Graduate Art Education

The MA in Art Education program at BGSU emphasizes the cultivation of arts-inspired relationships among educators within K-12 Art Education, Community Arts Education, Art Museum Education, and Visual/Sensory Literacy. The program guides students in developing advanced skills that include modeling and facilitating innovative curriculum and pedagogy, leading collaborative artistic explorations, engaging contemporary studio art practices, and teaching students the habits of mind essential to the development of the whole student.

Offered 70% online, the MA degree program builds upon the well-established reputation of the School of Art’s Division of Art Education, and the exceptionally high placement rate of its BFA graduates.

Applicants worldwide are welcome. Up to nine credits in the Studio Arts and Art History can be acquired through BGSU’s School of Art or reviewed for transfer from other – including international - institutions.

MA in Art Education Graduate Program Fact Sheet

With expanded artistic adeptness and enhanced professional competencies, students of this program will engage with the visual arts community through a wider lens. Graduates may choose to work within state/non-state sanctioned art institutions, earn continuing education credits, or pursue teaching art within other communities. The intention of the degree is to involve art educators in the development and implementation of well-informed visual arts curriculum in which the complex identities of all people are honored. BGSU is well known for the quality of its art teacher preparation as our graduates have an excellent placement record – nearly 100% – throughout Ohio and the nation. 

MA in Art Education Sequence of Courses

ARTE 6010: Perspectives in Visual Arts Education

The goal of this course is to provide students an overview of the major social, political, and ethical issues that have historically influenced theoretical and practical aspects of the field of visual arts (and design) education, community arts education, visual literacy, and visual culture. Students will research, discuss, and respond to related literature from various sources. The means by which topics inform students’ personal and professional practices in their own arts-related educational settings will be emphasized.

Upon completion of ARTE 6010, students will be able to:

• Formally and informally articulate the significant historical, theoretical, and practical influences that have shaped the field of visual arts education at large;
• Differentiate concepts and practices of visual literacy and visual culture; and
• Discern a variety of theoretical and practical influences on students own teaching practices.

ARTE 6012: Contemporary Art Practices in the Visual Arts Classroom

The goal of this course is to introduce and apply to professional situations current visual arts curriculum and pedagogy that employ concepts taken from contemporary art theory and practice. Emphasis will be on ways k-12 arts education, art museum education, and community arts education activate creative processes and outcomes. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate on writing components of original curriculum to be taught through innovative pedagogies.

Upon completion of ARTE 6012, students will be able to:

• Articulate differences among the various visual arts curriculum and pedagogy that employ concepts of contemporary art theory and practice;
• Identify ways K-12 visual arts education, art museum education, and community arts education can apply theories and practices of contemporary art thinking and making;
• Design and implement original visual arts curriculum and pedagogy.

ARTE 6020: Contemporary Issues & Advocacy in Visual Arts Education

The goal of this course is to provide students with opportunities to practice professional advocacy in the “real world”. Students will address current the social, political, and ethical issues that influence theory and practice within today’s field of visual arts (and design) education. Students will experience the process of facilitating arts programming at community arts education venues and will attend to issues related to fundraising, entrepreneurship, organized governance, and community supported grant writing. Students in this course will be encouraged to employ current technologies as well as present ARTE 6020 projects at regional, state, and/or national conferences.

Upon completion of ARTE 6020, students will be able to:

• Articulate ways current social, political, and ethical issues influence today’s visual arts classrooms;
• Demonstrate practices of professional advocacy for the visual arts on behalf of K-12 visual arts education and community arts & museum education;
• Write grants to earn financial support for a public arts venue;
• Write submission to regional, state, and/or national conference “call” for presentation, paper, or workshop.

ARTE 6030: Research Methods in Visual Arts Education

The goal of this course is to provide an overview and facilitate the practice of research methodologies in visual arts education, visual culture/literacy, and the studio arts. Action research and arts-based research (ABR) methodologies will be emphasized. Data collection will take place on sites at schools and/or community arts venues during this semester as students will begin to prepare for their Masters Project proposals.

Upon completion of ARTE 6030, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate action research methodologies;
• Demonstrate arts-based research methodologies;
• Articulate ways other research methodologies can be employed within the field of visual arts education.

ARTE 6900: Seminar in Visual Arts Education

The goal of this capstone course is to facilitate collaborative and critical examinations of MA ARTE candidates’ research topics as they complete a Masters Project. Students take this course twice and it is during these six credit hours that collaborative work (with one another and the community) toward the development of Masters Projects and Theses dominate online exchanges. Research development, feedback, and academic writing will be emphasized.

Upon completion of ARTE 6900, students will be able to:

• Design and write curricula that reflect applications for the breadth of visual arts within contemporary visual culture, community art, & general education with consideration for the relationships and influences of social, historical, and cultural contexts on visual arts education;
• Work collaboratively with those in the diverse field of visual arts education; and,
• Demonstrate ways to incorporate research methodologies and studio art media while completing a Masters Project Proposal (by end of 3 hours) and a complete Masters Project (by end of 6 hours).