Program Overview

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Master of Arts in Art Education (MA)

The Master of Arts in Art Education (MA) program at the University of British Columbia is designed to inspire, engage, and provoke educators to understand, inquire into, and model curricular and pedagogical possibilities of deep involvement with the visual arts in culture and society.

Overview

The program's mission is to stimulate and conduct research within a vibrant and collaborative research community, provide for, model, and develop socially responsible and ecologically aware exemplary teaching practices, and provide leadership and engage with local, national, and international arts and culture organizations and professionals.

Research Interests

The research interests of faculty in Art Education are diverse and encourage a wide spectrum of student inquiry, including:

• Art-based research
• A/r/tography
• Art curriculum
• Early childhood
• Teacher education
• First Nations art and education
• Histories of art education
• Multiculturalism
• Museum and gallery education
• Perception and cognition
• Studio practices
• Technology and visual culture
• Theory/practice relationships
• Gender studies

Program Requirements

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website.

What Makes the Program Unique?

The University of British Columbia Art Education Program ranks in the top eight in North America.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Education
• Academic Unit: Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy
• Specialization: Art Education
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Thesis required
• Tuition (First Year): Domestic: $8,043.27, International: $17,034.40

Admission Information & Requirements

Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC).

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.

Prior Degree, Course, and Other Requirements

Prior Degree Requirements

One to two years of teacher education; or a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Education.

Course Requirements

Normally 18 credits of senior course work or a professional concentration in the area of interest.

Document Requirements

A resume or CV and a statement of intent clearly outlining the area of interest and focus for study.

Other Requirements

Normally two years teaching experience or other relevant professional experience.

Meet Deadlines

• Canadian Applicant Deadline: December 1, 2025
• International Applicant Deadline: December 1, 2025

Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study.

Letters of Reference

Applicants have to submit 3 references to apply to this graduate program.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian), $168.25 (International)
• Tuition per year: $8,043.27 (Domestic), $17,034.36 (International)

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based and need-based opportunities.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

Enrolment Data

• Applications: 9 (2023), 10 (2022), 9 (2021), 7 (2020), 16 (2019)
• Offers: 3 (2023), 5 (2022), 5 (2021), 1 (2020), 8 (2019)
• New Enrolment: 1 (2023), 3 (2022), 3 (2021), 1 (2020), 4 (2019)
• Total Enrolment: 5 (2023), 9 (2022), 9 (2021), 10 (2020), 10 (2019)

Completion Rates & Times

• Graduation rate: 71% based on 10 students admitted between 2015-2018
• Minimum time to completion: 2.05 years
• Maximum time to completion: 4.78 years
• Average time to completion: 3.39 years

Research Supervisors

• Kindler, Anna
• Leddy, Shannon
• O'Donoghue, Donal
• Sinner, Anita

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Embracing glitches: exploring AI’s limitations and creative opportunities in contemporary art education
• Artist-in-residence as space, place, and curriculum: becoming betweenness within material entanglement at the Aomori Contemporary Art Centre

Related Programs

Same Specialization

• Master of Education in Art Education (MEd)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Curriculum Studies (MA)
• Master of Arts in Health, Outdoor and Physical Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Home Economics Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Mathematics Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Media and Technology Studies Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Music Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Science Education (MA)
• Master of Arts in Social Studies Education (MA)
• Master of Education in Art Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Curriculum Studies (MEd)
• Master of Education in Health, Outdoor and Physical Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Home Economics Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Mathematics Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Media and Technology Studies Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Music Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Science Education (MEd)
• Master of Education in Social Studies Education (MEd)
• Master of Museum Education (MMEd)

Further Information

Specialization

Art Education encourages a wide spectrum of student inquiry: art curriculum, early childhood, teacher education, First Nations art and education, histories of art education, multiculturalism, museum and gallery education, perception and cognition, studio practices, technology and visual culture, theory/practice relationships, and gender studies.

Faculty

Faculty of Education

Academic Unit

Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy

Program Identifier

VGMMAA-B2

Classification

Social sciences » Education » Curriculum, pedagogy and didactics » Creative arts, media and communication curriculum, and pedagogy and didactics Social sciences » Education » Other education » Disciplinary education