Art Education Major

Art Educators in the Saint Xavier University Secondary Education program are taught to provide active and imaginative learning strategies for the visual education of students. Through an interdisciplinary Art, Design and Art History program, future artists/teachers acquire a thorough knowledge of visual art and design concepts, as well as techniques and experiences to bring to their prospective roles as visual art/design educators.

Required Art & Design Department core classes:

  • Drawing I & II
  • 2 & 3 -Dimensional Design
  • Three Art History/Humanities courses
  • Two semesters of Senior Seminar

In addition to the nine required Art & Design Department core classes, a combination of Studio Art and Design classes are recommended for Art Education majors, which examine a variety of media and skills. Art educators must also present individual creative work in Senior Seminar. A computer graphics course is recommended, as well as at least one mixed-media course, like Book as Art and Design, Collage & Assemblage, Design History and Inspiration or Interdisciplinary Installation, to bring the total hours in the major to 45 semester hours.

Certification requirements for Secondary Education instruction in Illinois are met by successful completion of Education courses taken in the Education minor of this program (27 s.h.), and passing grades in the Basic Skills Test and the Fine Arts Illinois Certification Test. Student teachers generally allot a separate semester for their six semester hours of directed teaching experience in a local school. Students wishing to be certified to teach art in high school must apply to the School of Education for admission.

State requirements for Secondary Art teachers suggest an appropriate distribution of courses in the following areas:

  1. Painting, Drawing, Printmaking
  2. Graphic Design and Computer Graphics
  3. Sculpture and Ceramics
  4. Constructional Design, Photography, Film
  5. Art Education
  6. History and Appreciation of Art