Double Major Program: Art Education / Studio Art
The University of Maryland’s Art Education Program is recognized for its intensive coursework and extensive applied learning designed to fully prepare future art educators for today’s diverse schools.
The Art Education / Studio Art Program embraces the artist-teacher concept which allows students to develop a strong studio practice while preparing to teach art at the P-12 level in today’s diverse schools. It provides a solid foundation in the liberal arts as well as knowledge and specialized skills in studio arts, art history, educational best practices / teaching strategies, curriculum planning / writing and classroom management. Thus, it creates a balance between the studio arts, art history, educational theory and best practice needs of successful future teachers.
We emphasize that our interns are the future leaders of their field and we’re preparing them to assume that role immediately upon being hired!
Under the supervision of faculty members, students receive pre-kindergarten through 12th grade (P-12) applied learning experiences in each art education course and also participate in an ‘After School Arts Program’ at a local school during the junior year. In their senior year students become immersed in a Year Long Internship. During the Fall Semester they have the opportunity to spend a designated time each week in assigned field placement schools - elementary and secondary - to get to know the school, their mentor, students, day-to-day teaching as well as curriculum and instructional duties. During the Spring Semester they return to the same schools / mentors to ‘student- teach’ full time in each placement.
The Year Long Internship experience is a most critical and valuable component of this teacher education program. It provides each candidate with an opportunity to gain the initial skills necessary to become an effective beginning art teacher as they observe, analyze, plan, teach, evaluate and reflect not only on their own teaching practice but also on their students’ learning.
For information on undergraduate admission to the University, please click here.
Once admitted to the University, students in the College of Education must meet the Selective Admissions requirements in order to proceed into the Professional portion of the Art Education program. The Selective Admissions requirements for the Art Education program are as follows:
Academic Requirements
- Completion of a minimum of 45 credits
- Cumulative UMD GPA of 2.75 or higher; 3.0 GPA is recommended for best consideration
- Completion of lower-level Fundamental English requirement with a “C-” or better
- Completion of lower-level Fundamental Math requirement with a “C-” or better
- Minimum passing scores on a Basic Skills Tests (see advisor for details)
Gateway Courses
- Satisfactory completion of TLPL 433 with a “B-” or better
- Satisfactory completion of the upper level content area courses. Consult Advisor for content area GPA requirement.
Experiential Requirements
- Prior experience in the education field with youth in the age range you intend to teach
- A written goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member or instructor in your content area)
- Satisfactory rating on the College of Education Foundational Competencies/Model Code of Ethics for Educators
STEP ONE: Apply for undergraduate admission to the University.
Once admitted to the University, proceed to Step Two after working with a COE Academic Advisor.
STEP TWO: Please submit your application to the Professional Teacher Education Program online using this site.
Please contact the Office of Student Services, ed-advising@umd.edu, or 301-405-2364.
For a list of the College of Education Scholarship opportunities please click here.
TLPL Art Education Program Coordinator: Dr. Margaret Walker, 2219 Benjamin, mwalker8@umd.edu
ARTT Advisor: Emily Conover, M1322 Art-Sociology, econover@umd.edu