Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education

University of Illinois Chicago

This program prepares undergraduates to teach, create and inspire art, art education and research. Our focus is on high school classrooms, especially those in Chicago, where our students address issues of quality and access to art education, both theoretically and in real life. Mentorship opportunities are also a big program staple. People enrolled in Art Ed work with licensed Chicago Public School teachers before they graduate. The Art Education program makes it easy for undergraduates to complete their Illinois State teacher certification requirements, too. Our classes allow students to fulfill graduation and certification requirements at the same time. Upon completion of the major, students will be ready to apply for certification. Degree requirements For the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education, a total of 132 semester hours is required. The Professional Educator License for Secondary Education with a Visual Arts Endorsement is not automatically awarded upon successful completion of degree requirements. Before the license is issued, the candidate must file an application for the Illinois PEL with the UIC Council on Teacher Education. the candidate must also pass a series of examinations required by the Illinois State Board of Education. First Year Program The First Year program is included in all art degree programs. Appropriate placement in the program is made for transfer students who have completed equivalent course work. The BFA in Art Education program provides the requirements for Illinois State teacher licensure and the experiences needed for students to become art teachers in Chicago’s diverse public schools and communities. The program cultivates the study and making of art in a variety of ways that are rooted in local cultures and histories of activism and democratic participation in the public sphere. BFA in Art Education students will develop their own artistic practice and learn how a rigorous process of art making can be shared with their students.

College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts