Studio Art (B.F.A.) - Art Education Specialization

Program Coordinator/Contact

Mark A. Stemwedel, Studio Art Program Coordinator
School of Design
Grove Hall 101, Box 2802
605-688-4103

Program Information

The Art Education Program prepares majors for careers as art educators in public and private elementary or secondary schools (K-12). The curriculum prepares students for state licensure through successful completion of the national PRAXIS competency exam. Students pursue a B.F.A. degree, including instruction in specific technical skills, application of theory and conceptual development, and Teacher Education coursework.

Student Learning Outcomes

The artist-teacher learns to connect an understanding of educational processes with an understanding of the relationship of the arts, sciences, and humanities, in order to apply art competencies in teaching situations and integrate art/design instruction into the total process of education. As defined by the National Association of the Colleges of Art and Design, upon completion of the program, majors demonstrate the following studio art outcomes:

• Understand basic expressive, technical, procedural and organizational skills and conceptual insights that can develop through art and design experiences.
• Knowledge of traditional processes as well as newer technological developments in art and design.
• Understanding how to make students emphatically aware of the all-important process of artistic creation from conceptualized image to finished work.

Graduates also demonstrate the following teaching competencies:

• Understanding of child development and the identification and understanding of principles of learning as they relate to art education.
• Understanding of the philosophical and social foundation underlying art in education and the ability to express a rationale for personal attitudes and beliefs.
• Ability to utilize aptitudes, experiential backgrounds, and interests of individuals and groups of students and to devise learning experiences to meet assessed needs.
• Ability to utilize current methods and materials available in all fields and levels of art education.
• Basic understanding of the principles and methods of developing curricula and the short- and on-term instructional units that comprise them.
• Ability to accept, amend, or reject methods and materials based on personal assessment of specific teaching situations.
• Knowledge of evaluative techniques and the ability to apply them in assessing both the progress of students and the objectives and procedures of the curriculum.
• Ability to organize personal continuing study and ability to incorporate knowledge gained into self-evaluation and professional growth.

Academic Requirements

• Studio Art students must maintain at least a major GPA of 2.6 and an overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the duration of the program.  A grade of a “C” or better is required in all ART, ARTE, ARTH, GDES, DSGN, LA, ARCH, and ID courses. 
• A grade of “C” or better is required in SPCM 101 , ENGL 101 , PSYC 101 , and MATH 102  or higher (if these courses are in your plan of study), and all courses for the major (classes with department/program prefix).
• An overall GPA of 2.5 is required to enroll in any education courses.

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

Accreditation

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs
South Dakota Department of Education

Certification and Licensure

• Completion of an approved bachelor’s K-12 preparation program.
• Completion of an approved Indian Studies course.
• Pass the state designated content knowledge test or 2.7 GPA in content major coursework.
• Pass the state designated pedagogy test.
• Completion of a Suicide Awareness and Prevention training, available free online through the South Dakota Department of Education.
• Apply online with the South Dakota Department of Education.
• Written recommendation from institution of higher education (SDSU) verifying program completion.

Course Delivery Format

Course content is delivered through hands-on studio work combined with lectures, demonstrations and critiques.