Art Education

Art Education Department Mission

The mission of the Art Education department is to create articulate, judicious, and socially-conscious art educators who can effectively translate the language and process of an artist into a teaching philosophy that encourages informed and active decision-making skills and critical inquiry.

Art Education Program Description

Teaching artists share their expertise, knowledge, and skills to motivate others to learn about, think about, and create art. The Art Education program at RMCAD is designed to develop a strong artist practice in unison with effective and appropriate education techniques and knowledge.

RMCAD Art Education students understand young people’s experiences in relation to society and advocate for the arts as a literacy that contributes to the development of the global community. Art Education majors develop their ability to communicate ideas, experiences, and events at a sophisticated level through an undergraduate education focused on creativity, innovation, leadership, conceptual thinking, and technical expertise.

The RMCAD Art Education teacher preparation program is approved by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE). RMCAD graduates in Art Education are prepared to apply for a K-12 teaching license in Art with the Colorado Department of Education. The program is designed in accordance with CDE and the Colorado Performance-Based Standards for Colorado Teachers and knowledge of: literacy, mathematics, standards and assessment, content standards, classroom and instructional management, individualization of instruction, technology, and democracy, educational governance, and careers in teaching. Coursework supports the Statutory Performance Measures of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Colorado Model Content Standards for Visual Arts, and the National Art Education Association.

RMCAD Art Education graduates are leaders, innovators, and thinkers poised to enrich the profession. They can inspire young learners to become communicators, critical thinkers able to reason and analyze, researchers, problem solvers, group contributors, and responsible artists who consciously consider personal and societal values.

Educated to be lifelong learners, graduates are conversant with the role of education with technology; contemporary art; the language, concepts, and skills of art; the history of ideas and events; and they believe that everyone should have the opportunity to explore ideas and meaning in and through the arts. Additionally, the strong studio art backgrounds the graduates have gained at RMCAD help to inform their teaching and personal art practices.

Students enrolled in the RMCAD Art Education program must complete and pass the fingerprint requirement and Colorado Bureau of Investigation background check during the first term enrolled in an Art Education course. The PRAXIS test must be taken and passed by the teacher candidate before s/he can apply to CDE for teacher licensure. Additionally, teacher candidates must be prepared to student teach for 16 weeks during their final term at RMCAD which may not coincide with the RMCAD academic calendar. This degree program is offered only in hybrid format and is not available solely online.

RMCAD’s Art Education BFA only allows graduates to become licensed to teach art in the state of Colorado. Students seeking licensure outside of Colorado should contact their Program Chair and/or Student Advisor for assistance in identifying the correct educational state agency.

All full-time and part-time Art Education students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 by the end of their first semester and for the duration of the Art Education degree program. Failure to meet these requirements may delay registration for Art Education core courses and delay projected graduation.

Art Education Online

The intent of the Art Education Online program is to expand upon the College’s undergraduate degree offerings to both on-campus and online students by providing access to the College’s existing BFA degree in Art Education to a wider range of students. The program contributes to RMCAD’s overall focus on artists, designers, and educators. This online program provides students with a solid foundation in technical, aesthetic, critical, and practical skills necessary to succeed in post academic K-12 education environment. Offering online programs is central to RMCAD’s strategic plan. The mission, vison and value statements adopted by the Board of Directors support online program development as a core strategy to promote excellence in teaching and learning and expanding access to educational programs in the arts.

The purpose of our teacher preparatory curriculum is to develop a strong artist practice in unison with effective and appropriate education techniques and knowledge. This approach supports the growth of Teaching Artists who learn to share their expertise, knowledge and skills to motivate others to learn, think, and create art. Required extensive Field Experience Hours in K-12 schools build a strong understanding of youth development in relation to the global community. RMCAD’s Art Education students have a sense of purpose to communicate ideas, experiences and events at a sophisticated level that focuses on creativity, innovation, leadership, conceptual thinking and technical expertise. The purpose of the Studio Emphasis (Animation, Graphic Design, and Illustration) is to allow students to further their personal exploration in the field of Art and Design. This practice supports the department belief that an art educator must also be well versed as a professional studio artist. These two practices in unison prepare our students with a strong foundation upon entering the field of education after graduation.

Program Outcomes

The Art Education Department uses Performance-Based Standards for Colorado Teachers found at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/.

Programs

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Classes Starting Soon!