The BFA in Art Education with K-12 certification is a comprehensive, career-oriented, professional degree program focusing on the creation of art, the development of pedagogical skills, and active engagement in the community. The curriculum integrates studio skills with critical theory, learning theory, and pedagogical practice. To foster the artist in the educator, nearly two-thirds of all credits applied toward graduation are taken in the Frostic School of Art. Because research shows that significant experience in the K-12 classroom during college increases teachers’ professional success, the BFA in Art Education program features nearly 100 hours of pre-internship classroom training.
Upon completion of the BFA degree, students enter the post-baccalaureate certification program, which yields K-12 certification in Visual Arts Education (LQ endorsement) through two full semesters of formal internship in the public schools.
The Master of Arts in Art Education Degree is designed to address the needs of in-service art educators, providing opportunities to further develop skills in pedagogy, leadership and advocacy, and to renew personal inquiry in art. Designed to be completed over the course of three years, the MA in Art Ed Program is delivered as a series of on-site summer courses, and online courses during the academic year. Required courses include art education, studio art, and art history.
Master’s students contextualize course topics by drawing from their professional experience. The Art Education Theory course helps clarify connections across cultures and historical eras. Recent Topics in Art Education invites students to become involved in current issues in the field. Research in Art Education introduces action research methods in preparation for the personalized capstone Graduate Project in Art Education. Advanced studio courses provide students with opportunities to develop as artists. Advanced coursework in art history features Western and non-Western sources of art.
Program Completion: Students who follow the outlined program can complete degree requirements in three summers (see "Recommended Sequence of Courses"). Students have six years from the date of admission to complete the master’s degree program.
Transfer Credit: A minimum of 24 credit hours must be taken at WMU. A maximum of 6 graduate level credit hours can be transferred from another accredited institution, or another school within WMU, contingent on the approval of the Frostic School of Art graduate advisor.