BFA in Art Education
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 (PEL) 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. See the Council on Teacher Education website for more information.
After completing the Art First Year Program, students who meet or exceed a minimum 2.50/4.00 cumulative GPA and a 3.00/4.00 GPA in art courses may submit an application and portfolio to the Pre Art Education Program.
Admission into the Pre Art Education Program does not guarantee placement in the BFA in Art Education Professional Core sequence. At the end of the sophomore year at UIC (or transfer students who have completed first year course work and have a minimum of 60 or more hours applicable to the Art Education degree), students submit an application and portfolio as well as complete an interview with the Program Head of Art Education. Successful applicants will be enrolled in the Professional Art Education Core sequence.
Students are required to apply for admission to candidacy with the UIC Council on Teacher Education. The Visual Arts Content Area Test (214) must be passed before the candidate is allowed into practice teaching. The edTPA must be passed prior to applying for the Professional Educator License (PEL). For information on application procedures and testing schedules, contact the Council on Teacher Education located at 1333 S. Halsted, Suite 205. Also, see the Council on Teacher Education section of the catalog.
Students are required to maintain a 2.50/4.00 cumulative GPA, a 3.00/4.00 Art GPA, 2.50/4.00 Art Education sequence GPA, and 3.00/4.00 Education sequence GPA throughout the curriculum. For information on admission to the BFA in Art Education major, current portfolio deadlines, and submitting a successful portfolio, see the UIC School of Art and Art History website.
To earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education degree from UIC, students need to complete university, college, and school degree requirements. The BFA in Art Education degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements a | ||
| First Year Program | 24 | |
| General Education and Foundation Courses | 36 | |
| Professional Core | 48 | |
| Art Education Major Courses | 24 | |
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (required of new freshman only) b | 1 |
| Total Hours | 132-133 | |
- a
Students must achieve a grade of Credit or C or higher for courses to count toward degree requirements. ENGL 160 and ENGL 161, Art, Education, and Art History courses may not be taken credit/no credit.
- b
New freshmen are required to complete DLG 120 for one hour. These students will complete 133 total hours, while all other students complete 132 hours for the BA in Art 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 following courses are to be completed before students begin taking courses in the major.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ART 101 | Signifying Practices: Art and Visual Culture | 4 |
| Select five of the following: | 20 | |
| Introduction to Drawing | ||
| Introduction to Painting + Color | ||
| Introduction to Sculpture | ||
| Introduction to New Media Arts | ||
| Introduction to Digital Photography | ||
| Introduction to Filmmaking | ||
| Total Hours | 24 | |
General Education and Foundation Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Understanding the Individual and Society course a | 3 | |
| Understanding U.S. Society course a | 3 | |
| Analyzing the Natural World course a,b | 4 | |
| Understanding the Past course a | 3 | |
| Select one course in Art History at the 200 level or above from the following: | 3 | |
| Latin American Colonial Art c | ||
| African American Art c | ||
| African Art c | ||
| Native American Art c | ||
| Visual Culture of the Ancient Andes c | ||
| Visual Culture of Ancient Mesoamerica c | ||
| South Asian Visual Cultures c | ||
| AH 110 | World History of Art and the Built Environment I d | 4 |
| AH 111 | World History of Art and the Built Environment II d | 4 |
| AH 160 | Trends in International Contemporary Art Since 1960 | 3 |
| AH 201 | Reading and Writing Art Criticism | 3 |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- a
Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category
- b
Students who select a course worth less than 4 hours from the Analyzing the Natural World list will need to take an additional General Education Core course as part of their electives.
- c
This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category.
- d
This course is approved for the Understanding the Creative Arts General Education category.
Professional Core (Including the Education Sequence and Art Education Sequence)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses a | ||
| SPED 410 | Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| ART 201 | Democratic Practices in Art Education | 4 |
| ART 210 | Understanding Curriculum, Development, and Learning in Art Education | 4 |
| ART 310 | Visual and Verbal Literacy in Art Education | 4 |
| ART 410 | Art Education Practicum | 4 |
| ART 484 | Educational Practicum with Seminar I b | 6 |
| ART 485 | Educational Practicum with Seminar II b | 6 |
| CI 414 | Middle and High School Literacy | 3 |
| CI 464 | Bilingualism and Literacy in a Second Language | 4 |
| ED 200 | Education Policy Foundations | 3 |
| ED 210 | Principles of Learning and Instruction Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| ED 425 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Urban Secondary Classroom | 4 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
- a
Students must earn a cumulative 3.00/4.00 in their Education sequence (ED 200, ED 210, ED 425, SPED 410, CI 414, and CI 464) and they must earn a 2.50/4.00 in their Art Education sequence (ART 201, ART 210, ART 310, ART 410) in order to be eligible for student teaching. The GPA for Art Education and for Education are calculated separately. The GPA for Art Education is calculated separately from GPA for Art Student Teaching.
- b
A grade of B or higher in practice teaching is required for certification.
Art Education Major Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses a | ||
| Art Concentration selected from any 200-level ART courses, except ART 201 and ART 210 | 16 | |
| Art Electives selected from any 300- or 400-level courses, except ART 401, ART 402, and ART 499. | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 24 | |
UIC First Year Dialogue Seminar
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours | 1 | |
Sample Course Schedule
| Freshman Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ART 101 | Signifying Practices: Art and Visual Culture | 4 |
| Art Foundation course | 4 | |
| Art Foundation course | 4 | |
| DLG 120 | UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar | 1 |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Art Foundation course | 4 | |
| Art Foundation course | 4 | |
| Art Foundation course | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Sophomore Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| AH 110 | World History of Art and the Built Environment I | 4 |
| AH 160 | Trends in International Contemporary Art Since 1960 | 3 |
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| Understanding the Individual and Society course | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| AH 111 | World History of Art and the Built Environment II | 4 |
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| Understanding U.S. Society course | 3 | |
| Understanding the Past course | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| Analyzing the Natural World course | 4 | |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Junior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 200-level Art History course | 3 | |
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| ART 201 | Democratic Practices in Art Education | 4 |
| ED 200 | Education Policy Foundations | 3 |
| SPED 410 | Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Art Education Major course | 4 | |
| AH 201 | Reading and Writing Art Criticism | 3 |
| ART 210 | Understanding Curriculum, Development, and Learning in Art Education | 4 |
| ED 210 | Principles of Learning and Instruction Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| CI 414 | Middle and High School Literacy | 3 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Senior Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ED 425 | Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Urban Secondary Classroom | 4 |
| CI 464 | Bilingualism and Literacy in a Second Language | 4 |
| ART 310 | Visual and Verbal Literacy in Art Education | 4 |
| ART 410 | Art Education Practicum | 4 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ART 484 | Educational Practicum with Seminar I | 6 |
| ART 485 | Educational Practicum with Seminar II | 6 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 132-133 | |