Art Education

An image depicting work at the School of Art + Design.

Ever wondered why we have particular aesthetic responses to works of art? Curious about how we, as children, develop creative talent and art appreciation? To teach art, we need to understand how we learn art. This understanding sits at the heart of Art + Designs cutting-edge art education curriculum.

Theoretical thinking and hands-on learning: These are critical to your development as an art educator and central to our curriculum. Our courses allow you to explore a wide range of issues within the field of art education:

Application of electronic technologies in art education
Community-based art education
Cultural studies
Curriculum development
Early childhood development
Multiculturalism
Museum education

In our classes, you work closely with faculty members who are both accessible and engaged in serious academic research. Current faculty interests range from semiotics to the relationship between social context and learning. Collectively, our faculty offers expertise in phenomenological and qualitative research methods, anthropological field work, and curriculum inquiry—a spectrum that ensures you receive strong training in the theoretical and practical aspects of art education.

A degree in art education at the School of Art + Design prepares you to be a leader—be it in an elementary school, a museum, or a graduate seminar. Our joint emphasis on traditional and emerging arts, as well as our multidisciplinary opportunities among the School of Art + Design and the College of Education, promises dynamic training that will keep you at the forefront of the world of art education.

Art Education curriculum requirements

Art Education degree requirements are listed under the College of Fine and Applied Arts on the University of Illinois Programs of Study website.

Download the Art Education Handbook.

Resources in Art Education

The School of Art + Design's art education curriculum is supplemented by a range of resources at the university, such as:

The Ricker Library of Architecture and Art, an extensive collection of more than 120,000 volumes, 35,000 microforms, 33,000 serials, and a wide selection of videos
The Education and Social Science Library, the home of nearly 150,000 volumes, 556,000 microforms, and 2,000 serials
The Krannert Art Museum, including an archive of over 8,000 works of art and rotating exhibitions of traditional and innovative artworks
The Spurlock Museum, a facility highlighting the diversity of cultures around the globe and housing an intriguing array of artistic objects culled from societies past and present, near and far