Program Overview

Master of Education in Art Education (MEd)

The Master of Education in Art Education (MEd) is a course-based degree that does not require a research thesis. The program 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 Art Education Program strives to:

• Stimulate and conduct research within a vibrant and collaborative research community that focuses on methodologies and content relevant to the visual arts in culture and society.
• Provide for, model, and develop socially responsible and ecologically aware exemplary teaching practices in and across contexts with a focus on the visual arts in culture and society.
• 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 Details

• Faculty: Faculty of Education
• Academic Unit: Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy
• Specialization: Art Education
• Mode of Delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Options
• 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.
  • TOEFL: Overall score requirement: 92, with minimum scores of 22 in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
  • IELTS: Overall score requirement: 6.5, with minimum scores of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.

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. In special circumstances, teacher education may be waived for those applicants who have a university degree with sufficient standing and experience related to their proposed field of study.
• 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 of teaching experience or other relevant professional experience.

Application Deadlines

• Program Name: Master of Education in Art Education (MEd)
• Intake: September 2026
• Canadian Applicant Deadline: 1 December 2025
• International Applicant Deadline: 1 December 2025

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $168.25 (International)
• Tuition per Year:
  • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $8,043.27
  • International: $17,034.36
• Other Fees and Costs:
  • Student Fees (yearly): $1,144.10 (approx.)
  • Costs of living: Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool.

Financial Support

• Employer Support: Organizations may provide their employees with tuition benefits as part of an employment package to support lifelong learning of their workforce.
• Scholarships & Awards: Professional/course-based programs usually do not provide merit-based funding. Some programs may offer bursaries.
• Financial Aid: Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies.
• Foreign Government Scholarships: Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad.
• Working while Studying: International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 24 hours a week during academic sessions.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

• Enrolment Data:
  • Applications: 14 (2023), 13 (2022), 14 (2021), 11 (2020), 8 (2019)
  • Offers: 12 (2023), 8 (2022), 7 (2021), 5 (2020), 7 (2019)
  • New Enrolment: 6 (2023), 4 (2022), 5 (2021), 3 (2020), 4 (2019)
  • Total Enrolment: 13 (2023), 11 (2022), 10 (2021), 10 (2020), 6 (2019)
• Completion Rates & Times:
  • Graduation Rate: 100% based on 12 students admitted between 2015-2018.
  • Minimum Time to Completion: 0.33 years
  • Maximum Time to Completion: 2.73 years
  • Average Time to Completion: 1.51 years

Related Programs

• Same Specialization: Master of Arts in Art Education (MA)
• 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 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
• UBC Calendar:
• Program Website:
• Faculty: Faculty of Education
• Academic Unit: Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy
• Program Identifier: VGMMED-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