School of Art Education Home Degrees BFA Degree MA Degree Online Program Faculty News & Success Stories Spring Show
Disclosures About WASC Accreditation
AAU Home > School of Art Education

School of Art Education

MFA Program Learning Outcomes

Placement into the following two MA degrees will depend on the student’s background:

The MA in Art Education

The MA in Art Education prepares students to teach and work in art museums and community-based art programs. Students entering this program are expected to have achieved competencies in the foundational skills of drawing and at least three other media. Through coursework and fieldwork, they learn about program design and delivery as well as teaching diverse audiences. Students are required to demonstrate their professional readiness through a Final Thesis Project.

The MA in Art Education with Studio Emphasis

This MA in Art Education degree program prepares students to teach and work in art museums and community-based art programs. It is identical to the MA in Art Education degree with the addition of 24 units of studio art and design. The 63 unit program is intended to strengthen the art and design portfolio of students entering the art education program with less studio background. Through coursework and fieldwork, they learn about program design and delivery as well as teaching diverse audiences. Students are required to demonstrate their professional readiness through a Final Thesis Project.

MA graduates of the School of Art Education will meet the following student performance criteria:

  • Art and Design Skills

    • Demonstrate technical skills related to a specific art/design discipline as an art teacher in an arts education setting.

  • Teaching and Communication Skills

    • Design effective educational experiences and curricula targeted to an intended audience at an advanced level of knowledge.
    • Apply sound educational strategies in projects and experiences in a variety of educational settings at an advanced level of knowledge.
    • Discuss key theories in art history, analysis, philosophy and criticism appropriate to an arts education setting.
    • Discuss key theories and issues in contemporary Art Education at an advanced level of knowledge.
    • Demonstrate and apply advanced level of technology in arts education settings.
    • Articulate the importance of art in education based on advanced levels of research, observation and experience.

  • Visual Literacy

    • Intelligently discuss and develop programs based on the formal and expressive properties of works of art and design as well as their content, meaning and purpose.

  • Research and Conceptual Development

    • Produce research that reveals advanced levels of analysis, insight, design and methods based on the distinctive needs and characteristics of art education settings and audiences. Modify and improve on their work based on informed feedback.

  • Knowledge of Human Development

    • Demonstrate advanced knowledge of human developmental stages and their application to the cognitive, social, emotional and physical abilities of audiences.
    • Demonstrate and address learners' diverse linguistic and cultural needs in an art education setting at an advanced level of knowledge.
    • Demonstrate and address the needs of accelerated learners and special needs learners (physical, cognitive, etc.) at an advanced level of knowledge.
    • Recognize what is important to know about art and culture as an adult learner at an advanced level; recognize what is important to know about art and culture for learners in art education settings.

  • Professional Readiness

    • Demonstrate professional-level behavior -- promptness, respect, etc. -- as an intern in a professional art education setting.
    • Demonstrate in-depth professional-level knowledge of arts education issues at an advanced level through a project, thesis or portfolio that incorporates reflective writing, observations, interviews, sound research and sound conclusions.

Academy of Art University Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Academy of Art University will demonstrate the ability to:

  1. Produce a body of work suitable for seeking professional opportunities in their chosen field of art and design.
  2. Solve creative problems within their field of art and design, including research and synthesis of technical, aesthetic, and conceptual knowledge.
  3. Communicate their ideas professionally and connect with their intended audience using visual, oral, and written presentation skills relevant to their field.
  4. Execute technical, aesthetic, and conceptual decisions based on an understanding of art and design principles.
  5. Evaluate work in their field, including their own work, using professional terminology.
  6. Recognize the influence of major cultural and aesthetic trends, both historical and contemporary, on art and design products.
  7. Learn the professional skills and behaviors necessary to compete in the global marketplace for art and design.
^ back to top

Campus Tour

If you're interested in signing up for one of the Academy of Art University's campus tours, please click here for more information.

You're Invited

Click here to view upcoming Academy events.