Academic Programs Catalog

College of Arts and Letters

Department of Art, Art History, and Design

Undergraduate Programs
Art Education

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program with a major in art education leads to art teacher certification by the State of Michigan in grades K-12. In order for Michigan State University to recommend a person for teacher certification, that person must meet Department of Teacher Education admission requirements for the Internship Year Studies Program, and complete all course requirements and additional standards or tests set forth by the Department of Teacher Education and the Michigan Department of Education. See the section Teacher Certification in the Department of Teacher Education section of this catalog.

The art education program is designed to:

  1. develop highly specialized multiple and technical skills and to address conceptual content in the disciplines of studio art and art history.
  2. include pedagogy–specific content and clinical experiences in art teaching and learning situations with elementary and secondary students in preparation for the Teacher Certification Internship–Year Studies program.

Upon satisfactory completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in art education, the bachelor's degree is granted.  However, in order for Michigan State University to recommend a person for a teaching certificate, that person must also complete the requirements for the Internship–Year Studies program described under the heading TEACHER CERTIFICATION in the Department of Teacher Education section of this catalog.

Students who have been admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program with a major in art education and admitted to the teacher certification program and meet all program requirements, are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship–Year Studies program upon completion of the baccalaureate degree and successful performance on tests designated by the State of Michigan for teacher certification.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art Education

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the  Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Art Education major is met by completing Studio Art 481 and 482. Those courses are referenced in item 4. below.
  2. The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. All of the following courses (24 credits):
    STA 110 Drawing I 3
    STA 112 Art and Design: Concepts and Practices 3
    STA 113 Color and Design 3
    STA 114 Three–Dimensional Form 3
    STA 320 Painting I 3
    STA 340 Ceramics: Hand Building 3
    STA 345 Ceramics: Wheel Throwing 3
    STA 370 Photography I 3
    b. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    STA 300 Intermediate Drawing 3
    STA 391 Special Topics in Drawing 3
    c. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    GD 260 Concepts of Graphic Design 3
    GD 360 Graphic Design I: Graphic Form 3
    GD 365 Typography I: Form and Meaning 3
    d. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    STA 350 Figure Modeling 3
    STA 351 Mixed Media and Installation 3
    STA 354 Casting 3
    STA 355 Construction and Fabrication 3
    STA 380 Electronic Art 3
    e. One of the following courses (3 credits):
    STA 330 Lithography 3
    STA 335 Etching 3
    STA 491B Selected Topics - Printmaking 3
    f. Complete an additional two studio art courses at the 300-400 level in one of the following areas: ceramics, electronic art and intermedia, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture. (6 credits)
    g. Both of the following courses (6 credits):
    HA 101 Western Art from the Paleolithic to Medieval Era 3
    HA 102 Western Art from the Renaissance to Contemporary 3
    h. At least one of the following History of Art courses or other applicable art history and visual culture courses from the Post World War II period approved by the advisor (3 or 4 credits)
    HA 240 Modern Art 3
    HA 251 History of Photography 3
    HA  252 Introduction to Contemporary Art 3
    HA 261 Modern Asian Art 3
    HA 450 Selected Topics in Modern Art 4
    HA 452 Selected Topics in Contemporary Art 4
    HA 461 Selected Topics in Modern Asian Art 4
    i. One additional History of Art course at the 200 or 400 level. (3 or 4 credits)
    j. A cultural studies course. The course must be approved by the Art Education advisor. For an approved list of courses, see the Department of Art, Art History, and Design. (3 or 4 credits)
    4. The following Professional Education courses (23 credits):
    STA 371 Art, Education and Society 3
    STA 481 Art Experiences with Children and Youth I (W) 5
    STA 482 Art Experiences with Children and Youth II (W) 5
    TE 150 Reflections on Learning 3
    TE 250 Human Diversity, Power, and Opportunity in Social Institutions 3
    TE 302 Learners and Learning in Context - Secondary (W) 4
    The completion of Studio Art 481 and 482 satisfies the capstone requirement for the Art Education major.
    Enrollment in Teacher Education 302 requires admission to the teacher certification program in the College of Education.