Art Education
About Art Education
Undergraduate Program: Art Education
Graduate Program: M.A. | Ph.D. | About Art Museum Education
Art Museum Education Graduate Academic Certificate: The GAC
Link to view the Art Education Facilities on YouTube — video has no sound
About Art Education
You can combine your love of art with the noble undertaking of teaching by pursuing a degree in art education through UNT's College of Visual Arts and Design. The discipline of Art Education concerns itself with the theory and practice of teaching art to others.
CVAD's Art Education program is recognized for its development of art and museum educators and leaders in the field who have the following.
- A broad understanding of contemporary and past visual art forms,
- Teaching and learning in the arts, and
- Research and innovation through a rigorous mix of theoretical and practical preparation.
Undergraduate Program
About the B.F.A. in Art Education
B.F.A. in Art Education
About the B.F.A. in Art Education
At the undergraduate level, the B.F.A. in Art Education prepares you for a career working as an art teacher at the early childhood-, elementary-, middle- or high-school levels as well as for careers in community art programs and other educational facilities.
Our Art Education degree program leads to a B.F.A. with all-level teacher certification in art, accredited by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. The program offers a comprehensive approach that includes the study of the theory and practice of art criticism, art history, aesthetics, and art-making at the Early Childhood through 12th grade, EC-12, levels. The Art Education undergraduate program prepares students to go on to pursue teaching careers in EC-12 school environments.
Note: The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards, TExES, Pedagogy and Responsibilities EC-12 is an exam used to assess the requisite skills and knowledge of an entry-level teacher for grades in Early Childhood through 12th grade in Texas public schools.
Training also may be applied to careers with non-profit arts organizations and serve as a foundation for advanced study in related fields, such as museum education.
Students pursuing an undergraduate degree in Art Education will examine global artistic production, relevant technologies, critical methods, teaching and learning theories, and innovative pedagogy and knowledge acquisition approaches. The Art Education department aims at creating a citizenry that is well-informed about educational issues, high-quality graduates in art education and a workforce well prepared for teaching in a global economy.
For more information about the program, please email the Department of Art Education, cvad.arteducation@unt.edu. Currently-enrolled students may contact their academic advisor.
B.F.A. Art Education
The Art Education B.F.A. includes all-level teacher certification in art, accredited by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. The program consists of 120 semester credit hours during which you will garner significant experience and skills in art-making, art history, and pedagogical practice. You will spend time observing an elementary and secondary art classroom and reflect upon these experiences before your final semester, during which you will be a full-time student teacher.
Please note that all courses completed towards your degree requirements must be completed with a grade of C or better. All professional development courses also require a GPA of 2.75 or better. Visit the CVAD Curriculum Guides for an Undergraduate Degree web page for the current guide.
Admission to the Art Education Major
You will need to apply for admission to the Art Education Major.
Teacher Certification Requirements
Students must pass the TExES examinations in both Art and Professional Practices for teacher certification. For more information, please visit the Educator Preparation Office. After passing these exams and successfully completing your degree, you must apply for state certification. You can do this online through the Texas Education Agency. Please visit the UNT College of Education website for more information about this process.
Undergraduate Contact Information
Future undergraduate students: Apply to UNT; you will meet with an advisor during orientation. You also may contact the CVAD Recruiter Kevin Contreras or email us at CVAD@unt.edu.
Currently enrolled undergraduate students: Contact the CVAD advisor listed for the first letter of your last name on the CVAD Advising webpage.
Department of Art Education: 940-369-7559, cvad.arteducation@unt.edu, Art Building, Room 230.
Graduate Programs — M.A., Ph.D.
Graduate Program — M.A.
The M.A. in Art Education offers three separate program options. M.A. students have the opportunity to
1. obtain state teaching certification,
2. to further their teaching knowledge and skills, or
3. to learn about art museum education.
A master's degree in Art Education supports students in deepening their knowledge of art education practice, theory, and research while specializing in specific forms of art education, such as art museum education.
The M.A. program in Art Education aims at creating a citizenry well-informed on educational issues, high-quality graduates in Art Education, and a workforce well-prepared for teaching in a global economy.
M.A. Program Options — Three Tracks
The M.A. in Art Education offers three separate program options. Required background for admission depends upon the option the applicant intends to pursue.
- Track 1: Art Education
This general degree option is for EC-12 certified art teachers who want to enhance their knowledge of contemporary and past art forms and advance their skills in areas of teaching and learning in Art Education. - Track 2: Art Museum Education
This concentration is designed to provide graduate students with a broad introduction to teaching and learning about contemporary and past art forms in present-day art museum education settings and knowledge of how research informs practice within the museum setting.- Those applying for Track 2, Art Museum Education, also must apply for the Graduate Academic Certificate in Art Museum Education.
- Track 3: Teacher Certification
This option prepares students to go on to pursue teaching careers in EC -12 teaching environments. Students are prepared for all-level art teacher certification while acquiring a graduate degree in Art Education- Those applying for Track 3: Teacher Certification must have taken at least 24 semester credit hours of studio work and at least 12 hours of art history, of which six must be at the advanced level.
All options require applicants to have completed a bachelor's degree in the visual arts or a related field.
Applicants without the recommended background for the option they intend to pursue could be denied admission or accepted on a conditional basis, provided undergraduate coursework in art and/or art education, as assigned at the time of acceptance, be completed before beginning any graduate-level work.
Each track's specific course of study is available in the M.A. tracks chart.
M.A. Application Process
Applications for the M.A. in Art Education are considered for fall and spring starts. Priority application deadlines to be considered for scholarships, fellowships and assistantships are Feb. 1 and Oct. 1.
Applying to a College of Visual Arts and Design program is a two-part process. An applicant must apply to both the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and to the CVAD Department of Art Education, as detailed in steps 1 and 2.
Step 1: Apply to the Toulouse Graduate School
- Submit an online application at ApplyTexas as soon as possible.
Submit your GRE scores. (Requirement is suspended during this application cycle due to COVID-19.)- Contact the registrar's office at each college and university you have attended and request that each send an official transcript of your records to the UNT Toulouse Graduate School. Transcripts are required from every college or university you have attended and must arrive by the application deadline.
Sending Your Transcripts
By U.S. Postal Service:
Toulouse Graduate School1155 Union Circle #305459
Denton, TX 76203-5017
By UPS/FedEx:
Toulouse Graduate School1147 Union Circle, ESSC 354
Denton, TX 76203-5459
Step 2: Apply to the CVAD Department of Art Education
Required Items
- Letter/statement of intent. This should detail the goals that you hope to achieve by obtaining the degree. It should also detail the track of the art education M.A. you want to pursue.
- Sample of writing. A recent research paper is best. If you do not have a research paper in art, you may submit a research paper from a course in another field, a piece of professional writing, or write a completely new paper.
- Professional resume (optional). This should list all relevant work experience, affiliations, etc.
- At least two (2) letters of recommendation. At least two letters should come from faculty members who are able to speak to your potential for success in a graduate art education program. These must be on letterhead and must be submitted directly to the department by the recommender. There is no specific recommendation form required.
Send all of the required items as either hard copies or via email with attachments to the CVAD Department of Art Education.
Department of Art EducationCollege of Visual Arts and Design
1155 Union Circle #305100
Denton, TX 76203
cvad.arteducation@unt.edu
940-369-7559
Art Education M.A. Program Manual
The M.A. program manual summarizes the Master of Arts Art Education Program. We intend that you use the procedures as outlined here to plan and fulfill all requirements for the M.A. degree in Art Education.
In addition to the M.A. Art Education Program Manual, you are subject to all of the policies and procedures outlined in the UNT Graduate Catalog. Online, visit the UNT Catalog, select the Graduate Catalog for the correct year, and carefully read all of the policies and procedures.
Note: The Art Education faculty are always willing to assist you with planning and realizing your coursework and degree requirements. However, the responsibility of meeting all CVAD and UNT Toulouse Graduate School requirements for the degree of M.A. in Art Education rests with you, the student.
For additional information, visit the Toulouse Graduate School website.
About 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 program 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 furthermore 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 as described below. Students also complete an intensive internship at a partnering institution.
To apply, you must be enrolled or have an active application for admission to the Toulouse Graduate School. Consult the current issue of the UNT Graduate Catalog and the department concerning deadlines and requirements for admission to individual Graduate Academic Certificates. Students must be in good academic standing to submit a request for admission to a concurrent graduate academic certificate program. Students on academic probation/suspension may not request admission to additional programs.
Art Museum Education Graduate Academic Certificate: The GAC
The Graduate Academic Certificate in Art Museum Education consists of 15 credit hours, including seminars in art museum education and a six-credit hour museum internship. It is open to current University of North Texas graduate students and interested individuals. It is designed to provide professional training for those who desire careers in art museum education and expertise in the use of art museums as education resources for school educators. Designed to be pursued in conjunction with a graduate degree in art history, art education or studio, the certificate has a stellar job placement record, and our graduates now work in museums throughout the United States.
- General Summary: GAC in Art Museum Education | Word Document | PDF
- Art Museum Education: UNT Catalog > search for the Graduate Catalog
- Gainful Employment: Direct Disclosure
Ph.D. Art Education Program — the Only one in Texas is at UNT CVAD!
Students pursuing a doctorate in Art Education research and develop new theories of art teaching and learning and prepare themselves to be researchers and professors of Art Education at colleges and universities. The Ph.D. is the terminal degree in art education, and the University of North Texas is the only university in the state of Texas to offer it.
Doctoral Degree
The Ph.D. and master's degree programs in Art Education promote and facilitate philosophical, theoretical, socio-political, and methodological inquiry in the field. We are interested in the development of radical inquiry, meaning inquiry into commonly held assumptions about education, art and design, art institutions, and society. To do so, we offer various courses located at the intersection of perennial questions in art education and contemporary problems facing art educators through the lenses of the following.
feminist, queer, and postcolonial theories
curriculum studies
critical race perspectives
contemporary art theory
visual culture studies
museum education
anti-methods
qualitative and post-qualitative inquiry
philosophical methods
arts-based research
anti-oppressive pedagogies, and
phenomenological methods
The program is highly individualized, enabling students to explore in-depth their research areas in relation to the field and faculty expertise. We also encourage students to explore the broader intellectual resources available at UNT and the surrounding cultural institutions. The program offers financial support through competitive scholarships and teaching assistantships and fellowships.
Through their course of study, students work closely with faculty and advisors to design innovative and original research projects that significantly contribute to the theory and practice of art education. Our graduates further their careers by becoming higher education researchers, leaders, and educators in schools, communities, and museums.
Ph.D. Application Process
The application deadline is extended to Feb 1. Apply before Feb. 1 to be considered for scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships.
Applications for the Ph.D. in Art Education are considered in both the Fall and Spring semesters, and the due dates are Feb. 1 and Oct. 1, respectively.
Applying to a College of Visual Arts and Design program is a two-part process. An applicant must apply to both the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and the CVAD Department of Art Education, as detailed in steps 1 and 2.
Step 1: Apply to the Toulouse Graduate School
- Submit an online application at ApplyTexas as soon as possible.
- Contact the registrar’s office at each college and university you have attended and request that each send an official transcript of your records to the Toulouse graduate school. Transcripts are required from every college or university you have attended and must arrive by the application deadline.
Step 2: Apply to the CVAD Department of Art Education
Required Items
- Letter/statement of intent. This should explain your professional objectives and how they will be furthered by graduate study. In this statement, you should refer to specific faculty members with whom you will want to work.
- Sample of writing. A recent research paper is best. If you do not have a research paper in art, you may submit a research paper from a course in another field, a piece of professional writing, or write a completely new paper.
- 15-20 slides, a CD, links, or other manifestations of recent artwork, ten of which should be in your major concentration OR a second writing sample.
- Professional resume. This should list all relevant work experience, affiliations, etc.
- At least three (3) letters of recommendation. This should be on the recommender’s university or company letterhead and MUST be submitted directly to the department by the recommender. There is no specific recommendation form required.
Send all of the required items as either hard copy or via email with attachments to the CVAD Department of Art Education.
Department of Art EducationCollege of Visual Arts and Design
1155 Union Circle #305100
Denton, TX 76203
cvad.arteducation@unt.edu
940-369-7559
Art Education Ph.D. Program Manual
The Ph.D. program manual is a summary of the doctoral Art Education Program. We intend that you use the procedures as outlined here to plan and fulfill all requirements for the doctoral degree in Art Education.
In addition to the Ph.D. Art Education Program Manual, you are subject to all of the policies and procedures outlined in the UNT Graduate Catalog. Online, visit the UNT Catalog, select the Graduate Catalog for the correct year, and carefully read all of the policies and procedures.
Note: The Art Education faculty are always willing to assist you with planning and realizing your coursework and degree requirements. However, the responsibility of meeting all CVAD and UNT Toulouse Graduate School requirements for the degree of Ph.D. in Art Education rests with you, the student.
For additional information, visit the Toulouse Graduate School website.
Graduate Program Contact Information
For more information, contact the Department of Art Education, Art Building, Room 232, cvad.ArtEducation@unt.edu.