CHRISTINE M. THOMPSON, Art Education Graduate Coordinator
30E Borland Building
814-865-6570
cmt15@psu.edu
Ph.D., M.S., M.P.S., Ph.D. and M.S. Dual Degrees in Art Education and Women's Studies
This program helps students prepare for careers in college teaching, administration, research, public school art teaching, and art supervision.
For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or (2) a postsecondary degree that is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate degree earned from an officially recognized degree-granting international institution.
The language of instruction at Penn State is English. International applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, enrollment, and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
International applicants are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement who have received a baccalaureate or a graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales.
Students who seek admission to the graduate program must make formal application to The Graduate School and admissions committee of the Art Education program. To be admitted without deficiencies, the student is expected to have completed either a baccalaureate degree in art education or a program considered by the admissions committee to provide an appropriate background for the application's degree objectives. Related programs include work in studio art, art history, art education, education, museum education, etc. Deficiencies may be made up by course work that is not counted as credit toward an advanced degree. Students pursuing graduate degrees may simultaneously take course work leading to teaching certification and art supervisory certification. The students who plan to teach art education at the college level should note that some institutions require professors to hold a public school art teaching certificate and to have had public school teaching experience.
Students with a minimum 3.00 junior/senior grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) and with appropriate course backgrounds will be considered for admission. The most qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of spaces that are available for new students. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 average may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests. Transcripts should indicate high attainment in appropriate academic and creative work. Letters of recommendation should attest to scholarship and ability to work independently. In addition to the above requirements, there are specific requirements for degree programs:
Ph.D. & M.S. Application Materials:
1. Completed official Penn State Graduate School Application for Admission.
2. Scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or from the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) are required for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to general Graduate School requirements stated in the GENERAL INFORMATION section of the Graduate Bulletin.
3. Submit a one- to two-page Statement of Professional Intent which includes: (a) professional objectives, (b) how these objectives would be furthered by graduate study, (c) the areas in which research and creative work are planned, (d) what the applicant hopes to do with the graduate degree he or she is seeking to attain, and (e) evidence that the applicant is prepared to undertake graduate level work.
4. Submit an example of scholarly writing.
5. Submit three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should attest to the applicant’s scholarship and ability to work independently.
6. Submit two (2) official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended.
7. Submit a Portfolio (optional). Applicants may submit images of their creative works that represent arts-based research or images that illustrate their conception of art.
8. Indicate in your Statement of Professional Intent if you would like to be considered for an Assistantship/Fellowship.
M.P.S. Application Materials:
1. Completed official Penn State Graduate School Application for Admission.
2. Statement of purpose in pursuing the M.P.S. in Art Education.
3. Three letters of recommendation.
4. Teaching portfolio to include teaching philosophy and a sample of curricular materials developed by the applicant.
5. A critical reflective written response to an article provided in the GRADS application site. The response should outline the key arguments made by the author(s), a critical evaluation of the logic and assumptions in the article, and a connection to the applicant's own instructional or professional experience.
6. Curriculum vitae with evidence of professional leadership and service.
7. Two official transcripts from all institutions attended, including official military transcripts (if applicable). (All college or university transcripts are required regardless of the length of time that has passed, the grades earned, or the accreditation of the institutions attended.)
8. International applicants whose first language is not English or who have received a baccalaureate or master's degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is not English, please refer to the international students page for more information about language proficiency.
A minimum of 30 graduate credits is required for the M.S. and M.P.S. degrees. Students must take a minimum of 15 credits in art education. Of those, M.S. candidates are expected to complete the following 3-credit core: A ED 502, 505; 536 or 588; and A ED 590 (1 credit for each two semesters enrolled in course work). Students must take additional credits to total a minimum of 15 credits. All master's degree candidates must also complete 6 credits of foundational studies at the 400 level or above in areas such as art history, studio, philosophy, educational theory and policy, educational psychology, psychology, and anthropology. The remaining 9 credits are made up of elective studies.
Additional M.S. requirements. For M.S. candidates, 18 credits of course work must be at the 500 level or above. M.S. candidates must prepare and orally defend a thesis. Requirements include 6 credits of thesis research within the 30 credits.
Additional M.P.S. requirements. Students who seek admission to the M.P.S. in Art Education program should have current or recent teaching positions in a school, museum, cultural institution, or other community site at the time of application, with the expectation that the student continue to teach art in schools, museum, or other sites throughout the M.P.S. program. Applicants admitted to the degree program who have accumulated credits as non-degree graduate students may have up to 15 credits of coursework accumulated in non-degree status applied to their degree, with approval of the program.
For the M.P.S. in Art Education program, a minimum of 30 graduate credits is required. Students must complete 18 credits in 500-level courses and above, with a minimum of 6 credits at the 500-level. A minimum of 18 credits in art education includes the following Internet-based 3-credit courses: A ED 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, and A ED 594. Selecting from World Campus offering in other programs, students must take an additional 6 credits of Foundational courses at the 400 level or above in art history, studio, philosophy, educational theory and policy, educational psychology, psychology, and/or anthropology, and 6 credits of Elective courses.
M.P.S. in Art Education program participants can start in any semester, taking one online art education course and one or more foundation or elective courses in other programs per semester. A ED 594 is the culminating experience for the program with an action research project in one's teaching context.
Admission to Candidacy. Once admitted to the doctoral program, all students must take a candidacy examination, which is given during the first year that the student is in residence. During the candidacy examination there is a review of (1) the student's professional resume; (2) a statement regarding the general direction of the student's research interests and possible areas of thesis inquiry; (3) completed graduate courses; (4) proposed course of study for subsequent semesters; (5) selected graduate papers written by the student; (6) slides or original work if studio inquiry is part of the student's program of study.
English competence. At or before the candidacy exam, all candidates for doctoral degrees are required to demonstrate high-level competence in the use of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking, as part of the requirement for the doctoral program. Competency must be formally attested to by the student's committee before the comprehensive examination is held.
Course requirements. All doctoral students are expected to complete the following 3-credit core courses: A ED 502, 505, 536, 588; and
A ED 590 (1 credit for each two semesters enrolled in course work).
Additional Ph.D. requirements. All Ph.D. students must complete at least 2 continuous semesters of residency after being admitted to candidacy. Although not required by the program, Ph.D. students are strongly encouraged to complete a minor area of study. A foreign language is not required of Ph.D. candidates. Instead, the inquiry and foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. is met through 12 credits of graduate-level course work in a related discipline as determined by the student's committee. All Ph.D. students are required to complete 18 credits of course work in art education. These 18 credits comprise the core courses plus two other courses in art education at the 400-level or above.
Comprehensive examination. Ph.D. candidates are required to take a written and oral comprehensive examination once their course work is substantially completed. The examination, prepared by the student's doctoral committee, covers all phases of the student's doctoral work both inside and outside the field of art education.
Doctoral dissertation. Ph.D. candidates are required to complete a dissertation on a topic of research approved by the student's doctoral committee. The dissertation must be defended before the academic community at a final oral examination.
Graduate assistantships and other forms of student aid are described in the STUDENT AID section of the Graduate Bulletin.
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 599 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
ART EDUCATION (A ED) course list
Last Revised by the Department: Spring Semester 2012
Blue Sheet Item #: 40-07-014
Review Date: 06/12/2012
Faculty updated: 5/15/13