Program Overview

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art Education

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Art Education, B.F.A. ARED, is a professional arts degree consisting of 120 hours, plus 12 hours of student teaching.

Program Overview

The B.F.A. art education degree program offers K-12 Arkansas state teacher certification and is accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The program prepares future K-12 art teachers to understand and apply current art education theory to practice, including contemporary concepts and applications for teaching art in an inclusive and global world. The program content is in compliance with Arkansas State Frameworks, the National Art Education Association, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Career Opportunities

There are many career opportunities available for those with a B.F.A. in art education. They include:

• Teaching art and pursuing other various related educational possibilities
• Certified graduates often choose employment in elementary, middle, junior, and high schools in the state of Arkansas or other states with comparable certification requirements
  • Employment in the public schools requires teaching several classes a day or nine to ten months each year
• There are a variety of art teaching and service occupations in social and cultural settings outside the public school system
  • Educational opportunities in art and art-related museums, community arts centers, hospitals, prisons, recreation centers, government agencies, mental health centers, and other government and privately funded programs for youth, adults, and older adults
• Art graduates with a concentration in Art Education may also enter careers besides teaching
  • Professional positions available with art journals, government agencies, art material suppliers, art galleries, and art centers
  • Additional opportunities exist in art foundations, museum services, firms that develop art teaching materials, cultural services, and art therapy

Program Admission Information

The Art Education program requires:

• 41 hours of general education
• A minimum of 63 hours of studio and art history/criticism
• 18 hours of professional education coursework
• 12 hours (one semester) of supervised student teaching for certification Provisional art teacher certification in the state of Arkansas also requires students to:
• Pass the Praxis I or comparable testing (ACT or SAT)
• Pass the Praxis II exams
• Complete online professional development hours Competence in basic studio skills shall be emphasized in all Art Education degrees. In addition to the common core of studio skills and general studies, the artist/designer electing a career in teaching must develop competencies in professional education and in specific studio areas.

Admission Materials

To apply to the B.F.A. in Art Education, the following materials are needed:

• Completion of ARTS 19139 and ARTS 19239
• University GPA must be 2.5 or greater
• School of Art GPA must be 3.0 or greater
• Unofficial transcript in PDF format from UAConnect
• Complete School of Art application packet
• Provide 10-15 portfolio images
• Complete interview with art education faculty