Art Education : Teacher Certification - FSU College of Fine Arts

M.S. in Art Education - Teacher Certification

The MS in Art Education – Teacher Certification (Option 1) equips graduates to teach in formal and informal educational environments. Our dedicated faculty members have a range of educational experience in visual and cultural literacies, covering elementary, secondary, museum, and informal learning environments. With over a 70-year history, we believe in the intrinsic value of art to transform lives. Intent on achieving our mission, we aim to educate aspiring and seasoned art educators to use art education as a platform for social change.

apply for this program

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Rolling admissions – March 1, July 1, November 1

Art Education Teacher Certification student in classroom

Program Overview

The primary mission of this degree is to prepare art teachers for public and private school service, who possess knowledge and skills in the arts, advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in art education and understanding of the roles of education within wider contexts of culture and society. The degree provides comprehensive, field specific knowledge and is primarily focused on social justice art education.

This degree is a state-approved, initial teacher preparation program. Requirements are incorporated into the program of study to make students eligible for K-12 certification in art. The degree is suitable for aspiring teachers, and community art educators.

This is a mainly a residential degree, although Florida residents may opt to complete this degree online. Note: Out-of-state students cannot complete teacher licensure online.

Admissions Requirements
- EXPERIENCE & GPA REQUIREMENTS
  - An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework
  - The applicant must be in good standing in the institution of higher education
  - An undergraduate major related to Art, Art Education, Arts Administration, Museums, or Performing Arts or thirty (30) hours of Arts and/or Art Education and/or Art History coursework. (Students may satisfy deficiencies upon acceptance into the program.)
- GRE Test Scores
  - Earn a minimum percentile ranking of 55% on the Verbal and 25% on the Quantitative portions of the GRE.
  - The GRE waiver may be requested for students that have achieved a 3.0 GPA during their undergraduate studies OR for students that have taken and passed the FTCE 1 – general knowledge exam.
- TOEFL (for International Students only)
  - Minimum scores: 80 internet/213 computer
- TRANSCRIPTS
  - Official transcripts must be submitted
  - For detailed information on this process, visit: Graduate Admissions.
Application Materials
- CV/Resume
- Letters of Recommendation
  - Students must submit three letters of recommendation
  - The letters of recommendation should be from someone who can describe your ability to meet the graduate level of rigor and expectations in coursework, writing, and speaking skills
- Statement of Purpose
  - A 1,000 word biography addressing:
    - professional or academic background
    - career goals
    - rationale for applying to the program
    - list of other programs you are applying to
  - Advice for writing a statement of purpose can be found at the FSU Career Center Website
- Academic Writing Sample
  - Most people submit a paper that they wrote in college, retouching it for content and style.
  - If you don’t have a paper that you have already written, you can write one from scratch.
  - You’ll want to submit a piece of writing that demonstrates your ability to analyze a topic in the same (or related) field to which you are applying.
- A 10-12 Piece Portfolio
  - A portfolio is one of the most important pieces of your graduate school application. Not only does it demonstrate your skills, but it shows your level of professionalism in how you’re able to present yourself and your work.
  - Your portfolio should include 10-12 pieces of your artwork showing a range of artistic competencies
  - This portfolio should be submitted on the SLATE system
Rolling Admissions Deadlines
- FALL ADMISSIONS
  - Applicants interested in funding consideration: March 1
  - Applicants uninterested in funding consideration: July 1
- SPRING ADMISSIONS
  - Applicants uninterested in funding consideration: November 1
- SUMMER ADMISSIONS
  - Applicants uninterested in funding consideration: March 1
Objectives
- Prepare students to be eligible for a Florida professional teacher certification in Art (k-12).
- Provide in-depth preparation on historical and contemporary trends in art education.
- Engage students in connecting art education to ongoing work for social change.
Structure
- Minimum 45 credit hours.
- Can take 4-6 semesters to complete, depending on the start date.
- Students have field placements every semester to fully prepare students for the k-12 teaching environment.
- The program culminates with 9 hours, or a full semester, of student teaching.
- This is mostly a residential program, with students completing coursework on Tallahassee’s main campus.
- In-state Florida residents can opt to complete this degree fully or partially online.