Art Education
BFA

Combine your passion for art with your dedication to teaching.

Centered on studio practice, UMass Dartmouth's BFA in Art Education is a professional degree that will prepare you for elementary or secondary school teaching and for careers in other learning environments.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

As a teacher of art, you will be able to:

encourage reflection, compassion, and creativity
shape the visual and aesthetic experiences of your students
integrate the arts into the community: schools, healthcare facilities, neighborhoods, cities

The Art Education program leads to the Massachusetts initial license to teach in grades PreK-8 or 5-12. A non-licensure track is also available.

14 concentrations available

2-Dimension Elementary
3-Dimension Elementary
Ceramics Secondary
Digital Media Secondary
Drawing Secondary
Graphic Design Secondary
Illustration Secondary

Jewelry/Metals Secondary
Painting Secondary
Photography Secondary
Printmaking Secondary
Sculpture Secondary
Textile Design/Fiber Arts Secondary

Your curriculum will balance course work in the arts with classes in human development and learning. You will select a studio arts concentration and follow a series of theoretical, practical, and studio-based experiences leading to proficiency in the teaching of art. Your supervised field experiences will culminate in a semester of student teaching.

For the BFA in Art Education, you'll complete 105 credits in courses related to your major, and 129 credits overall.

Course descriptions, schedules and requirements

Student success

Cade Hanley '24: Artist-Student-Athlete

Montana native, art education major, and captain of the Corsair hockey team calls UMassD the perfect fit.

Student teaching

Practicum and pre-practicum sites include:

Area public schools
Nativity Preparatory School
New Bedford Art Museum

Career Placements

Area public schools

College of Visual & Performing Arts undergraduate median starting salary:
$55,000

NACE Data Collection of Class of 2023 Undergraduate Alumni

UMassD advantages

Fieldwork: gain experience working in public and private schools, healthcare settings, community centers, and public agencies
Facilities: state-of-the-art classroom and studio spaces provide a professional environment for your work
Community: participate in the student chapter of the National Art Education Association

Expand your opportunities

Post-Baccalaureate Art Teacher Licensure: The post-baccalaureate program for art teacher licensure is designed for students with a bachelor's degree in studio art; it leads to initial licensure as an art teacher in grades PreK-8 or 5-12.

Master of Art Education: With an emphasis on how the arts are integrated into daily life, the MAE program leads to a single-level professional certification in Massachusetts as an art teacher in grades Pre K-8 or 5-12.