VCUarts | Art Education

Undergraduate: BFA

Description

The Art Education Program is an approved teacher preparation program that complies with the professional standards of the Virginia Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is further accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. All of these agencies assure the highest professional program standards.

Most art education students enter the teaching profession and teach art in either elementary, middle or high school. Others pursue further education to work as art consultants, art therapists, arts administrators, museum personnel and college instructors, and in other art-related business positions. Graduates of the program are eligible for teacher licensure in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Reciprocity agreements with many states greatly expand job opportunities throughout the country.

Click here to view the complete curriculum requirements in the VCU Bulletin.

Program Sequence + Advising

Admissions

Any undergraduate student admitted to the School of the Arts and who has completed the Art Foundation Program (or the equivalent at another institution) is eligible to apply to the program. Visit vcu.edu/arts/apply for application instructions.

Timeline and Deadlines

In order to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education degree, students are required to follow a sequential timeline of coursework, state required testing and to complete applications for teacher preparation, clinical internship, graduation and licensure. Students are also required to complete additional coursework. The timeline is as follows:

Art Foundation + Portfolio Review

All students are required to successfully complete all required coursework in the Art Foundation program before acceptance into the Department of Art Education. Art Foundation students apply to the Department of Art Education through a visual portfolio and writing sample during their second semester in Art Foundation.

Orientation + Advising

Accepted students are required to attend an orientation session during the Spring semester while they are still taking Art Foundation courses. Students are assigned their academic adviser during this meeting. Transfer students, second degree seeking students, double majors and change of major students are required to meet with the Administrative Director or Department Chair prior to beginning coursework in the Department of Art Education.

The name and contact information of the student's adviser may be obtained from the Department of Art Education main office. Students are encouraged to meet with their adviser each semester during the week of advising and to check their email regularly for important information regarding advising.

Pre Teacher Preparation

During the first two semesters of coursework in the Department of Art Education, students should complete ARTE 310 during the Fall semester and ARTE 311 during the Spring semester. Students will also register for the required Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (http://www.va.nesinc.com/) and the Math portion of the Praxis I exam (www.ets.org) or show proof of exemption by official SAT or ACT score reports during their fall semester while taking ARTE 310. Students must successfully pass their VCLA and Praxis I Math and/or Praxis I composite exams in order to be admitted into teacher preparation. Students should also complete ARTE 250, EDUS 301 and required art history, studio and general education coursework during their first year in the Department of Art Education.

Application to Teacher Preparation (due October 1 for Spring and March 1 for Fall)

All students in the program, upon completion of 60 credits and/or four full-time semesters and prior to completion of 90 hours of undergraduate course work, must apply through the Department of Art Education and be accepted for departmental admission to the Art Education Teacher Preparation Program. Applications are due by March 1 (for fall enrollment in ARTE 401) or October 1 (for spring enrollment in ARTE 401) of each year to the administrative director. If students do not complete their applications on time with hard copies of passing score reports, they will not be guaranteed enrollment in ARTE 401 the following semester.

Requirements for departmental admission to teacher preparation:

* Submission of completed Application to Teacher Preparation application by established deadline
* Minimum of 2.5 cumulative GPA
* Successful completion of ARTE 310 and/or current enrollment in ARTE 311 (6 credits)
* Passing scores on required VCLA and Praxis I Math exams or exemption from Praxis I with SAT or ACT scores (www.ets.org)
* No record of a felony conviction
* Completion of the Dispositions Acknowledgement Form (included with departmental Application for Teacher Preparation)
* An interview with faculty may be required of students

Departmental admission to the Teacher Preparation Program is required for enrollment in practicum courses (ARTE 401 and 402) and clinical internship (ARTE 404, TEDU 485 and 486).

Note: ARTE 401 is a prerequisite of ARTE 402. Enrollment is granted to ARTE 401 and ARTE 402 through an override form from the Department of Art Education.

Students that wish to apply for Teacher Preparation should email the administrative director to have the online application made available.

Teacher Preparation

Once students are accepted into Teacher Preparation, ARTE 401 and ARTE 402 are completed in sequence and admission is granted to these courses through an override by the Department of Art Education. Students will complete the Praxis II- Art Content Knowledge exam (www.ets.org) before they apply for Clinical Internship (student teaching) during ARTE 402.

During Teacher Preparation, students will continue to complete required art history, studio and general education coursework. This includes a requirement for TEDU 330 or ARTE 450.

Application for Clinical Internship (Student Teaching) (due September 7th for Spring and February 7th for Fall)

Students planning to Student Teach must complete an Application to Clinical Internship the semester before they intend to complete their internship, typically at the beginning of ARTE 402. In order to be eligible for Clinical Internship, students must have successfully completed or be enrolled in all coursework in the Department of Art Education, art history courses and studio requirements. Applications are reviewed by the Department of Art Education and delivered to the School of Education for placement. Students are required to attend a departmental orientation for all Interns as well as a School of Education orientation prior to beginning their internship. Applications are available from the Department of Art Education.

Requirements for admission to Clinical Internship:

* Prior admission into Teacher Preparation

* Submission of completed Clinical Internship Application

* Minimum of 2.5 cumulative GPA and 2.8 GPA in Art Education courses

* Successful completion of ARTE 310, 311, and 401, EDUS 301, TEDU 330 and completion or current enrollment in ARTE 402

* Successful completion or enrollment in all required studio and art history courses

* Passing scores on required VCLA and Praxis I Math exam (or proof of exemption from Praxis I with SAT or ACT scores) 

* Passing Scores on Praxis II exam

* Child Abuse Prevention Certificate

Child Abuse Prevention Certificate

http://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/cps/mandated_reporters/cws5691/index.html

Clinical Internship

Students are placed by the School of Education in an Elementary (TEDU 485) and a Secondary (TEDU 486) (middle or high school) placement for eight weeks each during their semester of Clinical Internship. All students are assigned a University Supervisor to act as a liaison for the Department of Art Education and a cooperating teacher at each school. Students meet weekly through ARTE 404, the student teacher seminar. Students are assessed using the Clinical Evaluation Continuum by both their supervisor and cooperating teacher. Students also complete an online Child Abuse Prevention training prior to beginning Clinical Internship.

Student teaching is a full semester divided into two eight-week blocks of time. Students are placed for one eight-week period at the elementary level (TEDU 485), and the other eight-week period is at the secondary level, either middle or high school (TEDU 486). The accompanying Student Teaching Seminar (ARTE 404) is considered part of the student teaching experience, and is the only course students are permitted to take while student teaching. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to their student teaching assignments. Because student teaching is a full-time endeavor, the department strongly encourages students to avoid holding full-time or part-time employment during the student teaching semester.

Actual placement will depend upon availability of appropriate school openings and the cooperation of individual school systems. Placement is also contingent upon placement policies of cooperating schools.

Application for Graduation (due mid September for Fall grads and mid January for Spring grads)

During their final semester, students will apply for Graduation from the University. In order to graduate, students must successfully complete the requirements of their bulletin year. At least 45 upper level credits are required and students must have completed or be enrolled in all required courses. Applications are turned in to the Department with all necessary attachments and reviewed by the Department then sent to the Arts Dean's office for review.

Graduation applications are obtained from the online Student e-Services. Link

Commencement

Visit the commencement website for information regarding graduation ceremonies, class rings, diplomas and other graduation information.

http://www.commencement.vcu.edu/

Application for Licensure (due upon completion of degree requirements)

Students that have earned a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Art Education degree and have passed required tests (Praxis I, Praxis II, VCLA) are eligible for Virginia Licensure. Applications can be found on the Virginia Department of Education website. Students can turn in application materials to the Department of Art Education for review during their last week of Student Teaching.

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/newvdoe/teached.html

Upon successful completion of all requirements for the BFA degree in Art Education, students must submit an application to the Department of Art Education for teacher licensure. Once approved by the department chair, the applications are sent to the School of Education for approval and then to the Virginia Department of Education. The Virginia Department of Education requires an initial licensure fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). This is payable with a money order or personal check made payable to the Virginia Department of Education and accompanies the licensure application. Students must also include copies of score reports for Praxis II: Art Content Knowledge and the Virginia Communication and Literacy exam and a copy of the Child Abuse Prevention Certificate.