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. 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.

Summary of Requirements a
First Year Program24
General Education and Foundation Courses36
Professional Core48
Art Education Major Courses24
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar (required of new freshman only) b1
Total Hours132-133
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 coursework. The following courses are to be completed before students begin taking courses in the major.

Required Courses
ART 101Signifying Practices: Art and Visual Culture4
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 Hours24

General Education and Foundation Courses

Required Courses
ENGL 160Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts3
ENGL 161Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research3
Understanding the Individual and Society course a3
Understanding U.S. Society course a3
Analyzing the Natural World course a,b4
Understanding the Past course a3
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 110World History of Art and the Built Environment I d4
AH 111World History of Art and the Built Environment II d4
AH 160Trends in International Contemporary Art Since 19603
AH 201Reading and Writing Art Criticism3
Total Hours36
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)

Required Courses a
SPED 410Exceptional Learners3
ART 201Democratic Practices in Art Education4
ART 210Understanding Curriculum, Development, and Learning in Art Education4
ART 310Visual and Verbal Literacy in Art Education4
ART 410Art Education Practicum4
ART 484Educational Practicum with Seminar I b6
ART 485Educational Practicum with Seminar II b6
CI 414Middle and High School Literacy3
CI 464Bilingualism and Literacy in a Second Language4
ED 200Education Policy Foundations3
ED 210Principles of Learning and Instruction Across the Lifespan3
ED 425Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in the Urban Secondary Classroom4
Total Hours48
a

Students must earn a cumulative 3.00/4.00 in their Education sequence (ED 200, ED 210, ED 425SPED 410, CI 414, and CI 464and they must earn a 2.50/4.00 in their Art Education sequence (ART 201, ART 210ART 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

Required Courses a
Art Concentration selected from any 200-level ART courses, except ART 201 and ART 21016
Art Electives selected from any 300- or 400-level courses, except ART 401, ART 402, and ART 499.8
Total Hours24

UIC First Year Dialogue Seminar

Required Course
DLG 120UIC First-Year Dialogue Seminar1
Total Hours1

Sample Course Schedule

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
Fall SemesterHours
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
 Hours15-16
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
 Hours15
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
 Hours18
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
 Hours18
Summer Semester
Analyzing the Natural World course 4
 Hours4
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
 Hours17
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
 Hours17
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
 Hours16
Spring Semester
ART 484 Educational Practicum with Seminar I 6
ART 485 Educational Practicum with Seminar II 6
 Hours12
 Total Hours132-133