Visual Arts Education Program

The undergraduate and graduate Initial License programs in Visual Arts Education at IU Northwest are designed to prepare effective educators to work in a variety of school settings. Candidates in this program are provided opportunities to learn and practice the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to become effective visual arts teachers. Graduate candidates earn a license for the secondary setting grades P-12 through the Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP). Undergraduate candidates earn a Bachelor of Science in Education: Visual Arts degree, which prepares them to teach art at all grades (P-12). 

Visual Arts

Required Courses for Secondary and P-12 Visual Arts Education

Candidates can choose to earn a license in all grades P-12, elementary K-6, or secondary 5-12. Field and clinical experiences are at the appropriate levels for licensure. 

Required General Education Courses (35 cr.) include Language Arts (6 cr.), Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (11 cr.), Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 cr.), Arts and Humanities (6 cr.), and Cultural and Historical Studies (6 cr.) with at least one course in minority studies.

At a minimum, 12 credit hours are required in the area of educational foundations prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program. Courses deemed appropriate for meeting the educational foundations requirements (12 cr.) include EDUC-F200 Examining Self as Teacher (3 cr.), EDUC-W200 Using Computers in Education (3 cr.), EDUC-P250 Educational Psychology (3 cr.), EDUC-K205 Introduction to Exceptional Children (3 cr.) and EDUC-H340 Education and American Culture (3 cr.). 

Once admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP), candidates complete the program in four semesters of full-time study, beginning in the fall session. Professional Education courses are taken after admission to the Teacher Education Program and are sequenced into four blocks. All required Professional Education courses must be completed with a grade of C or better before a student can continue in the program. These courses are sequential and must be completed in order.

Visual Arts Content Area Requirements (31 credits)

Art History:   FINA A101 Ancient/Med. Arts, FINA A102 Rena/Modern Arts
Studio Art:   FINA F100 Fund. Drawing, FINA F101 Studio 3D, FINA F102 Studio 2D, FINA S230 Painting 1,        FINA S240 Printmaking,FINA S200 Drawing 1, FINA S270 Sculpture 1, FINA S260 Ceramics 1, Approved Elective > 300 level 1 to 3 credits

Teacher Education Program: (45 credits)

Block 1 Fall    EDUC-M201 Field Experience, EDUC M311 Creating Learning Environments, EDUC H340 Education & American Culture

Block 2 Spring    EDUC – M301 Field Experience, EDUC M314 General Methods, EDUC – M330 Art Ed. Methods 1,  EDUC M469 Content Literacy

Block 3 Fall         EDUC M304 Field Experience, EDUC M430 Art Ed Methods II, EDUC P407   Assessment, EDUC – M300 Teaching in a Pluralistic Society

Block 4 Spring     EDUC M425 Student Teaching (Elementary), EDUC M480 Student Teaching (Secondary), EDUC W310  Integrating Tech into K-12

Graduate Visual Arts Education Program Degree Requirements

The Graduate Initial License Program in Visual Arts is offered through the Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP). The UTEP program is experience-rich, field-based, and leads to teacher licensing in Visual Arts. The UTEP track is designed for individuals who possess a bachelor's degree from accredited institutions in subjects other than education with at least a 2.5 grade point average and appropriate coursework in Visual Arts. To be admitted to UTEP at IU Northwest, students must complete advising checkpoint #1 with the Director of UTEP and apply to the program. In order to pass checkpoint #1 students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50, a minimum visual arts content GPA of 2.50 and all content courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Upon entrance to UTEP, no more than 9 credit hours of the required 60 credit hours in visual arts content may remain incomplete. Candidates must have successfully passed all three CASA tests and completed a criminal background check. Admission to UTEP is in the spring semester only.

Once admitted to the UTEP program in Visual Arts, candidates complete the program in four semesters of full-time study, beginning in the spring session. Successful completion of the 27 credit hour UTEP Visual Arts program will lead to an initial teaching license in Secondary Education: Visual Arts for grades P-12. Professional Education courses are taken after admission to the Teacher Education Program and are sequenced into four blocks. All required Professional Education courses must be completed with a grade of C or better and a graduate GPA of 3.0 must be maintained to continue in the program. Professional Education courses are sequential and must be completed in order.

The First Block of the educational sequence contains 6 credits of professional educational courses including EDUC-S510 Methods of Teaching in Secondary Urban Schools (3 cr.), an elementary or middle school field placement in an urban school and EDUC S508 Visual Arts Methods in the Urban Classroom (3 cr.) (Elementary and Middle School Methods).

The Second Block of the educational sequence contains 9 credits of professional educational courses including EDUC-P507 Assessment in Schools (3 cr.), EDUC-T550 Cultural/ Community Forces and the Schools (3 cr.), and EDUC-K505 Introduction to Special Education (3 cr.).

The Third Block of the educational sequence contains 6 credits of professional educational courses including EDUC-M501 Field Experience in Urban Classrooms (3 cr.) which is a secondary field placement and EDUC-S508: Visual Arts Methods in the Urban Classroom. (Secondary Methods) (3 cr.).

The Fourth Block of the educational sequence contains 6 credits of professional educational courses including EDUC-L517 Advanced Study of Content Reading and Literature (3 cr.) and EDUC-M550 Student Teaching (3 cr.). Candidates complete two consecutive 8-week placements, which consist of an 8-week placement in a middle school, and an 8-week placement in a high school.