Pursuing art education as a major gives you the chance to develop and hone art-making skills, pursue a professional education, and build a cultural understanding of visual art.
In addition to studying art, you’ll complete the required Education Core courses, which leads to certification to teach K-12 art in the State of Washington.
Declare the BFA here! For any questions, contact:
Jenny Hyde
Art Program Director
Art Education Faculty Advisor
jhyde@ewu.edu
The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.
Art - Education K-12 Major, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Students who complete the coursework and other requirements for this BFA degree will be eligible for Washington State Teacher Certification and are eligible to be employed in the public school system as an art teacher. Teaching art is a highly rewarding career choice with a variety of employment possibilities - not only are art teachers needed in public schools - but they are also employed in museums, community centers, and/or in corporate training venues, etc. Of note, Eastern Washington University’s outstanding art education program strives to produce effective teachers who are working artists.
All Art Education students will work closely with an Art Advisor as they complete the program. This program requires all majors to apply to the School of Education in their Junior year before completing the Secondary Education requirements in their Senior year.
This major satisfies the endorsement for preschool to grade 12.
| Secondary Education Program Prerequisites | ||
| All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 6 years. | ||
| A grade ≥B- in all prerequisite courses is required for admission to the Education program. | ||
| CMST 201 | PUBLIC SPEAKING | 5 |
| or CMST 340 | INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | |
| EDUC 201 | INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATION | 3 |
| ENGL 201 | COLLEGE COMPOSITION: ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION (or approved equivalent) | 5 |
| SOST 300 | PEOPLES AND GOVERNANCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST | 5 |
| SPED 363 | INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION | 4 |
| PSYC 204 | EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY | 5 |
| Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning proficiency* | 5 | |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
* Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning courses
Grade Requirements: A grade ≥B- in all Education prerequisite courses is required.
GPA Requirement: a minimum ≥2.8 GPA.
Students should apply to the Education program under the guidance of the Faculty Advisor.
| Required BFA Courses | ||
| ART 201 | IMAGE AND TECHNOLOGY | 5 |
| ART 202 | METHODS AND MATERIALS | 5 |
| ART 300 | DRAWING | 5 |
| ART 313 | ART ACROSS TIME: 18TH CENTURY TO CONTEMPORARY | 5 |
| or ART 312 | ART ACROSS TIME: PREHISTORY TO 17TH CENTURY | |
| or ART 315 | HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY | |
| ART 331 | CONTEMPORARY ART | 5 |
| or ART 314 | THE BODY IN ART | |
| or ART 340 | NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN ART | |
| ART 391 | FOUNDATIONS OF ART EDUCATION | 5 |
| ART 406 | ART AND COMMUNITY | 5 |
| or ART 407 | ART AS SOCIAL ACT | |
| Art Applied Learning | 5-8 | |
| Consult with faculty advisor on art teaching internships and topics: | ||
| ART IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | ||
| INTERNSHIP | ||
| TOPICS IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE | ||
| Art Experience Courses | ||
| ART 225 | CERAMICS I | 5 |
| ART 355 | PAINTING | 5 |
| or ART 356 | WATERCOLOR | |
| ART 365 | SCULPTURE | 5 |
| or ART 381 | FIBER AND TEXTILES | |
| ART 305 & 305L | PHOTOGRAPHY: DIGITAL PRACTICES and PHOTOGRAPHY: DIGITAL PRACTICES LAB | 5 |
| or ART 303 | DIGITAL ART | |
| Art Development - choose one or more with faculty advisor (400 level courses can be repeated for credit): | 5-10 | |
| DRAWING | ||
or ART 401 | FIGURE DRAWING | |
| CERAMICS III | ||
or ART 465 | SCULPTURE II | |
| PAINTING II | ||
or ART 456 | WATERCOLOR II | |
| EXPANDED PHOTO/MEDIA and EXPANDED PHOTO/MEDIA LAB | ||
or ART 403 | DIGITAL ART: THE MOVING IMAGE | |
| WORKSHOP IN ART | ||
| Required Capstone | ||
| ART 490 | SENIOR CAPSTONE | 5 |
| Required Education Courses | ||
| EDUC 303 | FOUNDATIONS OF ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| EDUC 309 | FOUNDATIONS OF SECONDARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| EDUC 341 | SECONDARY STRATEGIES, MANAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| EDUC 386A | FIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM | 3 |
| EDUC 386B | FIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM | 3 |
| EDUC 413 | CONTENT AREA LITERACY: MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION CANDIDATES | 3 |
| EDUC 426 | SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING 5-12 | 12 |
| EDUC 427 | GENERAL STUDENT TEACHING K-12 | 3-15 |
| Total Credits | 103-123 | |
Students who earn a BFA in Art - Education K-12 from EWU should be able to:
Notes: offered once a year.
Pre-requisites: declared art education major or minor.
An examination and review of significant historical and philosophical thought in the development of contemporary K–12 art education. Also involves sequential curriculum design, assessment of student learning, sharing of art education resources, and art program advocacy. Examines and verifies professional competency prior to student teaching.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 101, ART 213 (may be taken concurrently); or permission of the instructor.
This critical survey traces the development of art from the beginning of humanity in Mesopotamia, the “cradle of civilization,” to the global Baroque. Includes the study of Ancient Greek art, the Medieval period, and the Renaissance, with a focus on cultural contact and the trade routes. Emphasis is on situating key works of art in their context. Provides the principles of visual analysis and library research.
Pre-requisites: ART 201 or ART 202 or DESN 100 or DESN 200, or junior standing.
Introduction to oil painting that explores painting techniques, intentional color mixing, and a thorough understanding of value and tonal ranges within a composition. Develops technical and compositional skills, a heightened awareness of color interaction, and creates a solid foundation for continued growth and experimentation.
Beginning ceramic art course that introduces the possibilities for creative expression, aesthetics, and techniques using clay. Students develop skills in ceramic construction and use of surface on ceramic artworks. Examines historical and contemporary ceramic art and design practices relevant to the use of clay as a creative medium.
If you love creating art and helping others grow, majoring in Art Education lets you do both.
You’ll learn to teach various art forms, including painting, drawing, digital media, and sculpture. Meanwhile, you’ll sharpen your own skills as an artist and educator.
In this program, you’ll get plenty of hands-on studio experience while also learning how to educate people about art. You’ll explore art history, practice different techniques, and learn to develop dynamic lessons that foster creativity and critical thinking in others.
Graduates can teach in schools, run art workshops, work in museums, and lead arts programs. With an Art Education degree, you’ll leverage your creativity to inspire others and highlight the importance of the arts.
Explore careers in art education: