Art History
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Study Art Education at a Christian University
While earning an accredited Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in art education, you will create and explore art in a 21st-century context and gain hands-on classroom experience before graduation, all while studying from a Christian perspective.
As an art education major at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian universities in the U.S., you have the distinct opportunity to become an artist educator studying two critical subjects that comprise the degree: education and studio art.
Messiah University's art education degree program combines studio art and art education to prepare well-rounded artists and art educators. Art education majors are fully trained as artists and are required to take the same number of studio courses (one is optional) as studio art majors. Through choosing a concentration in graphic design and digital art, three-dimensional or two-dimensional studies, you develop ideas and skills necessary for work as a professional artist.
As an art education major at Messiah University, you'll be able to:
- Study in a program that is one of four Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) schools accredited by the National Association of School of Art and Design (NASAD), and approved through the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
- Learn from a curriculum design built upon the artist as educator model. We believe that developing a studio practice is an integral part of being an art educator.
- Begin taking studio courses in your first semester.
- Work closely with faculty and mentors throughout your studies. In addition, art educators from central Pennsylvania participate in the art education program as cooperating teachers.
- Have access to a dedicated Art Education space with new updated classroom technology and more than a dozen specialized studio spaces.
- Learn by doing as you work with K-12 students starting your sophomore year.
- Enrich and expand your studies in cities like Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, all of which are easily accessible.
As a graduate of the art education program, you will be equipped to secure jobs in many arts and education contexts such as:
- Public and private schools
- International schools
- Colleges and universities
- Community programs
- Museums
- State arts councils
- Entrepreneurial programs/businesses
- Traditional jobs associated with area of studio concentration (i.e. graphics, illustration, etc.)
For more information on career planning for the art education program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s art education program includes carefully designed learning experiences in K-12 public schools, including:
- Saturday Art School
- Sophomore field experience
- Junior field experience
- Senior professional semester
Programs related to Art Education
In the Art Education program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Art Education:
Art Education (B.S.) with PK-12 Teaching Certification (Two-Dimensional Studies Concentration)
Art Education (B.S.) with PK-12 Teaching Certification (Three-Dimensional Concentration)
Art Education (B.S.) with PK-12 Teaching Certification (Graphic Design and Digital Art Concentration)
Where our grads work
Graduates of the Art Education program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Preparation to be an art educator
As an art education major, you'll get plenty of hands-on learning experience throughout the degree program. You'll not only complete required teaching experiences in elementary, middle and high schools, but you'll also have the opportunity to get involved with regional museums or galleries, assisting with their community arts programs. And each fall, you will prepare and teach Saturday morning art classes for children from nearby school districts.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
Degree emphasis
In addition to training in studio art, this program is also considered the professional degree for teaching art. Upon completing your art education degree, you're certified to teach art in both elementary and secondary levels in public or private settings in Pennsylvania and beyond.
As a student here, you’ll thrive in a highly rewarding, yet demanding environment—one that also integrates faithful stewardship of your creative gifts by encouraging and supporting you to explore the artistic process as well as deepening your own ways of responding to works of art.
Proven results
When you finish your art education degree, you’ll see the positive results of all your hard work: our students maintain a 100 percent pass rate on the subject-specific Praxis II examination. And, 100 percent of our graduates are state-certified teachers; most obtain full-time teaching jobs.