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Art Education

Art Education

Expand your Creativity and Artistic Intelligence with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education Degree

Are you ready to expand your artistic intelligence and become well versed in the world of art and education? South Carolina State University’s Art Education Program can help you take that first step.

The Department of Visual and Performing Arts collaborates with the Department of Education to prepare pre-service art teachers for K-12 licensure. The purpose of the undergraduate art education program is to develop pre-service art teachers who are artistically competent and pedagogically sound. The Art Education Program is methodically structured to encourage and assist students in developing broad-based artistic capabilities and a repertoire of instructional competencies.

Emphasis is placed on:

  • In-depth knowledge and proficiency in the content of art.
  • Awareness of art history and appreciation for the arts.
  • Understanding of contemporary and historical philosophies in art education.
  • Comprehension of instructional strategies; development of effective communication skills.
  • Competence in instructional technology; exposure to ethical standards and professionalism.
  • approaches to classroom management.
  • knowledge of growth and stages of artistic development in children.
  • sensitivity to diversity and its ramification for learning.
  • commitment to scholarship and professional development.
  • curricular paradigms that are reflective of goals and purposes of art education, the school, the community, and the broader society.

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Why You Should Major in Art Education at South Carolina State University?

Students in the Art Education Program receive hands-on experience in the field to help prepare them for the future. Students are exposed to many art-specific teaching exercises within the Art Education curriculum. As a part of the program, students will spend the entirety of their final semester in a public-school classroom gaining mentorship and experience through their student teaching clinical experience.

With partnerships in the Orangeburg community, there are also paid summer opportunities to work with organizations outside of SC State, providing art instruction to the community. This can be various art workshops and classes that are advertised and organized by these organizations.

Based on the critical need for art teachers in South Carolina, graduates that complete the B.S. in Art Education have a 100% placement rate as first-year teachers in public K-12 school districts across the state. Certification can also be transferred to other states on a case-by-case basis with help from academic advisors.

What Will You Study as an Art Education Major?

Students majoring in the Art Education Program are required to take six hours of studio art courses at or above the 300 level. This will enable them to develop a more advanced experience in one or more of the visual art disciplines of ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, or digital media.

Students must apply to the Department of Education and be admitted before taking upper-level education courses. In addition, students must complete 150 pre-step hours, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50, and pass the following courses to remain in the program:

  • Praxis Core,
  • Praxis II Art Content and Analysis,
  • Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT),

Student Life Organizations Connected with the Program

There is a long history of art educators that have graduated from SC State and other networking opportunities come with participation and membership in the South Carolina Art Educators Association and the National Art Educators Association.

What Can You do with an Art Education Degree?

Graduates of the art education program typically pursue careers as:

  • Public-school art teachers
  • Administrators
  • Researchers
  • Educational designers