Studies, Arts, and Education

Kallio-Tavin | Grads: CRN 59997

This interdisciplinary course explores critical disability studies perspective at the intersection of the arts, culture, visual culture, and education. In this course, disability is understood as a cultural identity, an orientation to life that brings variation, diversity and richness to the disabled and non-disabled individuals, cultures, and society at large. Students will investigate work and practices of relevant contemporary disability artists, educators, and cultural activists.  

Writing Critique in Art Ed

Hanawalt | CRN 53266

This course will give each student an opportunity to work on a specific research or educational project of their design in a collaborative environment characterized by critical support from peers and individualized guidance from the professor. In the past, students have worked on writing projects such as developing their Prospectus or chapters of their dissertations. A significant part of the course involves engaging in constructive-critical feedback and dialogue in connection with the research and writing process through “critical friends” discussions.

Summer 2024

Critical multicultural studies in art education.

Kallio-Tavin  | CRN 68447

Nick Cave,  Soundsuits , 2013

This course is designed to prepare students to formulate an understanding of art education as a cultural endeavor informed by issues of race, class, gender, and cultural marginalization in both historical and contemporary society.  Course readings and discussions begin more broadly with issues of equity, oppression, and multiculturalism in education before moving into the role of art and art education in relation to these issues. Past versions of multiculturalism are investigated through a critical lens, and current pedagogical, curricular, and artistic approaches are introduced.

During the course, students pursue critical investigations through readings, discussions, and activities that gradually build their knowledge with the ultimate goal of applying this knowledge through major projects in the later part of the course. Although art education in schools is a major emphasis, students are encouraged to pursue and expand course content as it applies to their interests in contexts such as community arts, museums, artistic practice, and social/cultural/political activism, etc.

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Home » Degrees » Art Education & Fine Art

Art Education & Fine Art

The BFA in Art Education and Fine Art (Double Major) program provides a pathway to becoming an art teacher in classrooms, museums and community-based art programs. Through the Art Education coursework and fieldwork, students will learn how to develop successful curricula and art lesson plans for a wide range of audiences. Through the fine art major, students will develop a portfolio that will showcase their high level of artistic skill and their ability to solve creative problems through the synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.

Art Education & Fine Art Double Major Degree

The Art Education major focuses on the Science of teaching and will require our students to research, investigate and test educational theories and provide practical evidence for their effectiveness in a classroom.

The Fine Art major will help develop the Art of teaching and will be anchored in our students’ maturity as visual Artists. The BFA requires students to develop an Art portfolio which shows an evolution of artistry. As Fine Art students struggle and evolve through their own creative process, they are better able to guide their future students to a high level of artistic success.

Teaching itself is a creative act; our Double Major students will approach their instructional strategies and curriculum choices with developed discipline, creativity and both traditional and innovative ideas.

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COMPANIES THAT HAVE HIRED OUR GRADUATES

Liberal Arts

The Liberal Arts Program provides students with a holistic education covering the arts, humanities, and sciences. Courses highlight connections between the subject of study and the major fields of art and design, providing context to the larger world of art and design.

Foundations

The Foundations curriculum heightens perception and understanding of visual structure through the study of drawing, modeling of form, value structure, perspective principles, color, and design theory.

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Art & Design Programs

Art & Design

Mailing Address: 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2471 Moscow, ID 83844-2471 [email protected]

Phone: 208-885-4409

Fax: 208-885-9428

University of Idaho's Department of Art and Design combines creativity, traditional and digital skills in a studio environment. Students in undergraduate and graduate art and design programs learn by doing. Here, our students create art and design work that prompts reflection, questions societal norms and addresses the needs of diverse environments.

With faculty and students actively engaged in conversations across the Pacific Northwest, our students gain unique opportunities to practice and showcase their work. But their impact doesn’t stop there — their experiences extend far beyond our region. Explore the dynamic intersection of art, design and innovation at University of Idaho.

• B.F.A. Studio Art & Design

Art & Design Degree Programs

Start your art and design journey with a bachelor’s degree, or elevate your career with a master’s degree from U of I.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art

Learn more about the visual and liberal arts and develop technical skills through hands-on studio experience.

Major in Art

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Studio Art & Design

Strengthen your artistic skills and prepare for a career in the modern art community.

Study Studio Art & Design

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Art

Take your creativity to the next level — enhance your own work or learn how to instruct art courses.

Advance in Art

Undergraduate Areas of Emphasis

Personalize your undergraduate art and design degree by specializing in a dynamic area of emphasis. Our bachelor’s degree programs offer tracks in graphic design, interaction design, painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture, allowing you to shape your coursework to match your unique interests and career goals.

Graphic Design

Interaction Design

Printmaking

Emphasis Areas

The art and design program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) , the U.S. accrediting agency for art and design and art and design-related disciplines.   Accreditation by NASAD ensures that our programs are of high academic quality and integrity, and that we meet the recommended guidelines and professional standards in art and design education across the nation. These standards include small class size, high-quality instruction, and rigorous curricular requirements.

Enhance your experience, art & design scholarships.

Fund your CAA degree with scholarships specifically created for art and design majors. Explore more than 10 scholarship opportunities and learn how to apply.

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Student Feature Stories

Our students have a reputation for creating work that challenges and inspires. Whether focused on art or design the work is impactful. See how they are creating beautiful work while transforming lives and communities.

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Discover What’s Next

University of Idaho’s art and design programs provide you with endless opportunities — swipe your paintbrush over an empty canvas, sculpt meaningful pieces, design with real clients and spend time with faculty in the studio environment. Prepare to unlock your full artistic potential.

The Benefits of Arts Education for K-12 Students

While arts programs often fall victim to budget cuts, they can be an important contributor to students' success at school.

Benefits of Arts Education

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Just like after-school sports programs allow students to learn skills not necessarily taught in the classroom, like teamwork and self-discipline, the arts provide students with broad opportunities for growth outside of strictly academic pursuits.

Your child’s art class involves a lot more than just the Crayola marker scribble-scrabble that will end up hanging on your refrigerator.

“Good arts education is not about the product,” says Jamie Kasper, director of the Arts Education Partnership and a former music teacher. “It is about the process of learning.”

Policymakers, school administrators and parents alike may overlook the significance of arts education, but these programs can be a crucial component of your child’s school life. Whether they're practicing lines for a school play or cutting up magazine scraps for a collage, children can use art to tap into their creative side and hone skills that might not be the focus of other content areas, including communication, fine motor skills and emotional intelligence.

“Sometimes folks who are not involved in the arts focus on the product without realizing that that is not the most important part of what we do,” Kasper says.

While arts programs often fall victim to budget cuts, they can be an important contributor to students' overall success at school. Arts education can help kids:

• Engage with school and reduce stress.
• Develop social-emotional and interpersonal skills.
• Enrich their experiences.
• Handle constructive criticism.
• Bolster academic achievement.
• Improve focus.

Engage With School and Reduce Stress

Kasper says she often hears from other educators that art programs are one of the main factors that motivate children to come to school.

"If they don't want to come to school, you're never going to get them," she says. "So why wouldn't you do that thing that makes them want to come to school, that also teaches them these really great skills?"

Michelle Schroeder, the president of the New York State Art Teachers Association and a high school animation teacher, seconds this. She says the arts allow students an opportunity to have fun throughout the day without having to worry so much about the stressors of other content areas. And this is backed by research, too – some studies have shown that the arts, from drama to dance , can have therapeutic effects.

"It's that part of their day where they can have fun and just play with materials, and really not have to worry about the answers on their tests," Schroeder says.

Develop Social-Emotional and Interpersonal Skills

Participating in arts programs – particularly those that focus on more collaborative forms like theater and music – is a good way for students to sharpen their communication and social-emotional skills, experts say.

Camille Farrington, managing director and senior research associate at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, says art classes offer students opportunities to interact with their fellow students in a constructive and creative manner, a process that fuels their social and emotional development. For example, one study published in the Journal of Primary Prevention found that students in low-income schools who participated in an after-school dance program tended to experience heightened self-esteem and social skills.

Building those skills is more important than ever after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Denise Grail Brandenburg, arts education specialist and team lead at the National Endowment for the Arts. “Arts education can support the social and emotional learning needs of students," Brandenburg wrote in an email, "including helping students learn to manage their emotions and have compassion for others.”

Kasper also says that even with somewhat solitary artistic endeavors like painting or drawing, the act of perfecting one’s technique allows students to come up with creative ways to express and communicate their viewpoints.

“You teach the fundamentals of making the art ... – your instrument, your voice, your body in motion, painting, sculpture, whatever it is – so that students can then take those skills and use them to communicate more effectively,” she says.

Enrich Their Experiences

Human beings have practiced various art forms to express themselves since the dawn of their existence.

“Art immensely improves and enriches the lives of young people,” Farrington says. “It's a core part of being a human being and human history and culture.”

For kids in low-income neighborhoods, where residents may have less access to art and cultural resources that can improve quality of life , school arts programs are especially important. An analysis from the National Endowment for the Arts, drawing on data from four longitudinal studies, found that students with high levels of arts involvement had more positive outcomes in a variety of areas, from high school graduation rates to civic participation.

Just like after-school sports programs allow students to learn skills not necessarily taught in the classroom, like teamwork and self-discipline, Farrington says the arts provide students with broad opportunities for growth outside of strictly academic pursuits.

"One of the things that's really critical to young people of all ages ... is the opportunity to explore a wide variety of different kinds of activities," Farrington says. "Some of them are going to gravitate to one thing, and some are going to gravitate to another thing, but they can't gravitate to them if they've never experienced them."

Handle Constructive Criticism

Unlike many other school subjects, in which questions often have one specific answer, the arts allow for students to come up with a nearly unlimited variety of final products. This means that art teachers often give feedback a little bit differently, particularly with older students.

“They're teaching something and then immediately asking students to demonstrate that skill in a really authentic way, which is different from going to teach something and three months later giving students a test,” Kasper says.

Schroeder says that art teachers typically provide their students with highly individualized, constructive criticism. This allows students to learn how to gracefully receive a critique and respond to it, she says, explaining how and why they developed the artwork that they did.

“In so much of their careers and their future, people are either going to criticize or they're going to suggest improvements, and our students need to become comfortable with receiving feedback from other people,” she says. “So many experiences that they’ll have in an art classroom give them the opportunity to feel what it’s like to have someone question them. There's so much dialogue that happens in the classroom.”

Bolster Academic Achievement

While Farrington says that making art for art’s sake ought to be sufficient justification for school arts programs, research has also shown that arts education can lead to academic gains.

For example, a 2005 study on the impact of a comprehensive arts curriculum in Columbus, Ohio, public schools found that students with the arts program scored higher on statewide tests in math, science and citizenship than students from control schools. This effect was even greater for students from low-income schools. In the NEA analysis, socially and economically disadvantaged children with significant arts education had better academic outcomes – including higher grades and test scores and higher rates of graduation and college enrollment – than their peers without arts involvement.

Different disciplines also provide their own specific cognitive benefits – for example, participating in dance has been shown to sharpen young children's spatial awareness , while making music can help students develop their working memory .

Improve Focus

In addition to the specific benefits of each individual art practice, Kasper says that across the board, the arts are a good way for students to learn impulse control.

Intuitively, it makes sense that the act of concentrating in order to perfect one's craft can help an individual develop the ability to focus closely on other things as well. Research has shown that training in the arts also helps students hone their ability to pay closer attention and practice self-control. In 2009, researchers at the Dana Foundation , which funds neuroscience research and programming, posited based on multiple studies that training in the arts stimulates and strengthens the brain's attention system.

"That's something that I think we forget that kids have to learn," Kasper says.

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2024-2025 Catalog

Note:  On registering for a studio course offered in this department, the student agrees that the department may retain work completed by the student.

Vertically-related courses in this subject field include the following: 

• ART 111 – ART 112 – ART 211
• ART 221 – ART 222 – ART 321 – ART 322  
• ART 231 – ART 330
• ART 241 – ART 340  
• ART 251 – ART 350
• ART 271 – ART 272 – ART 370

ART 100 Introduction to Art: Why Art Matters (3 credits)

General Education: Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing, International

An introduction to the diverse ways in which art can function and the significance of art as it impacts the lives of individuals. The course will provide a global perspective, thinking of art not just as a product of Europe and the U. S. but of humans around the world. The course will explore the convergences of cultures and is designed to be an intentionally comparative course. Students will engage in discussion and art prompts that investigate problems and issues presented in looking at and understanding artworks as well as the processes artists use to create. This course includes lectures/videos presentations, visiting artists talks, course readings and is evaluated through art-making projects and reflective writing. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

ART 111 Drawing I (3 credits)

Freehand drawing; emphasis on expressive use of materials. Two 2-hour studios per week.

ART 112 Drawing II (3 credits)

In the Art 112 studio course we build on the foundation of Art 111 with an emphasis on drawing as a form of thinking and communication in art and design disciplines. In the studio we will work to familiarize students with strategies of using drawing for analogy, translation, imagination, and abstraction. The exploration of techniques, media, subject matter, and processes are intended to support practices in various creative professions. Freehand drawing with various media will be the focus of this class with the intent that you will use your skills to develop ideas as part of your creative process. Typically Offered: Spring.

Prereqs: ART 111

ART 121 Integrated Design Process (3 credits)

Introduction to design process as it relates to art and design disciplines; studio problems to familiarize students with basic design process, principles and elements of design. Studio experiences, readings, and written analysis challenge students to explore basic two- and three-dimensional design and color. Two 3-hour studios a week and assigned work; attendance at outside events (lectures, symposiums, university gallery openings). Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

ART 122 Art & Design Process (3 credits)

Continuation of study of design process; studio problems challenge students to apply elements and principles of design to studio problems that include traditional and experimental concepts of design. Studio experiences, readings, and written analysis allow for further exploration of two- and three-dimensional design as well more complex concepts such as context, time, and light. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work; attendance at outside events (lecturess, symposiums, Prichard and University Gallery openings).

ART 200 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)

Credit arranged

ART 203 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits, max arranged)

Credit arranged.

Prereqs: Permission

ART 204 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)

ART 205 Visual Culture (3 credits)

General Education: Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing

An introduction to the interdisciplinary approaches in art history, visual studies, film and media studies, sociology, and the general field of cultural studies that constitute the field of visual culture. Visual Culture addresses the societal, cultural, economic, aesthetic, and political dimensions and provocations of images and the visual in our contemporary world. This course offers a broad introduction to the most important critical and theoretical methods for the analysis, critique, and evaluation of visual culture. Typically Offered: Varies.

ART 211 Life Drawing (3 credits)

Life drawing, work with various media to develop an understanding of the human figure. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

Prereqs: ART 111 and ART 112 , or Permission

ART 213 History and Theory of Modern Design (3 credits)

Study, analysis, and critique of design history and theory from Industrial Revolution to the present. Historical and theoretical analysis of the emergence of the industrial, product, graphic, and interaction/experience design professions and the relationship between design products, corporations, and global communities. Throughout the course we will critically examine and address the theoretical and practical aspects of contemporary design. Topics considered include: industrialization and modernism; design and propaganda; design and the modernist avant-garde; design and nationalism; the politics and economics of global design movements; and design and advertising. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

ART 216 Digital Tools (3 credits)

Introduction to professional design, development, and production workflows related to various aspects of digital design. Demos and lectures cover various industry standard 2D design software. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

ART 221 Introduction to Graphic Design (3 credits)

Creative problem solving with emphasis on two dimensional solutions to formal and conceptual design problems; fundamental design principles are reiterated and developed into visual communication using word and image. Design process, prototyping and industry standard software will be used. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall.

Prereqs: ART 121 or ART 122 or ART 216 or by Instructor Permission

ART 222 Introduction to Typography (3 credits)

Visual communication design with emphasis on typography, letterforms, and typographic syntax. Ideas are developed into thoughtful visual communication through the exploration of typographic conventions and the use of type as image. Introduction to history and theory of typography. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Spring.

ART 231 Painting I (3 credits)

Intro to basic fundamentals of painting - oil, acrylic, watercolor and gouache; understanding the role of color, techniques in paint application, and concept. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

Prereqs: ART 111 or Permission

ART 241 Sculpture I (3 credits)

Introductory studio environment with an emphasis on welding, wood-working, mixed-media material exploration, tool safety, and the development of unique personal expressions in three dimensions. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Varies.

ART 251 Printmaking I (3 credits)

Intro to basic printmaking techniques, relief, intaglio, and monotype; emphasis on sensitivity to materials and individual development.

ART 261 Ceramics I (3 credits)

Introductory studio environment with emphasis on basic design principles and techniques, hand-built forming methods, development and articulation of individual design criteria, and glaze and surface experimentation. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

Prereqs: ART 121 or permission

ART 271 Introduction to Interaction Design (3 credits)

Creative problem solving with emphasis on User Interface (UI) design. Fundamental design principles are reiterated and developed into screen design combining text, image, and interaction. Design thinking, prototyping, and industry standard software will be used. User Experience (UX) concepts such as personas and testing will also be introduced. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Varies.

ART 272 Introduction to Experiential Design (3 credits)

Creative problem solving with emphasis on experiential design for the built environment. Immersive storytelling within spaces including branding, placemaking, and theming. Design process, prototyping, and industry standard software will be used. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Varies.

ART 299 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)

ART 302 Modern Art and Theory (3 credits)

A study of the principal artistic movements and theories in modern art from c. 1880 to World War II. Beginning with late-nineteenth-century modernism, the course closely examines the historical, societal, cultural, philosophical, and theoretical frameworks from which modern art and theory emerged. Modernist movements to be considered include, Neoimpressionism, Symbolism, Fauvism, German Expressionism, Futurism, Cubism, Dada, and Surrealism, among others.

ART 303 Contemporary Art and Theory (3 credits)

General Education: International

A survey of the principal artists, movements, theories, and artistic strategies since World War II in Europe and America. Important movements examined include the New York School, Neo-dada, Post-Painterly Abstraction, British and American Pop, Minimalism, Conceptual art, Earthworks and Environments, Performance Art, Neoexpressionism, and the various approaches within contemporary art.

Prereqs: One 200-level or 300-level art history elective, or Permission

ART 321 Graphic Design: Concepts (3 credits, max 6)

Advanced design problems that center on individual development and the exploration of contemporary design issues. The conceptual potential of words and images is emphasized. Individual and group work. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

Prereqs: ART 221 and ART 222 , or Permission

ART 322 Graphic Design: Studio (3 credits, max 6)

Visual communication design and problem solving in the community environment; strategies for client interaction, project presentation and production preparation are practiced. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

ART 323 History of Typography (3 credits)

Historical and theoretical survey of Roman lettering from before the printing press to the digital age. Special attention is paid to how technological change affects typeface design and application, and how this evolution is inseparable from the practices of publishing, printing, and visual and graphic design. Typefaces are discussed by classification through the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, early and post-war Modernism, the Postmodern era, and our digital present, all with the intent of being able to more readily identify and select appropriate typefaces for use in visual communication. Typically Offered: Spring.

ART 330 Intermediate/Advanced Painting (3 credits, max 9)

Intermediate painting in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and gouache; emphasis on the aesthetic problems and the role of color. Advanced students emphasize individual conceptual approaches. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

Prereqs: Art Core and ART 231 or Permission

ART 340 Intermediate/Advanced Sculpture (3 credits, max 9)

Intermediate level studio environment with emphasis on promoting tool safety, material exploration, creative autonomy, portfolio development, and comprehension of historical and contemporary issues relevant to studio projects and sculpture discourse. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

Prereqs: Art Core, ART 241 or Permission

ART 350 Intermediate/Advanced Printmaking (3 credits, max 9)

Advanced printmaking; further exploration of printmaking methods and materials; emphasis on individual development in conceptual and technical abilities. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

Prereqs: Art Core and ART 251 or permission

ART 360 Intermediate/Advanced Ceramics (3 credits, max 9)

Intermediate and Advanced level studio environment with further exploration of ceramic methods including wheel-thrown building techniques, kiln and studio procedures, creative autonomy, portfolio development, and comprehension of historical and contemporary issues relevant to studio projects and ceramics discourse. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work.

Prereqs: Art Core and ART 261 ; or Permission

ART 370 Interaction/Experiential Design: Concepts (3 credits)

Advanced design problems that center on individual development and the exploration of contemporary design issues surrounding user, visitor, and guest experiences. The conceptual potential of placemaking using both mobile and tablet devices within the built environment is emphasized, as is prototyping, testing, and revision. Individual and group work. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.

Prereqs: ART 216 , ART 271 and ART 272 ; or Permission

ART 373 Interaction/Experiential Design: Studio (3 credits)

User Experience (UX) and User Interaction (UI) problem solving at an advanced level. In addition to design and development, strategies for client interaction, project presentation and production preparation are practiced. Two 3-hour studios per week and assigned work. Typically Offered: Varies.

Prereqs: ART 271 or ART 272 ; or Permission.

ART 380 Digital Imaging (3 credits)

Computer imaging with emphasis on visual problem solving and design; development of professional techniques with industry standard software.

Prereqs: ART 216

ART 400 (s) Art Seminar (1-3 credits, max 6)

ART 403 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits, max arranged)

ART 404 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)

ART 405 (s) Professional Development (1-16 credits)

ART 407 New Media (3 credits)

Study, analysis, and critique of the cultural, technological, and aesthetic dimensions and practices of new media. The course entails a detailed examination of the genealogy, historical and cultural ramifications of the computer as an expressive medium. We will study the history of the computer and the digital, from its pre-conception in literature and science, to its various manifestations today in information, political, aesthetic, technological, and cultural contexts. Throughout the course students will analyze and evaluate the constantly changing provocations of new media in terms of communication, language, art, design, architecture, and the general ontological issues of time and space.

ART 409 Visual Studies (3 credits)

Examination, evaluation, and critique of the expanding interdisciplinary field of visual studies. Visual practices, technologies, communicative, and epistemological models and structures are studied in terms of their implications for art, design, architecture, and cultural and scientific practices and production in general. The historical, theoretical, and aesthetic provocations of visualization in such varied fields as biology, medicine, law, forensics, genetics, and information technologies is addressed as well as the cultural dimensions of the social ubiquitousness of the visual in general. Recommended preparation: ART 205 .

Prereqs: 12 credits of Art History/Visual Culture courses

ART 410 Professional Practices (2 credits)

General Education: Senior Experience

Professional issues for studio artists and designers including obligations, duties, and responsibilities in practice, self-promotion, and career planning. Includes analysis of gallery operations.

Prereqs: Advanced standing or Permission

ART 488 Faculty Directed Internship (1-3 credits, max 6)

1-3 credits, max 6. Open only to art majors. Art faculty directed work on a professional project.

Prereqs: Successful completion of one 300-level studio sequence (6 credits), and advisor and directing faculty approval.

ART 490 BFA Art/Design Studio (6 credits, max 12)

Open only to BFA studio art majors. Intensive tutorial studio closely monitored by all the faculty, culminating in development of a portfolio and a professional exhibition. Outside lectures and special events may be assigned. Twelve formal hours of studio per week plus outside work to equal 18 hours of involvement a week; field trips and guest lectures may be required.

Prereqs: Senior standing and completion of 15 cr in 300-level art courses with a minimum grade of 'C' and a minimum GPA of 2. 75.

ART 495 Critical Art Writing Seminar (3 credits)

Open only to B. F. A. Art and Design majors who have been admitted to the professional program through the B. F. A Art and Design Review. Writing portfolio includes: visual analysis, short essay, statement of intent, artist’s statements, and other pertinent types of writing.

Prereqs: Senior standing and completion of 15 cr. in 300-level art courses with a minimum grade of 'C' and a minimum GPA of 2. 75

ART 497 (s) Practicum In Instruction (1-3 credits, max 6)

Tutorial and/or instructional services performed by advanced students under faculty supervision.

ART 498 (s) Internship (1-12 credits, max 12)

Graded P/F. Open to art majors only; no more than 6 cr may be counted toward art degree requirements. Work with professional artists. Graded Pass/Fail.

Prereqs: One 300-level studio sequence (6 credits) and permission of department chair

ART 499 (s) Directed Study (1-3 credits, max 9)

Individual study areas selected by the student and approved by the faculty; it is the student's responsibility to select a study area and prepare a semester study program; the student contacts one of the art faculty who agrees to direct the study; it is the student's responsibility to initiate the study program and to maintain regular contact with the faculty member who has agreed to direct the study.

Prereqs: Completion of one 300-level studio sequence (6 cr) and Permission

ART 500 Master's Research and Thesis (1-16 credits)

ART 501 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)

ART 502 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)

ART 503 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits)

ART 504 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)

ART 505 (s) Professional Development (1-16 credits)

Credit arranged. Professional development and enrichment of certificated school personnel. Credit earned will not be accepted toward graduate degree program, but may be used in a fifth-year program. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.

ART 507 (s) Art Seminar (3 credits, max 6)

Open only to art majors. Seminar in professional art concerns: guest artist programs, University Gallery activities, including field trips. One 2-hour seminar per week and assigned work.

ART 508 (s) Readings in Art and Design (3 credits)

Exploration and analysis of issues surrounding contemporary and historical practices of artistic production. Open to all graduate students. Seniors with a sufficient GPA or higher may enroll per UI catalog and College of Graduate Studies requirements with instructor permission.

ART 513 Pedagogy Seminar (3 credits, max 6)

This seminar is designed for graduate students teaching and/or interested in teaching in higher-ed creative classrooms. Assignments and discussions designed to further critical awareness and build adaptive strategies that foster engagement in a contemporary, creative classroom. Typically Offered: Fall.

Prereqs: Instructor permission

ART 515 (s) Art Faculty Studio (3-6 credits, max 12)

Open only to art majors. Studio research taken with support of art and design faculty group; at least three intensive studio critique presentations required each semester.

ART 516 (s) MFA Art Studio (3-6 credits, max 9)

Open only to MFA art majors. Studio research taken from two or more art faculty members.

ART 521 (s) MFA Individual Critique (3 credits, max 9)

Open only to MFA art majors. Studio research taken from individual art faculty members; individual instruction and critiques. One hour per week of critique session and 8 hours per week of individual studio research.

ART 590 (s) MFA Thesis Exhibition (4-8 credits, max 20)

Open only to MFA majors. Studio research directly related to preparation of MFA "Exhibition and Statement. "

ART 597 (s) Practicum (3 credits, max 6)

Hands-on experience in classroom teaching and gallery practice conducted under supervision of faculty or gallery director. Normally requires 4-6 hours per week in class and assigned work.

Prereqs: Major in the College of Art and Architecture or permission of individual faculty and art graduate coordinator

ART 598 (s) Internship (1-6 credits, max 6)

Open only to art majors. Work with professional artists.

Prereqs: Permission of major professor and department chair

ART 599 (s) Non-thesis Master's Research (1-16 credits)

Credits arranged

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The A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University was established in 1987 as a training ground for professional theater. A two-year, graduate-level program, the Institute was created with an understanding that students can best prepare for a life in the performing arts by immersing themselves in the work of a professional theater, and by studying with faculty who are practicing theater artists.

Over the past three decades, graduates of the Institute have become leaders in the arts. Graduates of the acting program have performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and at theaters around the country, while also appearing in feature films and as series regulars on numerous television shows. Graduates of the dramaturgy program serve as dramaturgs, literary managers, theater critics, and artistic directors in this country and abroad. Graduates of the voice pedagogy program teach at top American universities.

In 1998, the Institute formed a historic partnership with the Moscow Art Theater School. The birthplace of the Stanislavsky System and the artistic home of the playwright Anton Chekhov, the Moscow Art Theater (MXAT) is one of Europe’s leading companies. The partnership with MXAT has given Institute students the opportunity to train with leading Russian actors, directors, choreographers, historians, and critics, and to be immersed in one of Europe’s most vibrant theater capitals.

At this time, the Institute is on hiatus in order to explore new models of training and is currently not accepting students.

Transcript Request/ Employment Verification

Please contact us at [email protected] with your full name and year of graduation to request Institute transcripts, arrange for employment verification, or for more information. You will receive a response and further instructions in a timely manner.

A.R.T. Institute Alumni

Graduates of the A.R.T. Institute have entered their respective industries with a far-reaching intellectual curiosity, a diligent sense of professionalism, and an extensive set of practical skills. Having garnered experience from their training abroad, their coursework stateside, and their collaboration alongside industry professionals, students have left the Institute prepared for the wide variety of work in today’s American and international theater.

The Differences Between B.A. and B.F.A. Degrees

H igh school students looking to major in the arts – whether acting, film, painting or any other creative field – will often come across two types of degrees when they go off to college : the bachelor of arts, or B.A., and the bachelor of fine arts, or B.F.A.

While both degrees can prepare students for a career in the arts, their approaches are fairly different. The B.F.A. tends to be a more intensive degree with a higher proportion of classes taken within a student’s major, while a B.A. is a bit more balanced in terms of courses outside of the major.

The B.F.A. is "much more concentrated" with art courses and gives students more opportunities to gain "broader and deeper" training in their artwork, says Florence Lehr, founder of ARTriculate, a college consulting agency for students applying to art programs.

If you’re interested in studying the arts , here are some key details to keep in mind as you consider which degree to pursue.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The B.A. is widely considered the standard liberal arts degree, emphasizing the development of a well-balanced base of knowledge in the humanities. According to the National Association of Schools of Art & Design’s 2023-2024 Handbook, a B.A. at an arts school or traditional college typically requires a student to take at least 30% of their credits within their major.

For example, one-third of the courses in an acting B.A. might be acting courses, while the remaining two-thirds are general education courses and electives.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)

The B.F.A. has a more concentrated focus on the student’s artwork. According to NASAD, typically around 65% of the coursework in a B.F.A. program is taken within the student’s major, allowing students to take a wider range of courses within their artistic field .

While art students in B.A. programs usually have to take some studio or stage coursework, Lehr says, such coursework is much more prevalent in B.F.A. programs. She also notes that more specialized majors, such as animation or acting for film , tend to be offered as a B.F.A.

What’s the Difference Between a B.A. and a B.F.A.?

Some colleges offer both a B.A. and a B.F.A. in the same major, leading students to question the difference.

For example, high school students interested in studying acting at Pace University in New York can pursue either a B.A. or a B.F.A. there. Students who choose the B.A. will earn 39 of their required 128 course credits by taking acting courses; those who choose the B.F.A. will take 83 credits in such courses toward the major.

Wayne Petro, director of enrollment at Pace’s Sands College of Performing Arts, says that the B.F.A. is a much more rigid program, as many courses have to be taken in a specific order.

“Courses have a prerequisite, so you have to go in steps through the four years. You can't pick and choose courses throughout the program and kind of piece it together,” Petro says. “It’s kind of like the sciences in a way – every course is built upon the last.”

It’s also common for B.A. and B.F.A. programs to have different admissions requirements. Lehr notes that B.F.A. programs often require prospective students to submit a portfolio of their artwork or audition.

This is not always required for students applying to B.A. programs. Students interested in pursuing a B.A. in theater studies at Missouri State University , for example, have to submit a statement of purpose explaining why they wish to pursue the major. But if they're applying to the school’s B.F.A. in acting, they have to audition. Still, some B.A. acting programs – like Pace's, for instance – do require an audition, so it's important to look at the individual requirements of the schools you're interested in.

And the audition process for a B.F.A. program can be fairly competitive. Christopher Herr, interim head of Missouri State’s department of theater and dance, says upward of 500 applicants audition for the B.F.A. in acting, a program that enrolls fewer than 20 new students each year.

Which Degree Is a Better Fit for You?

Experts emphasize that one degree is not necessarily better than the other.

“Nobody looks at your degree when you’re auditioning for a role,” Herr says. “Nobody’s going to say that if you don't have a B.F.A., you can't audition. That's not how it works.”

The quality of your portfolio and the network you develop in whichever program you choose is what matters the most when pursuing a career in the arts after graduation, Lehr says.

Completing a B.A. may give students more opportunities to study things outside of their major. At Pace, it’s practically impossible for students pursuing a B.F.A. in acting to complete a double major in four years, since there’s a lot less room for courses outside of the acting major, Petro says.

For that reason, art students looking to double major may be better suited to a B.A. program, Lehr says, even though a B.F.A. allows students to focus more on the art that interests them.

Petro recommends that students decide between a B.A. and B.F.A. after looking into the individual coursework of each program they’re interested in and deciding what interests them the most.

“You really have to look at the curriculum,” he says. “Even though there might be a limit on the credits in a B.A. program, look at the electives that are out there. Can you add to that and design your own path? Don't take that wonderful B.A. program off your list before you've really had a chance to unpack.”

Copyright 2023 U.S. News & World Report

5 Art Activities to Unwind After Testing and Portfolio Submissions 

After completing state testing, AP or IB testing, and submitting art portfolios , you and your students have finally reached the finish line! With only a few weeks left in the school year, it’s time to celebrate with stress-free artmaking. This time of year is perfect for those lessons you never got to during the year or fun ideas you’ve wanted to try out with your students. The art activities below are more suitable for students in a secondary-level art class, but you can always tweak them to suit any grade level. In addition, they are an excellent way to see the culmination of all of the art skills you taught them throughout the year.

Check out the five art activities below to unwind after the stress of testing and portfolio submissions!

1. Collaborative Contour Line Portraits on Butcher Paper

Contour line partner drawings are a fun opportunity for your students to loosen up with markmaking. This provides a change of pace in drawing compared to their intricate, time-consuming portfolio pieces. Harness the relationships and community students built in your art room by challenging them to unwind, work together, and incorporate movement . 

Students will have so much fun drawing their peers in a low-pressure environment with contour lines using these steps:

• Lay a long piece of butcher paper down.
• Pair students so they are sitting across from each other with the butcher paper in between them.
• Draw the student across from them for 1-2 minutes.
• Rotate students.
• Repeat until contour portraits fill the butcher paper; encourage overlapping!
• Cut up the butcher paper into smaller sections for each student to work back into. 

The cut sections of contour drawings are ideal for students to add their creative spin with color or additional details. Prompt students to use varied contour lines like blind , modified, and continuous contour to review and reinforce their markmaking knowledge.

2. Paint Your Classmate

Take a fun spin from the popular social media trend where couples paint their spouses. While this option is more challenging than contour drawings, encourage students to not take this activity too seriously. Remind them often to have fun and enjoy the process! Paint Your Classmate offers potentially burned-out students space to create art purely for fun. Use table easels or prop canvases against a stack of books so partners can’t see the completed piece until the end. There are many ways to pair students like student choice, prior skills and knowledge, skill level, or at random! 

3. Artist Accordion Books

Accordion fold books are one of the easiest to make. They can consist of one long single sheet of paper or smaller sheets combined in a zigzag pattern. Making artist books at the end of the year is an excellent opportunity for students to develop a series of mini-artworks with art mediums they love. A collection of paper scraps is perfect for accordion books! Not only are artist books fun for students to create, but they are also great as summative assessments at the end of the year. 

In addition, accordion books work well to review color theory or the Elements and Principles , illustrate narratives, or create collaborative drawings. For instance, students can do a round-robin exchange of drawings on each page. Connect today to discover How to Create An Accordion Fold Book and Accordion Haiku Books  in FLEX Curriculum .

4. Appropriation Art Collage

Use pictures from magazines, newspapers, or printed stock images to create appropriation art collages. This activity requires students to think critically about transforming and reimagining existing images. Students must decipher the original meaning and context, decide what their new concept will be, and then implement design choices to communicate their message. Collaging allows students to experiment with composition, texture, and color—no drawing skills required. Found imagery also can provide immediate gratification. Take the collages to the next level and incorporate mixed media such as gel pens and acrylic paint markers to draw or add accents. 

5. Photocopy Flyer Collages

Inspired by the 1970s and 80s scene of vintage posters and flyers, this activity combines graphic design, appropriation, and collage to create punk-inspired imagery. Students use existing images but combine them with typography and lettering to communicate a message. For punk flyer examples, check out this vast collection for ideas.  Provide students with themes or prompts to generate ideas for their flyers. Create flyers for past events, future events, or even invented ones! Don’t forget to remind students to leave a small border around the edge of their paper. When photocopying the finished collages, the copy machine won’t print to the edge of a sheet of paper. 

The end of the school year is an ideal time to engage in enjoyable, low-pressure art activities such as creating artist books, collaborative partner drawings, and mixed media collages. It’s the perfect chance to use up leftover materials and observe the skills your students acquired throughout the year. Join your students in artmaking because you deserve unwinding too. Try an activity above for a fun way to relax, make art without pressure, and remind everyone why they love art! 

What’s your favorite post-testing art activity? 

How do you celebrate submitted portfolios with your students?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Kristina Brown

Kristina Brown, a high school art educator, is a current AOEU Writer. She is passionate about inquiry-based learning, student-centered art education, and creating a welcoming and engaging environment for students.

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UK university courses on race and colonialism facing axe due to cuts

Academics warn loss of higher education arts and humanities courses will harm understanding of racism and imperial history

Cuts to arts and humanities subjects within higher education will have damaging implications for our understanding of race and colonialism, academics have warned.

Petitions have been launched to save anthropology at Kent University, where the subject has come under threat of closure, while Oxford Brookes confirmed the closure of its music programme earlier this year.

Last month, Booker prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo criticised the “amputation” of the Black British literature master’s course at Goldsmiths University in London, asking them to reconsider scrapping the “pioneering” subject. “The MA in Black British literature shouldn’t be seen as dispensable but as an essential course that is intellectually and culturally enriching for academia, the college and society,” she said.

Last year, the MRes on the history of Africa and the African diaspora at Chichester University was cut and the course leader, Prof Hakim Adi, lost his job . Adi, the first African-British historian to become a professor of history in the UK, was shortlisted for the Wolfson history prize in 2023.

“There’s not very much about race and colonialism on the curriculum to start with, and it sends a signal from those in power that these types of subjects are not desired,” he said. “[Race and colonialism] just won’t be taught in higher education, if this trend continues. Our course [at Chichester] was the only one in Europe that specialises in African history in this way. When I was made redundant, it also impacted the students whose PhDs I was supervising. They were left without an expert on race and colonialism to guide them in this research.”

The government has attempted to crack down on what the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has described as “ rip-off university courses ”, which critics have viewed as an attempt to cut arts and humanities degrees.

Recent guidance to the Office for Students issued by Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, places importance on Stem subjects and “higher education studies that enable [students] to progress into employment, thereby benefiting them as well as the wider economy”.

The letter, dated 4 April 2024, makes no mention of funding for arts and humanities subjects – something that scholars from the Defend the Arts campaign , a University and College Union-associated group ­calling to save the arts and humanities in higher education, described as an “attack on critical thought”.

University of the Arts London lecturer Kevin Biderman, a leading figure in the Defend the Arts movement, criticised the government’s argument that an arts and humanities education is not employable or beneficial to the economy. Data from January 2024 shows creative industries contribute about £126bn to the UK economy – more than oil and gas.

He added: “At the RCA [Royal College of Art], they got rid of critical and historical studies. What we’re starting to see now is institutions are keeping skills-based courses, under the argument of employability, but they’re cutting courses that require critical thinking about society. [Universities] also cite economic and money-saving reasons – but these courses are cheaper to run in many ways because they don’t need much equipment.”

Adi echoed Biderman: “Getting rid of me also didn’t save [Chichester University] very much money, because I wasn’t getting paid very much.”

Dr Cecilia Wee of the RCA emphasised that less teaching about race in higher education leads to less public awareness. She said: “Arts, culture, and humanities courses are really vital in terms of educating groups of people to make sure that understanding of these topics [such as race, colonialism and feminism] are alive.”

Wee said the “trickle-down impact” of these course closures will, in time, silence voices and narratives that are already underrepresented.

Kent University said its decision to “phase out” anthropology courses followed “an extensive consultation with staff, students and their representatives”.

Goldsmiths said: “We’re proud to have widened scholastic learning with the introduction of the MAs in Black British literature and queer history and are committed to both protecting and enhancing arts and humanities subjects in the best way we can.”

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A spokesperson for Chichester University said “despite extensive marketing” of the history of Africa and the African diaspora course, it had “always recruited a relatively small number of students”.

The spokesperson added: “Courses that fail to consistently recruit sufficient students are simply not viable for the university to continue to offer.”

A RCA spokesperson said that critical thinking, while no longer a separate unit, was now integral across its courses: “Critical and historical studies was a single module that formed part of the RCA’s overall studio-based Masters programmes. After extensive consultation with staff and students over the design of the new academic model, the delivery of this unit ended in the academic year 2021-22, due to feedback that a more integrated approach to theory and practice was needed.

“Our academic programmes now have research and critical thinking as an integral part of the curriculum, which means that critical and radical thinking is embedded in research, learning and teaching at all levels at the RCA. These decisions were taken for academic reasons, and we continue to strongly encourage critical and radical thinking in our students.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We recognise the immense value of the higher education sector, including arts and humanities courses.”

Adi said that his experience of teaching Black history and race-related studies in the classroom shows that there is a desire for these topics to be taught. He taught a first-year module about Africa and the African diaspora at Chichester University, where his hundreds-strong cohort was mostly white students. “They voted [it] ‘module of the year’,” he said.

“They said they’ve never heard this history before, they’d never heard it at school and that it was fascinating. Young people’s eyes are always open to new perspectives and ideas.

“We’re in the world of educating people to be enlightened citizens in the 21st century – but unfortunately higher education is run as a business.”

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Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport terminal project nears completion

The Palouse’s new air travel hub is nearing completion and set to open to the public later this month.

The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport’s new 47,000 square foot terminal is opening May 22 after two years of construction . The $92 million project includes a brand new terminal nearly six times larger than the existing structure, as well as an additional 4,500 square foot expansion debuting later this summer.

Airport officials hosted a pre-opening tour of the new facility for Palouse-area media on Tuesday.

The new terminal includes capacity for three ticket counters, two TSA screening lanes and three rental car counters. Private charter security screenings will also be available in August with the completion of the western expansion. Passengers arriving into Pullman will no longer have to brave the weather conditions outside, and will instead pass through a modern security gate inside the terminal building.

In spite of the changes, Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Board Chair and Pullman Mayor Francis Benjamin said the security experience is still likely to be the fastest passengers have experienced with air travel.

References to the Palouse and its institutions of higher education will be evident throughout the new airport. Artistic depictions of the Palouse punctuate each ticket counter, while Washington State University and University of Idaho iconography will be visible throughout the site. Glenn Johnson, longtime Pullman mayor and voice of the Cougs , welcomes visitors to the terminal and provides pre-boarding instructions.

WSU and UI, both heavy users of the airport, provided a joint $1 million in support for the project in 2021, with the cities of Pullman and Moscow contributing a further $2 million each.

Art Bettge, vice-chair of the airport board, noted during a tour of the facility that between the new terminal and the runway project completed in 2022, the Palouse has seen $250 million in investments for a local cost of about $18 million. The lion’s share of the two project’s funding has come from federal sources.

Unlike most airports, summer represents a slowdown for the airport, giving staff time to adjust to the new facilities before the number of flights is expected to pick up in the fall. The airport currently offers two flights to Seattle daily through Aug. 15, with that number rising to five or six thereafter with the addition of a daily flight to Boise. Additional destinations are also being considered.

The new terminal includes seating for upwards of 160 people, an outdoor seating area, a service animal relief area, and space for concessions both pre- and post-security screening. Approximately 70 people work at the airport, with additional staffing needs likely once the new terminal is fully online.

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Leading the Leaders of Medical Education

— a conversation with david skorton, md, president of the aamc.

by Henry Bair and Tyler Johnson, MD May 12, 2024

" The Doctor's Art" is a weekly podcast that explores what makes medicine meaningful, featuring profiles and stories from clinicians, patients, educators, leaders, and others working in healthcare. Listen and subscribe/follow on Apple , Spotify , Amazon , and Podchaser .

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) plays a crucial role in healthcare. As the organization that oversees medical education and thus the pipeline of future medical professionals in the U.S., its critical duties include administering the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), managing the residency application service, drafting guidelines for faculty members and departments at medical schools and academic hospitals, disseminating data on medical education and workforce trends that shape policymaking at medical schools and government bodies, and promoting diversity in healthcare.

Leading this organization is David Skorton, MD , a cardiologist and pioneer of cardiac imaging and computer processing techniques, who also previously served as the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and as president of Cornell University and the University of Iowa .

In this episode, Skorton shares with Henry Bair and Tyler Johnson, MD, how his family's immigrant past has shaped him, how he went from struggling during his own medical school application process more than 50 years ago to now leading an organization that represents all medical schools and teaching hospitals, why the arts and humanities matter to him, how he thinks about medical education given the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, what great mentors look like, how effective leadership often means learning from everyone around you, and more.

In this episode, you will hear about:

• 2:42 Skorton's unexpected path from jazz musician to president of the AAMC
• 7:42 Why current medical admissions aim to be "holistic"
• 12:09 The lessons Skorton learned through mentorship and why the arts and humanities can create better doctors
• 17:32 How Skorton has been able to "see past himself" enough to receive challenging criticism from mentors
• 28:01 The core tenets of Skorton's leadership philosophy
• 31:35 How the AAMC views the future of medical education, especially in light of advances in artificial intelligence
• 38:47 The importance of diverse healthcare teams
• 46:32 Issues that Skorton addresses through his role at the AAMC

The following is a partial transcript (note errors are possible):

Bair: David, thank you for taking the time to join us and welcome to the show.

Skorton: Thank you, Henry and Tyler, it's great to be here. Congratulations on your show. As a fellow podcaster, I'm in awe of what you all are doing.

Bair: That means a lot to us. Well, as our introduction reveals, given how much you've done, there's so much we can discuss. But let's start as we normally do, at the beginning. Can you tell us what brought you to medicine in the first place?

Skorton: So I did not start off with ambitions to go to college, let alone med school. My dad came over from Eastern Europe actually, during the influenza pandemic 100 years ago, left Eastern Europe during a pogroms in the Jewish Pale of Settlement. His ship ended up being diverted to Cuba, lived in Cuba for some years, and then entered the U.S. through Key West.

From Havana, went to Milwaukee and we had some financial reverses as soon as we got going and we moved to Los Angeles, which we viewed as the promised land in those days. And I fell in love with the music scene. I was an aspiring saxophone player, and I was just positive that I could make it as a studio musician. I'm not sure why you're laughing, Henry, but anyway...

Bair: I'm laughing because I love this story so much. I started college as a musician, so I'm feeling a lot of resonance with what you're saying.

Skorton: Oh, amazing. What was your instrument?

Bair: I was a cellist.

Skorton: Oh, well, that's a whole different deal. That's a much harder instrument. Anything that doesn't have frets or keys is much harder to play. And so the only thing that stopped me from a fabulously successful career in Los Angeles was that most of the people in the city were better musicians than I was. I just couldn't make it. And my dad, who just got to his last year of high school and finished, he convinced me that it would be a better bet, given my skills, to go to college. And so if it wasn't for my dad, rest in peace, I would still be playing in bars till they turn the chairs upside down.

I did that all through college in Chicago, but it's a long-winded way of saying that when I was in college, I was an undecided major for a couple of years, then a psych major, and then thought about medicine because I was always interested in the arts and also in social sciences, and I thought that psychology was sort of a major where you, you know, you touch those different things. It was science, yes, but it was also humanities and social sciences. And I found it very, very interesting and took pre-med courses and applied to med school.

And I had a background that was, um, not real impressive because I really was putting a lot of my effort into the music scene. But one of the schools put me on the waiting list. And for any aspirants out there thinking about med school, everybody turned me down except one, Northwestern, which was my alma mater. They put me on a waiting list and I was interviewed, and I got accepted at the very last moment. And so my message is believe that things can happen for you. I got into med school, you can get into med school as well. And so that was how it actually happened.

Bair: And now you lead the Association of American Medical Colleges. What a story.

Skorton: Yeah, very ironic, very ironic. And once I got into med school, I was not one of those people who scored super high on the Medical College Admission Test. But one of the benefits of having that score was that my alma mater realized that they might have to keep an eye on me for support. I failed a test very early in my first year in a histology course, and the professor took me under his wing and he said, I know you can do this, and tutored me with his own slides, microscope slides, and helped me to retake that test and get through.

And so I left that experience, and then the farther I got into med school, the more comfortable I was. When I got into clinical rotations, I sort of came into my own. But I learned a couple of things -- lessons that I take to this day to the AAMC. One that the Medical College Admission Test has things that can help people who are not at the very top of the pyramid in terms of application credentials. Secondly, that it's important to be patient with yourself. And thirdly, that a good teacher -- and don't we all strive to be good teachers? Maybe one of the best attributes of teachers is to understand that there may be times where the teacher will need to go the extra mile with someone. And those experiences not only will help the person, you know, get over an obstacle, but really, if that person turns into a teacher, I always remembered what it was like to get that extra help.

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