The faculty and students of the Program in Art and Art Education share the belief that art education is a human right. We see engagements with the arts as essential to human development, community building, and civic life. Our notion of teaching and learning is broad. We embrace imaginative art education practices that serve people of all ages and backgrounds in schools, community sites, museums, colleges, and beyond. The Program welcomes students from across the United States and around the world. They represent diverse cultures, interests, and experiences, and each brings unique perspectives to our community. In turn, our master’s and doctoral degree programs broaden students’ horizons, fostering their development as artists, researchers, reflective thinkers, and imaginative educational practitioners. The Program’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is reflected across our requirements. It is evident in our students’ active studio practices; in their critical engagements with art pedagogy; in their participation in contemporary debates about art and visual culture; in their conceptualization of research studies; and in their study of the philosophy, history, and psychology of art education. As artists, educators, and scholars, we recognize that we need to exercise our voices and investigate ourselves as we work within the tensions that shape contemporary culture. Our faculty—experienced practitioners, scholars, and artists—work closely with students to design programs that meet and support their particular needs and goals. We are fortunate to have active relationships with leading cultural organizations in New York City and across the globe. Our many collaborations offer students additional opportunities to enrich and expand their programs of study.
OPTIONAL AREAS OF FOCUS
For M.A., Ed.M., Ed.D., and Ed.D.C.T. students—not available for M.A. initial teacher certification students:
Museum Education
Students may choose to take a Museum Education area of focus as part of their degree. This area of focus explores the art museum as a civic and educational institution, examines the role of museum education departments, and introduces students to innovative museum education programs and pedagogical practices.
The museum area of focus consists of four courses, which must be taken in addition to other master’s or doctoral requirements:
A&HA 5085 - The Museum Education Department: Function, Scope, Possibilities
A&HA 4090 - Teaching in the Art Museum
A&HA 5804 - Museum Experiences Across Disciplines
A&H 4000 - Inquiry in the Museum: Bridging Gallery and Studio
This course is strongly recommended for students in the museum area of focus:
A&HA 4079 - Exploring Cultural Diversity: Implications for Arts Education
Note: Students in this area of focus must secure and complete an internship or residency in a museum or gallery, in consultation with their advisor. References to this area of focus will not appear on student transcripts or records.
Studio Art Pedagogy
Students who seek to sharpen their expertise designing pedagogically sound, imaginative studio art learning opportunities may complete the Art Pedagogy area of focus. This concentration equips students to teach people of different ages in different learning contexts—schools, museums, community centers, and beyond. It combines courses in the artistic development of children and adolescents, curriculum development, studio-based practice with applications for teaching, cultural diversity in art education, and special education, along with an optional art teaching internship.
The Studio Art Pedagogy area of focus consists of the courses listed below, which must be taken in addition to other master’s or doctoral requirements:
A&HA 4080 - Artistic Development of Children
A&HA 4281 - Field Observations (two semesters)
A&HA 4088 - Artistic Development: Adolescence-Adulthood
A&HA 4087 - Processes and Structures in the Visual Arts
A&HA 4089 - New Media, New forms: Technological Trends in Art Education
A&HA 4081 - Curriculum Design in Art Education
A&HA 4102 - Challenging Thinking: Lesson Planning
A&HA 4079 - Exploring cultural diversity: Implications for Arts Education
A&HA 5202 - Fieldwork in Art Education (Optional)
Note: The Studio Art Pedagogy area of focus does not lead to New York State P-12 art teacher certification. Students who wish to become certified art teachers should apply to the Art and Art Education Program’s M.A. with Initial Teacher Certification program. Students who wish to also learn how to become clinical supervisors of art teachers in schools must complete, in addition to the courses above: A&HA 4722 Supervised teaching in art education: Elementary, A&HA 4702 Supervised teaching in art education: Secondary, and A&HA 6520 Seminar in clinical supervision in the arts: K-12. References to this area of focus will not appear on student transcripts or records.
Creative Technologies
Students may choose to take the Creative Technologies area of focus as part of their degree. This area of focus explores and strengthens the relationship between art, technology, and education. The goal is to prepare artists and art teachers to be leaders in educational ecologies that interweave digital tools and creative materials in multi- and cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and playful pedagogies.
The state-approved advanced certificate is a 15-credit point offering. Students who complete the certificate requirements will receive official acknowledgement of certificate completion on their records.
Required courses:
A&HA 4089 New media, new forms
A&HA 4084 Digital foundations in creative technologies
A&HA 5128 Studio in creative technologies
A&HA 5125 Inquiry-based art & design
A&HA 5063 Adv. studio in creative technologies
A&HA 5120 Creative technologies research seminar
A&HA 5601 Creative technologies colloquium
Community Engagement
If your aim is to be an art educator in community settings, you may take the Community Engagement area of focus as part of their degree. Students in this concentration take the courses below, along with other pertinent courses identified with advisement.
Shaping Priorities: The Arts and Community Engagement
Community Arts Pilot Project
Designing for Social Impact: Community-Based Art Education Initiatives
Academic Research in Art Education
Open to MA and EdM students. Not suitable for MA Init, Studio Practice MA (Hybrid), Ed.D., or Ed.D.C.T students.
An academically demanding specialization for students who are particularly interested in conducting rigorous, high-level scholarly research in art education. Applicants must be comfortable rereading demanding academic texts, have excellent English writing skills, and possess strong analytical abilities.
Specialization courses: Art and Visual Culture (3 credits), Research Methods in Arts and Humanities (3 credits), Proseminar I (3 credits), Proseminar II (3 credits), Advanced Seminar I (3 credits) and Advanced Seminar II (3 credits).
Points/Credits: 40
Entry Terms: Fall Only
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Required Courses in Art Education (34 points):
A&HA 4079 - Exploring cultural diversity: Implications for art education (2 points)
A&HA 4080 - Artistic development of children (2 points) with co-requisite A&HA 4281 Field observations in art education 1 (1 point)
A&HA 4081 - Curriculum design in art education (3 points)
A&HA 4085 - Historical foundations of art education (2 points)
A&HA 4087 - Processes and structures in the visual arts (2 points)
A&HA 4088 - Artistic development: Adolescence to adulthood (2 points) with co-requisite A&HA 4281 - Field observations in art education 2 (1 point)
A&HA 4089 - New media, new forms (2 points)
A&HA 4860 - Cross-cultural conversations in the arts (1 point)
A&HA 4102 - Challenging thinking: Plan lessons (3 points)
A&HA 4702 - Supervised student teaching in art education: Secondary (3 points)
A&HA 4722 - Supervised student teaching in art education: Elementary (3 points)
A&HA 4202 - Fieldwork in art education - (0 points, with corequisite Supervised student teaching)
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:
Complete all degree requirements, including two terms of student teaching and 3 credits in Special Education.
Get fingerprinted through the New York City Department of Education.
Take NY State examinations.
Complete NYSED Workshops: Child Abuse and School Violence Workshops.
Complete Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop.
Students will receive all pertinent information to complete items 1-5 in the Supervised Teaching Seminar.
Must maintain a grade of B- or better in all Art and Art Education courses.
Complete workshops: Child Abuse and Identification and Reporting Training; School Violence Intervention and Prevention Training; Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Training
Points/Credits: 34
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Required courses in Art Education:
A&HA 4080 - Artistic development of children OR A&HA 4088 - Artistic development: Adolescence-adulthood (2 points)
A&H 5001 - Research methods in arts and humanities (3 points)
A&HA 5086 - Art in visual culture (2 points)
A&HA 5922 - Master’s seminar in art education (2 points)
A&HA 6510 - Advanced seminar (2 points)
Three studio courses (2-3 points each)
Required courses outside the program (6 points minimum): Chosen with advisor approval.
Students in the M.A. program 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.
Additional courses within and outside the Program:
To be planned in consultation with the advisor and in support of individual needs and interests.
Students in this M.A. degree program are required to complete an advisor-approved integrative project on a theme or research topic arising from their interests.
Points/Credits: 32
Entry Terms: Summer Only
Degree Requirements
Required courses in Art and Art Education (26 points):
A&HA 4040 Studio practice and seminar for artist-educators 1 (3 points)
A&HA 4041 Studio practice and seminar for artist-educators 2 (3 points)
A&HA XXXX Studio (6 points, 2 courses for 3 points each)
A&HA 4902 Research and independent study (2 points, 2 courses for 1 point each)
A&HA 5045 Professional practice for artists (3 points)
A&HA 5063 Advanced studio (6 points, 2 courses for 3 points each)
A&HA 5086 Art in visual culture (3 points)
A&HA 6999 Presentation rating (0 points)
Required courses outside the program (6 points):
A&H 4043 Exploring teacher/practitioner life stories through the arts (3 points)
A&HF 4092 Education and the aesthetic experience (3 points)
Students in this M.A. program are required to assemble an advisor-approved body of studio work completed in the program and present it through public exhibition.
Points/Credits: 60
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Required Art Education courses:
A&HA 4080: Artistic development of children (2 points) OR A&HA 4088 - Artistic development: Adolescence to adulthood (2 points)
A&HA 5001: Research methods in arts and humanities (3 points)
A&HA 5086: Art in visual culture (2 points)
A&HA 5922: Master's seminar in art education (2 points)
Three studio courses (2-3 points each)
A&HA 6510: Advanced seminar in art education research (2 points)
Required courses outside the Art and Art Education Program (6 points minimum):
Students in the Ed.M program must take six (6) points at Teachers College offered outside the Art and Art Education Program. Any course that does not start with A&HA qualifies as an out-of-program, or breadth, course.
Additional courses within and outside the Program:
To be planned in consultation with the advisor and in support of individual needs and interests.
Students in this Ed.M. program are required to complete an advisor-approved integrative project on a theme or research topic arising from their interests.
Points/Credits: 90
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Required Dissertation Seminar Sequence in Art Education (15 points):
A&HA 5504: Proseminar in Art Education, Part 1
A&HA 5504: Proseminar in Art Education, Part 2
A&HA 6510: Advanced Seminar in Art Education, Part 1
A&HA 6510: Advanced Seminar in Art Education, Part 2
A&HA 7502: Dissertation Seminar
Required Research Methods Courses (4 points minimum)
Two courses minimum:
A course that offers an overview of various research methods.
A course that focuses on a specific methodological approach.
Required Content Courses in Art Education (12 minimum suggested points)
To be selected in consultation with the advisor.
Required Studio Courses in Art Education (6 points minimum)
Optional Concentration Courses
Students enrolled in a concentration must fulfill all courses required for that specific concentration.
Required Courses Outside the Program (flexible points)
To be selected in consultation with the advisor.
Presentation Requirement: A&HA 6999 - Exhibition Rating (0 points):
Exhibition OR
Publication OR
Conference Presentation
Notes:
To complete doctoral certification, students must fulfill all course and doctoral/dissertation seminar requirements and successfully pass faculty review of doctoral qualifying papers and the dissertation proposal. Students are also required to offer a professional presentation. This may include--in consultation with the student’s advisor--a conference presentation, a published article, a gallery exhibition, or other equivalent advisor-approved professional presentation. The doctoral certification process is accomplished through faculty review; students must complete each level satisfactorily before they are given permission to write the dissertation. Candidates should be in touch with the Office of Doctoral Studies to be certain of complying with the latest procedures and deadlines.
Points/Credits: 90
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Certification:
Degree Requirements
Required Dissertation Seminar Sequence in Art Education (15 points):
A&HA 5504: Proseminar in Art Education, Part 1
A&HA 5504: Proseminar in Art Education, Part 2
A&HA 6510: Advanced Seminar in Art Education, Part 1
A&HA 6510: Advanced Seminar in Art Education, Part 2
A&HA 7502: Dissertation Seminar
Required Research Methods Courses (4 points minimum)
Two courses minimum:
A course that offers an overview of various research methods.
A course that focuses on a specific methodological approach.
Required Content Courses in Art Education (flexible points)
To be selected in consultation with the advisor.
Required Studio Courses in Art Education (6 points minimum)
Optional Area of Specialization Courses
Students enrolled in an area of specialization must fulfill all courses required for that specific specialization.
Required Courses in Art College Teaching (7 points)
A&HA 5081: Advanced Curriculum Design in Art Education (3 points)
A&HA 6002: Teaching and Administration of the Arts in College (3 points)
A&HA 6482: Internship in the Teaching of College (1 point)
Required Courses Outside the Program (15 points minimum)
A. Higher/Adult Education (4-6 points minimum)
At least two courses in higher education/adult education each for 2 credits minimum, to be selected in consultation with the advisor.
Suggestions:
ORLD 4051: How Adults Learn
ORLD 4053: Facilitating Adult Learning
B. Other Courses Outside the Program (9-11 points)
To be selected in consultation with the advisor. Must be taken at Teachers College.
Presentation Requirement: A&HA 6999 - Exhibition Rating (0 points):
Exhibition OR
Publication OR
Conference Presentation
Notes:
To complete doctoral certification, students must fulfill all course and doctoral/dissertation seminar requirements and successfully pass faculty review of doctoral qualifying papers and the dissertation proposal. Students are also required to offer a professional presentation. This may include—in consultation with the student’s advisor—a conference presentation, a published article, a gallery exhibition, or some other equivalent advisor-approved professional presentation. The doctoral certification process is accomplished through faculty review; students must complete each level satisfactorily before they are given permission to write the dissertation. Candidates should be in touch with the Office of Doctoral Studies to be certain of complying with the latest procedures and deadlines.
Points/Credits: 15
Entry Terms: Spring/Summer/Fall
Degree Requirements
The Creative Technologies Certificate (CTC) is a new curriculum expansion at Teachers College, Columbia University. It explores and strengthens the relationship between art, technology, and education. The goal is to prepare artists and art teachers to be leaders in educational ecologies that aptly interweave digital tools and creative materials in multi- and cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and playful pedagogies. The state-approved advanced certificate is a 15-credit point offering within the Art and Art Education Program.
The Creative Technologies Curriculum is designed for individuals with work experience and/or undergraduate or graduate degrees in studio art, art education, art history, media design, or instructional technology, among others. Candidates for the CTC would ideally be art educators, artists, designers, technologists, and others who wish to incorporate creative technologies in various educational settings.
New media and digital technologies have changed the making, teaching, learning, and accessibility of art. These changes have influenced formal and informal learning environments such as universities, schools, libraries, community centers, after-school programs, and art studios. Consequently, the landscape of traditional art itself is changing as a new creative reality steeped in media, technology, and social experience emerges.
The CTC strengthens and explores the relationship between art, technology, and education. This critical trifecta is an interdependent force at the forefront of educational efforts in primary, secondary, and university-level teaching and learning. In a world of increasing digital fabrication and social practice, it is more essential than ever to demonstrate proficiency beyond any one skill set. The CTC provides this diverse training to participants so that they may become leaders in this interdisciplinary movement.
Course Sequence
Required Courses (15pts)
A&HA 4089 New Media, New Forms 2pts
A&HA 4084 Digital Foundations in Creative Technologies 2pts (Elective)
A&HA 5128 Studio in Creative Technologies 2pts
A&HA 5125 Inquiry-based Art & Design 2pts
A&HA 5063 Adv. Studio in Creative Technologies 2pts
A&HA 5120 Creative Technologies Research Seminar 3pts
A&HA 5601 Creative Technologies Colloquium 0pts
Elective Course
Students should consult with their advisors to select a relevant elective course of 2pts to complete the 15 required credits. This course needs to address creative technologies integration across the curriculum and be taken from the Art & Art Education Program and other TC programs (see list of courses in the TC catalog or online).
Course Load and Program Timeline
Students must plan their schedules carefully, as some courses are only offered in the Fall (F) semester and others in the Spring (Sp). Some courses are offered in Summer (Su) session A and/or B as well.
Transfer Credit
Credit points from other institutions may not be transferred into the certificate/concentration.
Statement on Satisfactory Progress
Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward the completion of certificate requirements. Program faculty will review each student’s progress annually. Where there are concerns about satisfactory progress, students will be informed by the program faculty. If a student is performing below expectations he/she may be required to complete additional coursework. The Program will provide a plan and timeline for remediation so students know the expectations for their continuance in the Program. If satisfactory progress is not maintained a student may be dismissed from the Program.
For more information see the CTC website.