Art Education


Art teachers make a creative impact on tomorrow, in the classroom and in the community. Whether you want to teach third-graders how to draw or inspire high school students to experiment with mediums, our teacher education program prepares you for licensure and a successful career.

Our graduates work at Erie (Illinois) Community School District, North Scott Community Schools, Davenport Community Schools, and others.


Ambrose Advantages

  • Support and collaboration
  • Field Experiences
  • Program Approved by Iowa Department of Educaton

art professor and students around table

Kristin Quinn with student

Design Lab

SAU produces competent, caring, qualified, and effective teachers. You will benefit from how closely our Art and Teacher Education professors work together, and with you.

Art Education Fact Sheet (pdf)


More Information on Our Art Education Program

What will I learn?

You will grow your skills in printmaking, drawing, and painting; enrich your knowledge of art history; learn the most up-to-date methods in art education; get hands-on experience in an elementary classroom; observe and participate in secondary schools; and student teach.

What are some possible job outcomes?

Art Education prepares you to pursue K-6 or 7-12 licensure and become an educator in the classroom or within the community.

How do I apply to the Educator Preparation Program?

Our teacher education program prepares highly-qualified, professional classroom teachers and will allow you to get an initial license to teach in Iowa agencies and schools.

But before you apply for admission, you have to meet some requirements and complete some general education courses. 

Click here to read the Educator Preparation Program admission steps

Faculty and Staff

Joseph Lappie, MFA, Professor and Chair

Renee Meyer Ernst, MFA, Professor
Kristin Quinn, MFA, Professor
Christopher Reno, MFA, Clinical Asst. Professor and Director of Catich and Morrissey Galleries
Randy Richmond, Adjunct Professor and Studio Technician

Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Art Education

View courses and descriptions in the online course catalog

Required Art and Design Core (30 credits):
+AD 100 Drawing
+AD 110 2D Design
+AD 120 3D Design
+AD 140 Computers in Art
+AD 160 Print/Paper/Book I
AD 200 Figure Composition
WI-AD 310 Professional Practices
AD 380 Visual Narratives
+AH 250 Art Through the Ages I
+AH 251 Art Through the Ages II

Art Education Major (45 credits):
+AD 170 Water Media OR +AD 250 Experimental Drawing
+AD 220 Printmaking
+AD 270 Painting I
AD 300 Figure Drawing
EDART 370 Primary Art Methods
EDART 380 Secondary Art Methods
EDUC 205 Intro to Teaching OR EDUC 207 Teaching Orientation
EDUC 282 Educational Technology
EDUC 284 Child and Adolescent Development
EDUC 300 The Pluralistic Classroom
WI-EDUC 301 History/Philosophy of Education
WI-EDUC 309 EDPsych: Test/Measure
EDUC 336 Content Reading
EDUC 430 Observation/Student Teaching
SPED 310 Inclusion Strategies: Special Needs

Education courses, test scores, and GPA requirements for entrance into the Education program:

  • Cumulative GPA 3.0; major GPA 3.0
  • Education coursework GPA 3.0
  • ACT score: 22 (New SAT 1110, Old SAT 1530)
  • Passing scores in all three components of the PRAXIS CORE exam (reading, writing, and mathematics)
  • EDUC 205 or 207 (B or better), US History or American Government, SPED 310, EDUC 282, 284, 300, 301
  • 140 hours of pre-student teaching field experiences at two different school sites plus EDUC 309, 336, 430 (see above GPA requirements)

Minors in Art

Art Minor (18 credits)

With an Art Minor, you gain an application of technical skills in a variety of mediums.

You will also learn how to explain and demonstrate the ways in which basic design principles are applied in a variety of art media, methods, and techniques to solve visual problems in unique and intriguing ways.

Required
Take 18 credits of Art and Design (AD) courses.

Check out our other art-related major in Art History and the minor in Museum Studies.

Art Therapy Minor (24 credits)

The minor in art therapy is structured for Art or Psychology majors who are interested in how creative expression can improve individuals' well-being.

Required Core:
+AD 100 Drawing
AD 215 Introduction to Art Therapy
PSYC 105 Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 215 Research Methods

Required for Art majors

PSYC 212 Life-span Development
PSYC 324 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 342 Theories of Counseling

Choose One (3 credits):
PSYC 327 Psychology & Treatment of the Juvenile Offender
PSYC 384 Child & Adolescent Psychology

Required for Psychology majors

+AD 120 3D Design
+AD 190 Digital Photography
+AD 220 Printmaking

Choose One (3 credits):
+AD 225 Papermaking
+AD 230 Intermediate Special Topics
+AD 260 Bookbinding
+AD 270 Painting I

Arts Administration Minor (18 credits)

With an Arts Administration Minor, you gain the ability to identify and apply a breadth of business skills and concepts.

You will also learn how to effectively communicate business and organizational ideas orally, in writing and through basic visual design, as well as develop adaptability and critical thinking skills necessary to work in the arts.

All Arts Administration minors are expected to have a major in one of the following areas: Art, Art History, English, History, or Music

All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.

Choose One (3 credits):
+MUSE 380 Introduction to Museum Studies 
COMM 230 Media Writing
ENGL 315 Written Business Communication

Choose Three (9 credits):
ACCT 201 Financial Accounting
COMM 240 Principles of Public Relations
COMM 251 Public Relations Techniques
MGMT 210 Principles of Management
MGMT 216 Entrepreneurship and Innovation
MKTG 209 Principles of Marketing
MGMT 320 Human Resource Management
MKTG 359 Social Media Marketing
SLS 335 Sales Principles 

Choose One (3 credits):
+AD 140 210 Computers in Art
COMM 225 Introduction to Visual Communication

Choose One (3 credits):
AH 450 Art Historical Methods and Careers
AH 490 Internship (1-4 credits)
WI-AD 310 Professional Practices
AD 410 Internship (1-3 credits)
ENGL 400 Writing Internship (1-6 credits)
THTR 399 Internship (1-5 credits)

+ Satisfies a General Education requirement
WI writing intensive

Design and Interactive Media Minor (18 credits)

With a Design & Interactive Media Minor, students gain an understanding of the basic principles of graphic design, working knowledge of fundamental applications and languages of computer science, and skills to develop integrative approaches to solving interactive media challenges using design and code.

All courses are 3 credits.

Required:
+AD 140 Computers in Art
+AD 180 Motion Graphics
AD 290 Interaction Design Lab
+CSCI 140 Fundamentals of Computer Science
CSCI 330 Web Programming
CSCI 360 Database Management Systems

Read course descriptions

+ satisfies general education requirement

Graphic Design Minor (18 credits)

With a Graphic Design Minor, you gain a working knowledge of basic design principles and production techniques in addition to the ability to effectively organize verbal, visual, and written information for diverse audiences.

All courses are 3 credits.

Required:
+AD 110 2D Design
+AD 140 Computers in Art
AD 210 Typography
AD 320 Digital Illustration
AD 350 Branding and Identity
AD 390 Interaction Design Lab

Painting Minor (18 credits)

All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise noted.

Required:
+AD 100 Drawing
+AD 170 Water Media
+AD 270 Painting
AD 200 Figure Composition
AD 370 Painting Lab (6 credits)


+ Satisfies a General Education requirement

Print and Book Minor (18 credits)

With a Print and Book Minor, you can use interdisciplinary knowledge to express the distribution of content and learn technical competency in book, paper, and print techniques, yielding a comprehensive skill set for real-world art and design.

All courses are 3 credits.

Required:
+AD 140 computers in Art
+AD 160 Print/Paper Book I
+AD 220 Printmaking
+AD 225 Papermaking
+AD 260 Bookbinding
AD 280 Visual Narratives

Read course descriptions


Apply Visit Info

Contact


Joseph Lappie, MFA, Department Chair

Art
Galvin Fine Arts Center 7
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, Iowa 52803
563-333-6428
LappieJosephD@sau.edu

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