Art Education B.A.

Program Description

The Department of Art offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education. Art Education today includes research, the study of educational theory, the development of studio skills and art historical understanding as well as practice in teaching. Students who major in art education graduate with a liberal arts education that includes minors in studio art and art history. A combination of study in studio art, art history, aesthetics and art criticism helps Art Education majors develop a comprehensive understanding of how art knowledge is organized and conveyed. In addition, students engage in research and study the historical, cultural, psychological and philosophical foundations of art education and gain practical, hands-on experience in the teaching process.

The Art Education Program at the University of Maine is accredited through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and leads to K-12 art teacher certification. As a result of their education, graduates are well prepared for graduate study in art education as well as a wide-spectrum of related areas.

Specialized Information

The Department of Art requires the completion of 21 credit hours in residence prior to graduation. Through the College of Education and Human Development, the Department of Art also offers a post-baccalaureate K-12 certification program.

The Department of Art offers a number of scholarships to qualified first-time undergraduate students who study art at the University of Maine. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit and evidence of accomplishment in the study of Studio Art, Art Education or Art History. For scholarship information, application forms and interview dates, contact the Department of Art at: 207-581-3245, or send inquiries to: Department of Art, 107 Lord Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469. Applications must be received in the Department of Art by mid-January.

The ArtWorks! Program: Early Art Teaching Experience

During the two required curriculum courses, all art education students participate in an early teaching experience in the Art Education laboratory school, ArtWorks! This program offers our students an opportunity to work with K-8 students within the context of a controlled teaching environment. Within a supportive practicum structure, Art Education students develop and teach lessons on the processes, cultural and historical contexts, and critical analysis of diverse forms of art and visual/material culture. They receive considerable feedback on their classroom engagement and complete self-evaluation forms in an effort to encourage critical self-reflection on all aspects of their teaching experience.

Career & Graduate Opportunities

Most graduating AED students become certified K-12 art teachers. Graduates teach in many of the K-12 schools in Maine as well as in other states around the country. Other graduates have gone on to work in museum education or in community programs. Many graduates pursue graduate work in art education, studio art and art history, completing masters and doctoral-level work in an array of related areas. Such programs prepare them for a wide range of careers including museum and gallery work, art therapy, arts administration or as entrepreneur-studio artists.

Graduate Programs

Interdisciplinary Master of Liberal Arts
Interdisciplinary Master of Education
Interdisciplinary Master of Fine Arts
Interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy

Contact

Department of Art
5743 Lord Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5743
207.581.3245
fax: 207.581.3276
http://umaine.edu/art

Admission Requirements

A high school diploma with the following specific courses:

4 English
2 Algebra I & II
1 Geometry
2 Lab Science (including biology)
2 History/Social Studies
2 Foreign Language (same language or two years of American Sign Language)
Academic electives (to equal at least 17 total credits)

Did You Know?

The art education program at the University of Maine is the largest and most comprehensive in Maine. It offers students an integrated liberal arts program that places both theory and practice at the center of their learning experiences. As a result, students are not only prepared as "highly qualified" art teachers, they are also well educated in the complexity and diversity of art and our visual and material culture.