Art (Art Education), BFA
Do you wish you could develop your studio art practice while learning to design dynamic and engaging educational experiences? Combine studio art practice with hands-on teaching experience through this concentration.
Quick facts
Locations
Courses
Any math course that meets the MATH designation.
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation and professional licensure
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Art (Art Education) degree description
The Bachelor of Fine Arts program in art with a concentration in art education offers you a dynamic foundation in both artistic practice and the teaching of art. The program combines hands-on studio work, the study of art history and global cultures, and direct teaching experience with learners of all ages. You explore how art education takes place across diverse settings, including K-12 classrooms, community programs, and museums. Courses are guided by faculty with expertise in innovative curriculum design, creative learning strategies, and inquiry-based approaches that support a wide range of learners.
Courses invite you to approach art education from multiple perspectives, emphasizing critical thinking, interdisciplinary connections and teaching in inclusive contexts. Alongside these broader frameworks, you gain practical skills in lesson planning, arts integration and effective instructional methods. In the capstone year, you apply your knowledge through supervised teaching experiences.
In addition to learning in the classroom, you also have opportunities for internships in a variety of educational settings and access to arts organizations and cultural institutions, enabling you to build your professional network. The program is further augmented by public events supported by the School of Art galleries, the ASU Art Museum, the Ceramics Research Center and Archive, and Pyracantha Press.
You should visit the art education areas of study page to learn more about the program. To engage the school's creative community, you can subscribe to the School of Art newsletters and follow the school on social media.
Why specialize in art education at ASU?
This concentration integrates studio practice and pedagogy so you graduate as both an accomplished studio artist and a credentialed educator. Many art education studies programs treat these as separate tracks, but in the art education concentration, you develop both skill sets throughout your coursework.
You teach real students through the Eleanor A. Robb Children's Art Workshop. This hands-on experience complements your classroom internships and builds confidence before you enter the profession.
Additional details
Access to the School of Art galleries and the ASU Art Museum allow you to engage with contemporary visual arts teaching and learn how museums support learning.
The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the most comprehensive design and arts school in the country, giving you access to a vibrant creative community and interdisciplinary collaboration across film, music, dance, theater and design. The school fosters an active student community where you can collaborate across disciplines with peers in art, design, film, music, dance and theater. The Arizona Art Education Association provides professional development, networking and community resources as you prepare to enter the field.
Courses
Explore a sample list of courses you may take in this program.
| Sample courses |
|---|
| ARS 201 Art of Asia |
| ARA 396 Professional Practices for Design and the Arts |
| ARE 250 Teaching Inquiry in Art |
| ART 111 Foundation Drawing |
| ART 113 Pictorial Investigations and Color Theory |
| ART 114 Expanded Arts Studio |
Course checksheet and curriculum archive
The curriculum checksheet displays this program's required courses and other requirements you must complete for graduation.
Current ASU students, see how your courses can apply to another major and find out how to change your major (opens in new window).
Already completed some college courses? Build on your success.
If you earned college credit outside ASU, our transfer tools map out your progress towards a degree and help you plan next steps.
See how your credits may apply (opens in new window)What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Understand historical and contemporary practices within the field of art education through the development of curriculum incorporating fine arts techniques for a range of settings and populations.
- Demonstrate professional preparedness, including writing an articulate statement of their teaching philosophy and assembling a documented cohesive body of pedagogical materials and creative work.
- Demonstrate effective teaching dispositions in the classroom through successful firsthand engagements with learners that meet established pedagogical standards with culturally responsive techniques and methods.
Understand historical and contemporary practices within the field of art education through the development of curriculum incorporating fine arts techniques for a range of settings and populations. Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
First year (opens in new window) | Transfer (opens in new window) | International (opens in new window) | Readmission (opens in new window)
Students are admitted directly to the art education concentration upon admittance to the BFA program in art.
Transfer admission requirements:
Transfer students who have completed the foundational core and pre-art requirements are admitted directly to the art education concentration upon admittance to the BFA program in art. To complete an undergraduate degree in four years, it is recommended that community college transfer students who are completing a two-year degree and have completed the foundational core and pre-art requirements apply and submit a declaration form in the semester in which they are completing their community college degree or the semester before they plan to enter Arizona State University. Direct transfer of courses from other accredited institutions to the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is subject to the existence of parallel and equal courses in the college's curriculum and to departmental or school evaluation of studio courses with respect to performance standards. Every candidate for the bachelor's degree must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in resident credit at ASU. Transfer students enrolled in the college must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of resident credit in the major as approved by the faculty.
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form (opens in new window) for information about how to change a major to this program.
Explore expanded study opportunities
When you pursue concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”), you earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with your academic advisor, you can create your own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.
Creativity and inspiration find fuel during a study abroad program. Global experiences provide a platform on which aspiring art educators develop and broaden the intercultural sensitivity, communication skills and leadership ability that they can take into the classroom. Study abroad can prove to be a vital accompaniment to a concentration in art education.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimate
Build the career and future you want
Our graduates are prepared for a variety of career paths, including:
| Career | Growth | Median Salary | More Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Professor | 2.2% | $78,620 | Learn more |
| College Program Director | 1.8% | $104,590 | Learn more |
| Craft Artist | 2.0% | $46,080 | Learn more |
| Education Professor | 2.5% | $75,350 | Learn more |
| Elementary Teacher | -0.4% | $63,970 | Learn more |
| Fine Artist | -2.9% | $55,490 | Learn more |
| High School Teacher | -0.2% | $72,040 | Learn more |
| Kindergarten Teacher | -0.3% | $62,680 | Learn more |
| Middle School Teacher | -0.4% | $64,370 | Learn more |
| Tutor | -0.2% | $43,350 | Learn more |
Example job titles and salaries listed are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
More about careers
Careers this art education concentration prepares you for
An arts degree offers graduates a pathway to creative careers as artists, scholars, advocates and educators in the public and private spheres. Artists find employment opportunities as practitioners in the field through commercial galleries, public art commissions, private collectors and cultural institutions. Positions of employment include museum or gallery professional, art dealer, art director, private art instructor, studio artist and community-based artist. Venues might include health care settings, nonprofit agencies, and local and national public arts organizations. Other options for graduates include working at arts agencies and public art programs, gaining admission to prestigious graduate programs, and setting up their own art businesses. The skills acquired to produce art also have many valuable applications beyond the arts.
Art education graduates find employment opportunities with charter schools, art museums, nonprofit art spaces, and recreational or community-oriented service groups that offer art instruction. Those who also complete the state certification requirements for an art specialist certificate may teach in public and private elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. Graduates who do not seek state certification may find opportunities for jobs with some charter schools, art museums, nonprofit art spaces and recreational or community-oriented service groups that offer art instruction. Many graduates of this program have gone on to exhibit their work in notable institutions and have received prestigious grants and residency opportunities.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Art
|
ART 102
herbergeradvising@asu.edu
480-965-8521
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
