Bachelor of Art Education in Visual Art Education
Why choose a degree in Visual Art Education?
The BAE in Visual Art Education is an interdisciplinary degree that provides students with the knowledge, skills, and experience to become either licensed preK-12 art teachers to teach in a public/ private school or qualified candidates for teaching in a community setting. To prepare for the art education profession, students complete a combination of coursework in visual art, education, and art education. The program culminates in either an internship in a community organization or a semester-long student teaching assignment in a school setting that gives a crucial background in what it means to be an art educator. Here artistic and intellectual training is balanced with professional preparation leading to careers in arts education.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission to KU must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Unless they are college transfer students with at least 24 hours of credit, prospective students must send ACT or SAT scores to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the Office of International Student and Scholar Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of Admissions website.
Admission to the Major
Students who wish to major in visual art education should seek admission to the School of the Arts at the time of application, and submit an art portfolio to the Department of Visual Art. Prospective students should contact the Department of Visual Art for information about portfolio requirements and academic advising.
In the first three semesters of study, art education majors complete the following prerequisite courses, which are required for admission into the VAE professional sequence:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 104 | Art Principles and Practice | 3 |
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval | 3 |
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
| MATH 101 | College Algebra: _____ (or higher) | 3 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition | 3 |
| KU Core 2.1, 2nd unit | ||
| PSYC 104 | General Psychology | 3 |
Admission to the VAE Professional Sequence
VAE majors must apply for admission to the VAE Professional Sequence during their sophomore year, and transfer students bringing in over 45 hours of credit must apply during their first semester at KU. The application packet should be obtained from the VAE Professional Sequence Coordinator and submitted by the due date indicated in the packet. Before applying, students must satisfy the following requirements: (1) Successfully complete all prerequisite courses, with a prerequisite GPA ≥ 2.75 and no prerequisite grade below C. (2) Earn a cumulative GPA ≥ 2.75.
Requirements for the B.A.E. Degree
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Art Education Prerequisites | ||
| KU Core Goal 1.1, Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| MATH 101 | College Algebra: _____ (KU Core Goal 1.2 Quantitative Literacy) | 3 |
| ENGL 101 | Composition (KU Core Goal 2.1, 1st unit, Written Communication) | 3 |
| A 2nd unit chosen from any course that fulfills the KU Core Goal 2.1, Written Communication requirement | 3 | |
| COMS 130 | Speaker-Audience Communication (KU Core Goal 2.2 Oral Communication) | 3 |
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| or BDS 103 | Drawing for Design | |
(KU Core Goal 3H, Arts & Humanities) | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice Fall Only | 3 |
| or BDS 101 | Design Thinking and Making | |
| ART 104 | Art Principles and Practice Spring Only | 3 |
| or BDS 102 | Design Thinking and Making II | |
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval (KU Core Goal 4.2, Global & Cultural Awareness) Fall Only | 3 |
| or HA 100 | Introduction to Western Art History | |
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary Spring Only | 3 |
| Visual Art Education Requirements | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar (ART 105 is required for incoming freshmen and transfer students with less than 30 credit hours at KU) | 1 |
| Natural Science + Natural Science Lab. Choose one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Contemporary Astronomy and Contemporary Astronomy Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Meteorology | ||
| Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Physical Geography and Introductory Laboratory in Physical Geography | ||
| Global Environment I: The Discovery of Environmental Change | ||
| The Way The Earth Works and Geology Fundamentals Laboratory | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| Introductory Physics and Introductory Physics Laboratory | ||
| Studio Art | ||
| Ceramics (ART 131 or any CER course) | 3 | |
| Expanded Media (ART 123 or any EXM course) | 3 | |
| Metalsmithing/Jewelry (ART 132 or any METL course) | 3 | |
| Painting (PNTG 263 or any PNTG course) | 3 | |
| Photography (any PHMD course or other photography course) | 3 | |
| Printmaking (ART 121 or any PRNT course) | 3 | |
| Sculpture (ART 122 or any SCUL course) | 3 | |
| Textiles (ART 133 or any TD course) | 3 | |
| Area of Emphasis | ||
| Study in any 1 studio area as designated by the Department of Visual Art, or in History of Art, or in a Design area. Must be taken at the 300 level or above. Emphasis is chosen in consultation with advisor. | 9 | |
| History of Art | ||
| Non-Western History of Art | 3 | |
| The Visual Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: ______ | ||
| African Design | ||
| Contemporary (20th Century) History of Art | 3 | |
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Special Study in Modern Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Art From 1945 to the 1980s: Modernism to Post-Modernism | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Modern Sculpture | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | ||
| C&T 235 | Cultural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in K-12 Schools (KU Core Goal 4.1 Human Diversity) | 3 |
| ELPS 250 | Education and Society (KU Core Goal 5.1 Social Responsibility & Ethics) | 3 |
| EPSY 306 | Development and Learning of the Adolescent (KU Core Goal 3S Social Science) | 3 |
| EPSY 320 | Basics of Classroom Assessment | 1 |
| EPSY 520 | Classroom Assessment | 2 |
| SPED 326 | Teaching Exceptional Children and Youth in General Education | 3 |
| C&T 359 | Literacy in the Content Areas | 1 |
| VAE 320 | Instruction and Curriculum I | 3 |
| VAE 395 | Community Collaborations in Art Education | 3 |
| VAE 410 | Instruction and Curriculum II | 3 |
| VAE 420 | Artistic Media and Processes in Art Education | 3 |
| ELPS 537 | The Governance and Organization of Schools | 3 |
| VAE 520 | Instructional Technology in Art Education | 3 |
| VAE 500 | Student Teaching (KU Core Goal 6 Analyzing & Combining Ideas) | 9 |
| or VAE 599 | Community Based Project in Art Education | |
| Additional Non-Licensure Option Elective | ||
| Students completing the BAE Degree without licensure may also need to take an additional elective at the junior/senior level (3) in any area in order to meet the University's minimum junior/senior hour requirement for degree completion. | ||
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BAE in Visual Art Education. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill KU Core Goals, please visit the KU Core website.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENGL 101 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication (1 of 2))1 | 3 | ENGL 102 (Goal 2.1 Written Communication (2 of 2))1 | 3 |
| MATH 101 (Goal 1.2 Quantitative Literacy)1 | 3 | MATH 105 | 3 |
| HA 150 (Goal 4.2 Global Awareness)1, 2 | 3 | HA 151 (History of Art)1, 3 | 3 |
| ART 101 (Goal 3 Arts and Humanities)1 | 3 | ART 1021 | 3 |
| ART 1031, 2 | 3 | ART 1041, 3 | 3 |
| ART 1052 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Goal 1.1, Critical Thinking | 3 | VAE 320 (Art Education Course)3 | 3 |
| PSYC 104 (Goal 3 Social Science)1 | 3 | COMS 130 (Goal 2.2 Communication) | 3 |
| ELPS 250 (Goal 5 Social Responsibility & Ethics; Education Course) | 3 | Goal 3 Natural Science lecture + lab (from approved list) | 4 |
| Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 1st of 8) | 3 | Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 3rd of 8) | 3 |
| Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 2nd of 8) | 3 | Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 4th of 8) | 3 |
| Non-Western History of Art (from approved list) | 3 | ||
| 18 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| VAE 410 (Art Education Course)2 | 3 | VAE 395 (Art Education Course)3 | 3 |
| C&T 235 (Goal 4.1 US Diversity, Education Course) | 3 | Contemporary History of Art 300+ (from approved list) | 3 |
| EPSY 306 (Education Course)2 | 3 | SPED 326 (Education Course) | 3 |
| Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 5th of 8) | 3 | C&T 359 (Education Course)3 | 1 |
| Area of Emphasis 300+ (Visual Art, Design or Art History; 1st of 3) | 3 | Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 6th of 8) | 3 |
| Area of Emphasis 300+ (Visual Art, Design or Art History; 2nd of 3) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| VAE 420 (Art Education Course)2 | 3 | VAE 500 (Goal 6 Integration & Creativity, Art Education Internship)3 | 9 |
| ELPS 537 (Education Course)2 | 3 | VAE 520 (Art Education Course)3 | 3 |
| Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 7th of 8) | 3 | (VAE 500 & VAE 520 taken concurrently; all other courses must be completed before this semester) | |
| Studio Art Course (1 of each studio area; 8th of 8) | 3 | ||
| Area of Emphasis 300+ (Visual Art, Design or Art History; 3rd of 3) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Hours 123 | |||
| 1 | Successful completion of the following prerequisite courses with a prerequisite GPA ≥ 2.75 and no prerequisite grade below a grade of C: ART 101, ART 102, ART 103, ART 104; HA 150, HA 151; MATH 101; ENGL 101; KU Core Goal 2.1; and PSYC 104; (2) Earn a cumulative GPA ≥ 2.75 to be able to apply for the Professional Sequence. |
| 2 | Only offered fall semesters. |
| 3 | Only offered spring semesters. |
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
The same course cannot be used to fulfill more than one KU Core Goal. However, overlap of a KU Core course with a major or degree-specific requirement is allowed. Overlapping is recommended to allow more opportunities to explore other majors and/or minors.