Art Education

• College teaching
• Administration
• Research
• Public school art teaching
• Art supervision

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

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 each degree program:

M.S. and Ph.D. Application Materials

1. Completed official Penn State Graduate School Application for Admission. 
2. Submit a one- to two-page Statement of Professional Intent which includes:
   1. professional objectives
   2. how these objectives would be furthered by graduate study,
   3. the areas in which research and creative work are planned,
   4. what the applicant hopes to do with the graduate degree he or she is seeking to attain, and
   5. evidence that the applicant is prepared to undertake graduate level work. 
3. Submit an example of scholarly writing. 
4. Submit three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should attest to the applicant’s scholarship and ability to work independently. 
5. Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
6. 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. 
7. 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. Official transcripts from all post-secondary 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 GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students.

Degree Requirements

Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies.

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. 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. Applicants admitted to the degree program who have accumulated credits as non-degree graduate students may be able to apply these credits towards the M.P.S. degree, subject to restrictions outlined in GCAC-309 Transfer Credit.

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:

AED 594 is the culminating experience for the program with an action research project in one's teaching context.

Master of science (M.S.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies.

A minimum of 30 credits at the 400, 500, 600, or 800 level is required, with least 18 credits at the 500 and 600 level, combined. Students must take a minimum of 15 credits in art education. M.S. candidates are expected to complete the following:

M.S. candidates must prepare and orally defend a thesis. Requirements include 6 credits of thesis research within the 30 credits.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies.

Course Requirements

All doctoral students are expected to complete the following core courses:

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.

qualifying examination

Once admitted to the doctoral program, all students must take a qualifying examination, which is given during the first year that the student is in residence. During the qualifying 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.

All Ph.D. students must complete at least 2 continuous semesters of residency after passing the qualifying examination.

English Competence

At or before the qualifying exam, all doctoral students 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.

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 Ph.D. 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 Ph.D. committee. The dissertation must be defended before the academic community at a final oral examination. The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School

Dual-Titles

Dual-Title Ph.D. in Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in GCAC-208 Dual-Title Graduate Degree Programs.

Admission Requirements

Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program in Art Education and The Graduate School before they can apply for admission to the dual-title degree program. After admission to their primary program, students must apply for admission to and meet the admissions requirements of the African American and Diaspora Studies dual-title program. Refer to the Admission Requirements section of the African American and Diaspora Studies Bulletin page. Doctoral students must be admitted into the dual-title degree program in African American and Diaspora Studies prior to taking the qualifying examination in their primary graduate program.

Degree Requirements

To qualify for the dual-title degree, students must satisfy the degree requirements for the degree they are enrolled in Art Education, listed on the Degree Requirements tab. In addition, students must complete the degree requirements for the dual-title in African American and Diaspora Studies, listed on the African American and Diaspora Studies Bulletin page.

The qualifying examination committee for the dual-title Ph.D. degree will be composed of Graduate Faculty from Art Education and must include at least one Graduate Faculty member from the African American and Diaspora Studies program. Faculty members who hold appointments in both programs’ Graduate Faculty may serve in a combined role. There will be a single qualifying examination, containing elements of both Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies. Dual-title graduate degree students may require an additional semester to fulfill requirements for both areas of study and, therefore, the qualifying examination may be delayed one semester beyond the normal period allowable.

Ph.D. Committee Composition

In addition to the general Graduate Council requirements for Ph.D. committees, the Ph.D. committee of an Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies dual-title Ph.D. student must include at least one member of the African American and Diaspora Studies Graduate Faculty. Faculty members who hold appointments in both programs’ Graduate Faculty may serve in a combined role. If the chair of the Ph.D. committee is not also a member of the Graduate Faculty in African American and Diaspora Studies, the member of the committee representing African American and Diaspora Studies must be appointed as co-chair.

Comprehensive Exams

The African American and Diaspora Studies Graduate Faculty member on the student's committee is responsible for developing and administering the African American and Diaspora Studies portion of the student's comprehensive exams. The exam must incorporate written and oral components in African American and Diaspora Studies based on the student’s research interest and specialization in African American and Diaspora Studies. The African American and Diaspora Studies portion of the exam may address one or more of the following components: broad history of the field, contemporary theory and debates, and either sexual and gender politics or a topic related to the student’s specific area of interest.

Dissertation

The candidate must complete a dissertation and pass a final oral defense of that dissertation on a topic that reflects their original research and education in both Art Education and African American and Diaspora Studies in order to earn the dual-title PhD degree. The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School.

Dual-Title M.S. and Ph.D. in Art Education and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in GCAC-208 Dual-Title Graduate Degree Programs.

Admissions Requirements

Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program in Art Education and The Graduate School before they can apply for admission to the dual-title degree program. After admission to their primary program, students must apply for admission to and meet the admissions requirements of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies dual-title program. Refer to the Admission Requirements section of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Bulletin page. Doctoral students must be admitted into the dual-title degree program in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies prior to taking the qualifying examination in their primary graduate program.

Degree Requirements

To qualify for the dual-title degree, students must satisfy the degree requirements for the degree they are enrolled in Art Education, listed on the Degree Requirements tab. In addition, students must complete the degree requirements for the dual-title in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, listed on the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Bulletin page. 

The qualifying examination committee for the dual-title Ph.D. degree will be composed of Graduate Faculty from Art Education and must include at least one Graduate Faculty member from the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Faculty members who hold appointments in both programs’ Graduate Faculty may serve in a combined role. There will be a single qualifying examination, containing elements of both Art Education and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Dual-title graduate degree students may require an additional semester to fulfill requirements for both areas of study and, therefore, the qualifying examination may be delayed one semester beyond the normal period allowable.

In addition to the general Graduate Council requirements for Ph.D. committees, the Ph.D. committee of an Art Education and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies dual-title Ph.D. student must include at least two members of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Faculty. Faculty members who hold appointments in both programs’ Graduate Faculty may serve in a combined role. If the chair of the Ph.D. committee is not also a member of the Graduate Faculty in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, the member of the committee representing Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies must be appointed as co-chair. The Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies representative on the student’s Ph.D. committee will develop questions for and participate in the evaluation of the comprehensive examination.

Students in the dual-title program are required to write and orally defend a dissertation on a topic that is approved in advance by their Ph.D. committee and reflects their original research and education in Art Education and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Upon completion of the doctoral dissertation, the candidate must pass a final oral examination (the dissertation defense) to earn the Ph.D. degree. The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School.

Minor

A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policy GCAC-218 Minors.

Student Aid

Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by the Fox Graduate School.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 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 (AED) Course List

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