Art Education (B.S.) with K-12 Teaching Certification (Graphic Design and Digital Art Concentration)

Program Overview

The Art Education major at Messiah University leads to a B.S. degree with teaching certification (K–12) accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (P.D.E.). It is a demanding program with 127 credits necessary for graduation, but one that students have found very rewarding and an excellent preparation for a teaching career. The program combines the strength of two different areas for students who are interested in becoming an ‘artist educator’. The Art Education major will complete the same studio curriculum as the B.A. in Studio Art major, with the exception of one course (Art Education majors do not take ART 494). This includes choosing a concentration, as in the B.A. in Studio Art. In addition, Art Education majors take the required education and art education curriculum as required by the P.D.E. Students in the Art Education major will complete the major with their Professional Semester of student teaching typically in the spring of their senior year. Art Education Majors are required to apply to the Teacher Education Program in their sophomore year prior to taking 300 level education course work and they must maintain a 3.0 GPA. Art Education majors are also required to meet the Basic Skills Requirement and maintain appropriate security clearances. In order to be eligible for teaching certification, graduates must meet GPA requirements, demonstrate good moral character, and pass the respective certification exams. Specific information about teacher education requirements can be found on the Teacher Education Program website. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Art Education program can:

1. Apply a basic knowledge of foundational content, practices and philosophical and ethical assumptions in visual arts education.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary art education journals and resources.
3. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of art education history and demonstrate a working knowledge of contemporary theories in the field of art education.
4. Developing a sensitivity to differences posed by ability, culture and ethnicity.
5. Teach, assess, and evaluate, which is appropriate to the art class room.
6. Explain & discuss ideas of aesthetic value at a level appropriate to the age of the student in the classroom.
7. Gain an awareness of options for employment, voluntary service, and/or graduate education in one’s specialized area of study in the context of reflection on one’s sense of vocation.
8. Understanding of the ethical issues related to teaching.
9. Articulate the relationship between faith, teaching and art.

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

Three credits from the following:

Three credits from the following:

Professional Semester Requirements

Graphic Design and Digital Art Concentration (15 credits)

Nine credits from the following (9):

Cross-Concentration Studies

Six credits from the following 2-D courses:

Six credits from the following Three-Dimensional Studies:

QuEST Requirements