Art Education

About Art Education

Art Education focuses on the theory and practice of teaching art by engaging with its production and consumption processes. Qualified art educators work as teachers and administrators at formal and informal learning venues such as K-12 schools, higher education, museums, and community-based organizations as arts education entrepreneurs.

CVAD's Department of Art Education is recognized for developing art and museum educators and leaders in the field. We aim to create a citizenry well-informed on arts and education issues and a workforce well-prepared for teaching in a global economy.

The degree and certification programs equip students with the following.

• A broad understanding of contemporary and past visual art forms,
• Best practices of teaching and learning in the arts and
• Research and innovation through a rigorous mix of theoretical and practical preparation.

Faculty members in the department are of national and international repute and are leaders in art education, education, and philosophy. They have many specializations and research production areas, which they bring to their teaching, mentorship, and research. 

Degrees and Certificates

B.F.A. in Art Education
M.A. in Art Education
Art Museum Education Graduate Academic Certificate
Ph.D. in Art Education

The department's vision is to think, experiment, act, and make what art education can mean for the 21st Century. The mission is to rigorously prepare innovative arts education professionals for a dynamic educational landscape. We do this through critical inquiry, creative research, acts of transformative making, and the promotion of intersectional perspectives for just and sustainable futures. We aim to foster the spirit of radical inquiry and practice in art education. 

Facilities & Opportunities

View Art Education Facilities  — a video with no sound. 

The department offers various opportunities for students to learn from experts beyond our department faculty. These include 

• Various paths to Art Museum Education specializations
• A rich roster of visiting speakers in our classes
• Field trips to museums and community-based arts centers in the DFW area
• The D. Jack Davis Lecture Series
• Support for availing professional resources such as membership and conferences to TAEA, NAEA, InSEA, AERI, Philosophy of Education Society, etc.
• Faculty mentorship, which may include co-publishing with faculty members 
• Internships and fellowships with the Onstead Institute
• The Onstead Institute Dissertation Award for Ph.D. candidates
• Teaching Fellowships and Assistantships at CVAD  

Art Museum Education

The programs in Art Museum Education take advantage of the unique strengths of the department's faculty and the vast array of resources in the Dallas-Fort Worth region to offer students access to careers in the museum world. UNT is ideally situated for the study of art museum education. The North Texas area offers rich museum resources bolstered by UNT's experienced faculty, established and new partnerships, cutting-edge technology, and unique educator-training opportunities. The department also offers a master's degree with a concentration in Art Museum Education and a Graduate Academic Certificate in Art Museum Education. Doctoral students in Art Education also may choose a concentration in Art Museum Education. This course of study in Art Museum Education is designed to provide a broad introduction to teaching and learning in art museum settings. It teaches how research informs museum education practice. Students completing this pathway combine art education research and methods courses with courses specific to education within art museums. Students also complete an intensive internship at a partnering institution. 

Contact Information

Future undergraduate students: Please contact CVAD Recruiter Kevin Contreras, Kevin.Contreras@unt.edu, for more information.
Currently enrolled undergraduate students: Contact the CVAD Undergraduate Academic Advising, CVAD.Advising@unt.edu.

Department of Art Education
940-369-7559
CVAD.ArtEducation@unt.edu
Art Building, Room 230
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