Art Teaching
College of Fine Arts
Arts Pass
Bennion
Center
Office of
Undergraduate Research
Courses
Getting Started
- Complete 8 half-semester studio courses
- Take ART 2400 & ARTH 2500
- Complete math & writing requirements
- Declare the major near end of first-year foundation experience
Making Progress
- Take ART 3520: Intro to Art Education & ART 3530: Art Education in K-12 Schools
- Refer to the dept. website for detailed info on major requirements
- Meet with an advisor to develop your course plan and stay on track with GE/degree requirements
- Complete ART 5134: Art Content Knowledge Praxis in the fall before applying to UITE's education licensure program
- Apply for UITE's education licensure program before your final year of student teaching
Finishing Up
- Complete ART 4590: Art Teaching Senior Seminar in your third or final year
- Complete student teaching practicum experience, if applicable
- Review degree audit to track progress toward graduation
Community
Getting Started
- Join the Art Teaching Club & ArtsForce
- Attend CFA's welcome event ArtsBash & Art Teaching events
- Make a professional social media account & follow respected artists/creators
Making Progress
- Consider applying to be an ArtsBridge Scholar
- Attend ArtsLink
- Explore student research opportunities in OUR
- Consider submitting work to the Annual Student Exhibition, BFA Show, or other opportunities (see department website)
- Use ArtsPass to visit museums like UMFA and participate in visiting artist talks, gallery strolls, lectures, workshops, and other cultural events on campus/throughout SLC
Finishing Up
- Attend the Utah Art Education Association annual conference
- Get involved with the Alumni Association
- Consider networking opportunities at your student-teaching site
Knowledge & Skills
Getting Started
- Explore the Art BFA emphases in the first year foundation
- Learn about UROP & FAF grants
- Apply for departmental scholarships
Making Progress
- Consider volunteer opportunities through the Bennion Center or local art venues to develop skills & experience
- Create opportunities to engage in research with a faculty member through UROP
- Apply for a FAF grant to seek financial support for student-driven extracurricular experiences
Finishing Up
- Work with the CPDC to create or refine professional documents like resumes/cover letters
- Complete traditional and/or digital portfolios
Transformation
Getting Started
- Explore our student groups/clubs in the department
- Interview arts faculty & professionals about different approaches & career paths
- Take courses that meet requirements & fuel your passions/interests
Making Progress
- Complete mandatory advising & continue to meet with advisor as needed to discuss degree plan
- Apply for scholarships through the department, college, and university
- Consider applying to live in the Fine Arts House in Officer's Circle
- Look into internships or service learning to enhance your education and create networking opportunities
Finishing Up
- Consider involvement in a Student Advisory Committee (SAC)
- Complete the Art Teaching Senior Seminar
- Participate in graduation events & activities
Impact
Getting Started
- Use your ArtsPass to access events
- Explore the college's Create Success Initiative for helpful information about things to do early and often to support your academic success
Making Progress
- Go on an alternative break trip or explore other community service projects through the Bennion Center
- Focus on making and creating art to present in a variety of formats
- Engage and interact in cultural events and activities offered by the U and in the larger cultural community (see events calendar)
- Work individually or in larger collaborative groups to teach art in school and/or community settings
Careers
Getting Started
- Apply for an Emerging Leaders Internship
- Activate and customize Handshake & LinkedIn accounts or visit the Career Studio
Making Progress
- Create an internship plan in the Art Teaching Practicum course, the BTS Art Teaching Fellowship, or through ArtsBridge
- Monitor the ArtsForce Canvas page for internship opportunities
- Consider resources like Bennion Center, UROP, Learning Abroad, or the CPDC for additional support and opportunities to build your resume
- Maintain professional social media accounts and network via LinkedIn or Instagram
Finishing Up
- Meet with a Career Coach to practice interviewing and salary negotiation, refine your resume, or discuss career plans
- Attend career fairs at local school districts or explore graduate programs
Start Your Career Journey
Find support at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)
About the Major
The BFA in Art Teaching prepares you to become an elementary, secondary, and or community-based visual art educator. As an Art Teaching student in the Department of Art & Art History, you start by completing our First-Year Foundation courses that cover topics such as action, construct, evidence, illusion, mapping, matrix, seeing, and touch, as well as introductions to art history and visual language. You also receive individualized mentoring from award-winning faculty members as you gain in-depth knowledge of your subject area and develop skills in applying educational concepts and principles that are developmentally appropriate. In collaboration with the College of Education’s Urban Institute of Teacher Education (UITE), the Art Teaching BFA program offers opportunities for you to get hands-on experience in school and community settings and prepares you for licensure through the Utah State Board of Education. Our graduates become teaching artists in K-12 schools and/or community arts organizations and museums.
Learning Outcomes
- Gain functional competence with principles of visual organization and demonstrate the techniques and technologies needed to realize their artistic goals.
- Demonstrate a general understanding of major historical and contemporary concepts, theories, and approaches in the study of visual art.
- Apply evidence-based strategies and methodologies to teach in and through the arts in a variety of settings.
- Function as a reflective arts education practitioner who can assess and analyze student learning.
- Demonstrate a commitment to adapting, modeling, and implementing multiple learning methods in various arts spaces.
- Build relationships and work collaboratively with individuals, colleagues, and families to support young people’s growth and learning via school-based and/or community-based art making.
Plan & Prepare
At the U, we plan for our students to have an exceptional Educational Experience identified by four broad categories we call the Learning Framework: Community, Knowledge & Skills, Transformation, and Impact. This major map will help you envision, explore, design, and plan your personalized Exceptional Education Experience with the Learning Framework at the core. In addition to assisting you in planning your coursework and navigating the requirements of your major, this map will help you incorporate other kinds of experiences to expand your knowledge, support your development, and prepare you for the future you want.