This undergraduate degree prepares students to teach art both in schools and in the community. Once students are admitted to the Art & Design program, they can apply to the Art Education program through ART ED 227 (see Advance to Major). In addition to satisfying the core curriculum, art education students also must take required art history and critical thinking courses, and three education courses. They are required to take studio courses from both 2D and 3D disciplines, and to focus their choices of studio electives to develop an emphasis in an area. In addition to top-notch studio preparation in a wide range of media, our students focus on urban issues and art education for social justice. Theory is integrated into practical early field and student teaching experiences. Throughout the program, assessment is aligned with the requirements for licensure under “PI-34,” the state law governing certification in Wisconsin. Students who demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of professional educators during student teaching are recommended to the Department of Public Instruction in the State of Wisconsin for a PK4-12 teaching license.
Requirements
Laptop Requirement
Preparing for a future defined by digital technology is an important step in developing artists. Our digitally integrated curriculum helps you achieve a professional level with leading art-related software and practices.
Laptop ownership is strongly recommended for all undergraduates. However, it’s required for the programs below. For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts admission page.
- Art & Design (BA and BFA Programs)
- Dance (BA and BFA Programs)
- Film, Video, Animation & New Genres (BA and BFA Programs)
- Music (Composition & Technology Program)
- Theatre (BFA Production and BA Theatre Education Programs)
Credit Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Core | 45 | |
| First Year Program | 15 | |
| Art & Design Core | 39 | |
| Major Requirements | 28 | |
| Total Credits | 127 | |
University Core
The minimum number of credits required to complete the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education is 127. Students who need background preparation courses in math, English, and foreign language may need additional credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements 1 | ||
| Compentencies 1 | ||
| English Parts A & B 2 | ||
| Math Parts A & B 2 | ||
| Foreign Language 2 | ||
| Distribution Requirements 1 | ||
| ARTHIST 101 | Ancient and Medieval Art and Architecture (counts as Humanities GER) | 3 |
| ARTHIST 102 | Renaissance to Modern Art and Architecture (counts as Humanities GER) | 3 |
| Social Science 3 | 6 | |
| Natural Science (1 course with lab) | 6 | |
| Cultural Diversity 2 | ||
| Electives | ||
| General Elective outside PSOA | 3 | |
| Art & Design History | ||
| ART 509 | Art & Design Seminar: | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Design Survey | ||
| Photography Survey | ||
Advanced Art History Course 4 | ||
| Select 2 areas in PSOA outside Art & Design | 6 | |
| Art in PSOA | ||
| ART 309 | Issues in Contemporary Art: | 3 |
| Education Courses | ||
| ED PSY 330 | Introduction to Learning and Development | 3 |
| CURRINS 343 | Teaching of Reading | 3 |
| or CURRINS 545 | Reading in the Content Areas: Middle, Junior, and Senior High School | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Exceptional Individual | ||
| Inclusion for Secondary Educators: Humanities, the Arts, Foreign Language | ||
| Child, Learner, Disabilities | ||
| Total Credits | 45 | |
- 1
Learn more about the General Education Requirements.
- 2
Credit may be utilized in required curriculum areas.
- 3
Can be satisfied with COMMUN 101 and ACT 31.
- 4
Any ARTHIST course above ARTHIST 102.
First Year Program
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 cumulative GPA required: | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 106 | Art Survey: Creative Practice, Culture and Context | 3 |
| ART 108 | 2D Studio: Concept, Color and Composition | 3 |
| ART 109 | 3D Studio: Form, Idea and Technique | 3 |
| ART 118 | Digital Arts: Culture, Theory, Practice | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Art & Design Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Courses | ||
| ART 201 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 342 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| Select 21 credits of the following: | 21 | |
| Creative Technologies | ||
| Moving Images and Sound in Art & Design | ||
| Introduction to Design | ||
| Introduction to Typography | ||
| Introduction to Fibers | ||
| Introduction to Painting | ||
| Introduction to Photography | ||
| Introduction to Sculpture | ||
| Introduction to Jewelry and Metalsmithing | ||
| Design for Digital Fabrication | ||
| Introduction to Industrial Craft | ||
| Introduction to Ceramics | ||
| Introduction to Printmaking & Book Arts | ||
| Introduction to Community Art | ||
| Studio Electives (choose 12 credits) 1 | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- 1
See academic advisor.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ART ED 227 | Introduction to Art Education | 3 |
| ART ED 228 | Learning Processes in Art Education | 3 |
| ART ED 327 | Art Education Theory and Practice: Elementary | 6 |
| ART ED 328 | Art Education Theory and Practice: Secondary | 6 |
| ART ED 425 | Student Teaching in Art I - Elementary Levels | 5 |
| ART ED 426 | Student Teaching in Art II: Secondary Levels | 5 |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
Plan of Study
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| (Includes OWC-A and QL-A Requirements) Students must be aware of the prerequisites for the 200-level course they wish to take in the second semester of the First Year and enroll in the appropriate First Year Program courses in fall. | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 106 | Art Survey: Creative Practice, Culture and Context | 3 |
| ART 109 | 3D Studio: Form, Idea and Technique | 3 |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART 201 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 108 | 2D Studio: Concept, Color and Composition | 3 |
| ART 118 | Digital Arts: Culture, Theory, Practice | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
200-level studio in Art | ||
University Core 1 | ||
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Students are reminded that admission to the Art & Design Program requires completion of the 36-credit Art-Intended requirements and that all First Year Program courses must be completed in the first 45 credits (usually in fall semester of sophomore year). Admission to the Pre-Art Ed Program requires completion of the 30-credit First Year Program and two 200-level studio courses. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
200-level studio in Art | ||
| Introduction to Art Education | ||
| 200-level studio in Art | 3 | |
| 200-level studio in Art | 3 | |
| ARTHIST 101 | Ancient and Medieval Art and Architecture 2 | 3 |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| All Art Education intended students are required to participate in a proficiency review after completing ART ED 227 Introduction to Art Education with a grade of B or better. Students submit a portfolio of work from ART ED 227 to be reviewed by Art Education faculty. A review of the portfolios determines whether a student will be admitted into the Art Education Teacher Certification program, and enrolled in ART ED 327 Art Education Theory and Practice. | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Art Education | ||
| Learning Processes in Art Education | ||
200-level studio in Art | ||
| 200-level studio in Art | 3 | |
| 200-level studio in Art | 3 | |
| 200-level studio in Art | 3 | |
| ARTHIST 102 | Renaissance to Modern Art and Architecture 2 | 3 |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ART ED 327 | Art Education Theory and Practice: Elementary | 6 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Learning Processes in Art Education | ||
200-level studio in Art | ||
| ART 342 | Figure Drawing | 3 |
| Art & Design History Choice | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART ED 328 | Art Education Theory and Practice: Secondary | 6 |
| Studio Depth Elective 3 | 3 | |
| ART 309 | Issues in Contemporary Art: (subtitle) | 3 |
| Advanced Art History choice 2 | 3 | |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Studio Depth Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Studio Depth Elective 3 | 3 | |
| Studio Depth Elective 3 | 3 | |
| ART 509 | Art & Design Seminar: | 3 |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| University Core 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| ART ED 425 | Student Teaching in Art I - Elementary Levels | 5 |
| ART ED 426 | Student Teaching in Art II: Secondary Levels | 5 |
| Credits | 10 | |
| Total Credits | 127 | |
- 1
Consult your academic advisor in the Peck School of the Arts Student Services Office for requirements in the Core Curriculum. PSOA Arts Distribution Requirement for Art Education is part of the 45-credit Core: 6 credits outside of Art & Design, in 2 of the 4 other departments in PSOA: Dance, Music, Theatre, or Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres.
- 2
The 12 Art History credits count in the Core Curriculum. Six credits (ARTHIST 101 and ARTHIST 102) count as Humanities GER.
- 3
300+ level Studio Course
Art & Design Undergraduate Admission Requirements
See the Admission section of the Art & Design department page for undergraduate admission requirements.
Art Education Advancement to Major
Art Ed Intended designation is given to all students intending to pursue the BFA (Art Education). Art Ed Intended students will get priority registration in art courses over non-art majors. Art Ed Intended students may apply to this program upon completion of 30 art credits if the following requirements have been fulfilled:
- First Year Program courses in art (see Art Education BFA requirements).
- Oral and Written Communication Competency (Part A).
- Quantitative Literacy Competency (Part A).
- Communication Proficiency.
- 2.75 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
- Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) Act 31 requirement. (This can be met by taking the Act 31 Workshop, HIST 263, AIS 203, ANTHRO 213, or ENGLISH 276, subtitled "Literature, History, and Sovereignty of Upper Midwest Indians" only).
- Completion of ART ED 227 Introduction to Art Education, with a B or higher.
After successful completion of the above, students should contact the Peck School of the Arts Student Services Office by April 15 to get permission to enroll in ART ED 327 .
For further details and procedures, see the teacher certification degree requirements on the Peck School of the Arts catalog page.
Art Education BFA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with the BFA in Art Education from the Art & Design Program will be able to:
- Identify and describe artistic practices and artists across cultures.
- Apply technical proficiency in a range of art disciplines, with fluency in at least one medium.
- Research, critically analyze, and design advanced curricula that reflect current quality curriculum and art education theories, broader contexts of contemporary art, and an emphasis on urban education and social justice issues.
- Develop and implement state-of-the-art management and instructional strategies in art educational settings.
- Demonstrate an understanding of child development, diverse learning needs and preferences, and responsiveness to urban students and learning environments.
- Design and use a range of effective assessment strategies to analyze student learning, inform teaching, and communicate evaluation of learning outcomes to school and community stakeholders.
- Embody and enact professional dispositions and expectations relevant to the field of art education and educational settings.
Art Education Certification Requirements
Following admission to the Art Education Program, and successful completion of the specified Art Education course of studies, a student seeking recommendation for teacher certification must successfully fulfill the following requirements:
- fulfill all degree requirements;
- fulfill the field experience requirement;
- maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher while being in the program;
- maintain a 3.0 or higher in content area courses (Art & Art History) or pass the Praxis II Art Content Exam;
- successfully complete student teaching; and
- demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for a career in the field of art education through the use of a Teaching Portfolio (see description below):
The Art Education Area and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction require that students compile a teaching portfolio that demonstrates teaching proficiency. The required reflections, artifacts, statements, and assessment composing this portfolio will be compiled mostly as a part of their major two art education methods classes (ART ED 327 and ART ED 328). Fewer documents will be produced during their student teaching capstone classes (ART ED 425 and ART ED 426). Some of the documents that this portfolio includes are: copy of current resume, teaching philosophy, reflections on the Ten Wisconsin Teaching Standards, artifacts supporting the reflections showing your work as a teacher and your students’ work, lesson plans written and taught in field experiences, field experience assessments, and clinical assessments during student teaching. - Teacher Performance Assessment, EdTPA (see explanation below):
This is a performance-based test in which student teachers plan, instruct, and assess a visual arts lesson plan for K-12 following the requirements outlined in the EdTPA Handbook. Among these requirements student teachers must show strong curriculum based on four types of objectives, the use of academic language derived from the research of art content and contexts, and cohesive sequencing of art appreciation, artmaking, and art critique. Along with all this, students should demonstrate a theoretical use of visual art learning theory, elaborated skills in the documentation of in-progress and finalized student work, and an ability to reflect on their own teaching, as a way to inform the following steps in their instructional sequence.
Advising
Location: Theatre 120
Hours: M–Th 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Fri. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (closed on university holidays)
Contact: 414-229-4763 | Contact Form
Academic advising is an important aspect of long-term academic success. At the Peck School of the Arts, we offer professional advising in the undergraduate disciplines of art, dance, film, music and theatre.
Our advisors provide students with individualized appointments to assist them in areas such as: degree requirements, major options, course selection, campus resources, college success strategies, graduation assessment, academic policies and procedures, and more.
For more information please visit the Peck School of the Arts advising and student services page.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.
High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.
Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.
Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.
College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.