Art Education (MA)

Our Master of Arts in Art Education degree will help you grow both as an artist and as an educator. You will study and explore art education programs in schools, communities, and museum settings by carefully examining ideas and notions through a global perspective lens. Your Capstone project will envision, create, implement, and document your vision of a successful education arts program.

Master of Arts (MA) Degree
Major Classes

This program is available online

School of Art Education

ARE 600

Educational Psychology Major/3

Effective teaching starts with healthy psychological principles. Explore educational practices, student development and characteristics, learning processes, and teaching strategies to better understand your students and yourself. (This course is cross-listed with GLA 600, ARE 305, and LA 305.)

ARE 601

Overview of Art Education Theories and Practices Major/3

Understanding the full breadth of your graduate program can lay the foundation for future success. Get insights into the history of art education, pedagogy, visual arts standards, advocacy, teaching in diverse art education environments, and professional readiness.

ARE 610

Teaching Audiences in a Diverse Society Major/3

Meet the diverse educational needs of students in a public school classroom. You'll learn strategies to identify student language needs—and how to adapt your lessons to address them—through course content, fieldwork, and observations.

ARE 611

Teaching Audiences with Special Needs Major/3

Effective public school teachers tailor their instruction to meet the specific needs of individual students in their classrooms. You will learn to adapt instruction for students with varying physical, social, and intellectual abilities.

ARE 615

Integrating Technology into Art Education Settings Major/3

Explore the full array of curriculum-based technologies being used in today's art education settings. 21st-century teachers need to be fluent in technology literacy. This course fulfills a California Art Teaching Credential requirement. (This course is cross-listed with ARE 515.)

ARE 625

Curriculum Design and Planning Major/3

This Art Education methodology course will help fill your teaching toolbox by developing a curriculum unit and lesson plans while examining critique strategies, collaborative practices, and how to create art environments for diverse learners.

ARE 626

Innovative Instructional Design and Practices Major/3

Broaden your art education perspective beyond traditional ideas. You will develop innovative art lessons and original art programs that can be implemented in your Capstone Project courses and in your future classrooms.

ARE 640

Internship Placement and Concurrent Class Meetings Major/3

Put theory to practice by being immersed in a teaching environment. You will spend 90 hours (spread across the semester) practicing all you have learned in a real-world art education environment. Share your experiences—the strengths, challenges, and reflections—with classmates.

Degree Requirements

Unit Requirements	Units
Major Coursework	24
Art & Design Breadth	6
Directed Study	6
Total	36

MA ART EDUCATION DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Successful completion of Final Capstone Project
Minimum grade of C in all required 36 units
Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduate students will meet the following student performance criteria:

Art and Design Skills

Create a portfolio of work representing a broad range of visual art/design media.

Teaching and Communication Skills

Design effective art education curricula targeted to an intended audience with consideration for the needs of diverse learners.
Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of sound instructional strategies based on content standards in the visual arts, key contemporary art theories and experiences in the field.
Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge for appropriate uses of technology in arts education settings.
Articulate the importance of art in education based on advanced levels of research, observation and experience.

Visual Literacy

Articulate the formal and expressive properties of works of art / design as well as their content, meaning and purpose at an advanced level.

Research and Conceptual Development

Produce work that reveals advanced levels of analysis, insight, design and methods based on the distinctive needs and characteristics of art education settings and audiences.

Knowledge of Human Development

Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of human developmental stages and their application to learners’ cognitive, social, emotional and physical abilities in art education settings.
Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of learners' diverse linguistic and cultural needs in art education settings.
Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge of accelerated learners and special needs learners (physical, cognitive, etc.) in art education settings.

Professional Readiness

Demonstrate professional-level presentation skills appropriate to art education settings.
Demonstrate breadth and depth of accomplishment as an artist and art educator through a professional portfolio at an advanced level.