Major in Visual Arts Education

Turn your passion for art into a career that inspires the next generation! In the Visual Arts Education program at Central Michigan University, you’ll develop your skills as an artist while gaining the knowledge and experience to become a PK–12 art educator.

As an art education student, you’ll explore a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, graphic design, drawing, animation, and art history. This diversity of coursework will expand your creative toolkit and prepare you to bring a variety of media, techniques, processes, and cultural perspectives into your future PK–12 classroom.

At the same time, you’ll be part of CMU’s high-quality Teacher Education program, learning from faculty in the College of Education and Human Services. You’ll explore topics such as child development, teaching diverse learners, classroom management, and effective teaching practices. You’ll then bring your artistic and educational experiences together in courses specifically designed to prepare you to teach visual art in elementary and secondary schools.

Your journey as an educator begins early. You’ll have opportunities to visit and observe elementary and secondary classrooms, giving you firsthand insight into the teaching profession and helping you make informed decisions about your career path.  As you advance through the program, you’ll gain even more hands-on experience through placements in local school districts. You’ll create lesson plans, teach students, collaborate with practicing educators, and build the skills you’ll need to lead your own classroom.

In your final semester at CMU, you’ll complete a full semester of student teaching, putting the theories and teaching strategies you’ve learned into practice in elementary and secondary school settings. This culminating experience prepares you to earn your teaching certificate and begin your career as a PK–12 art educator.

Art Education embraces a multiracial and multiethnic view of art and design and explores the universal ways art connects cultures and communities. Throughout the program, you’ll develop an appreciation for the importance of making art education accessible, and meaningful to all learners.

You’ll also discover how art educators can make a difference beyond the classroom by engaging with and contributing to their communities.

Your experience at CMU extends far beyond the classroom. As a member of the Department of Art and Design community, you’ll have opportunities to:

• Attend visiting artists’ workshops, presentations, and lectures
• Study abroad and experience art firsthand by drawing in Florence, Italy
• Join an art-related Registered Student Organization—or start your own
• Connect with fellow artists, designers, and educators
• Explore your creative interests through a supportive community of makers 

When you graduate with a BS Ed. in Visual Arts Education, you’ll leave CMU ready to make a difference. You’ll have developed your artistic abilities, learned from experienced educators, and built the confidence to inspire creativity in students of all ages.

At Central Michigan University, you won’t just learn how to teach art, you’ll learn how to use art to inspire and make a difference.