Master of Arts with Initial Visual Art Teacher Certification
Designed for those who wish to teach art in a school setting. Involves carefully selected coursework in art education theory and pedagogy, plus and a year-long student teaching practicum, essential for securing jobs in public and independent schools. Leads to Initial Art Teacher’s Certification (PK-12).
Please visit our FAQ to learn more about the difference between degrees and other pertinent program information.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Master of Arts
- Points/Credits: 40
- Entry Terms: Fall
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time, Part-Time
Certification
View Public Disclosure Notification
- NY State Initial: Visual Arts Pre-K-12
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Summer | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Fall | January 15, 2025 | July 1, 2025 | N/A |
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation | |
| Academic Writing Sample | |
| Supplemental application required (included in online application) | |
| Digitial portfolio required (included in online application) |
For admission-related inquiries, please contact AHadmission@tc.columbia.edu.
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.
Required Courses in Art Education (34 points):
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A&HA 4079 - Exploring cultural diversity: Implications for art education (2 points)
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A&HA 4080 - Artistic development of children (2 points) with co-requisite A&HA 4281 Field observations in art education 1 (1 point)
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A&HA 4081 - Curriculum design in art education (3 points)
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A&HA 4085 - Historical foundations of art education (2 points)
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A&HA 4087 - Processes and structures in the visual arts (2 points)
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A&HA 4088 - Artistic development: Adolescence to adulthood (2 points) with co-requisite A&HA 4281 - Field observations in art education 2 (1 point)
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A&HA 4089 - New media, new forms (2 points)
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A&HA 4860 - Cross-cultural conversations in the arts (1 point)
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A&HA 4102 - Challenging thinking: Plan lessons (3 points)
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A&HA 4702 - Supervised student teaching in art education: Secondary (3 points)
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A&HA 4722 - Supervised student teaching in art education: Elementary (3 points)
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A&HA 4202 - Fieldwork in art education - (0 points, with corequisite Supervised student teaching)
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Three studio courses (2 points each)
Required courses outside the program (6 points):
Students in the M.A. degree leading to New York State Initial Teacher Certification must take six (6) points offered outside the Art and Art Education Program at Teachers College. Any course that does not start with A&HA qualifies as an out-of-program, or breadth, course. Students pursuing teacher certification must earn three (3) credits in a Special Education course (required by the NYSED for certification) as part of the out-of-program requirement. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) requires that applications for Initial Teacher Preparation take and pass non-curricular certification exams.
Note:
Members of each student teaching cohort are also required to attend student teaching seminars, participate in resource workshops on documenting and evaluating their practicum teaching, and mount a Macy Gallery exhibition combining their own artwork with that of the pupils taught during their practica. Note: To be certified by New York State, there are additional requirements. Please see below and consult the Office of Teacher Education website for details.
Certification Information
To gain Initial Teacher Certification students must:
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Complete all degree requirements, including two terms of student teaching and 3 credits in Special Education.
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Get fingerprinted through the New York City Department of Education.
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Take NY State examinations.
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Complete NYSED Workshops: Child Abuse and School Violence Workshops.
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Complete Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop.
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Students will receive all pertinent information to complete items 1-5 in the Supervised Teaching Seminar.
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Must maintain a grade of B- or better in all Art and Art Education courses.
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Complete workshops: Child Abuse and Identification and Reporting Training; School Violence Intervention and Prevention Training; Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Training