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M.A.T. in Art Education
M.A.T. in Art Education

Curriculum & Program of Study

Program Coordinator: Dr. Cynthia Vascak, e-mail: cynthiav@plymouth.edu
B.A., Pan American University; M.F.A., Boston University; Ph.D., University of New Hampshire

The M.A.T. in Art Education has two concentrations.

  • The fifth year concentration is an extension of the PSU B.F.A. degree.
  • The standard certification concentration is for adult students who already have a bachelor's degree in fine arts, visual arts, studio art or graphic design, and wish to become certified as an art educator.

The fifth year M.A.T. consists of 33 graduate credits. The capstone experience integrates coursework, prior experience and research. The 33 credits are based on students fulfilling nine (9) credits of Art Education within their B.F.A. degree: Foundations of Art Education, Methods and Materials in Art Education, Instructional Planning and Pedagogy in Arts Education and curriculum Assessment in Art. If not completed, additional coursework in Art Education will be required to fulfill these equivalencies.

The standard M.A.T. certification concentration requires the 33-credit core. Students in this concentration will also be required to take the equivalent of four professional art education courses: Foundations of Art Education, Methods and Materials in Art Education, Instructional Planning and Pedagogy in Arts Education and Curriculum and Assessment in Art Education. Individual cases will be reviewed to determine Studio and Art History preparation relative to certification competencies. Additional coursework may be required and will be determined on an individual basis.

Program Objectives

The M.A.T. in Art Education addresses the following NCATE Art Education competencies, which ensure that as a result of successfully completing the professional program in Art Education students will:

  • Acquire knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the visual arts in diverse contemporary and past cultures with an emphasis on the relationship of the visual arts to the culture in which it was produced and its influence on subsequent cultures
  • Have knowledge of and competence to teach a variety of studio art forms including drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture and crafts
  • Develop a portfolio of personal art work and exhibit selected art works from that portfolio in accordance with professional artistic and technical standards
  • complete a supervised observation and student teaching with pupils of both elementary and secondary levels
  • Have a knowledge of comprehensive programs of visual arts education, procedures for organizing, promoting, managing a comprehensive visual arts education program, the selection and organization of visual arts learning experiences and curriculum development in visual arts education
  • Have a knowledge of diverse technical and skill-related aspects of visual arts education including diverse mediums and the related techniques for working with them; the elements and principles of the visual arts; display and exhibition design; tool appropriateness, function and use; and knowledge of visual arts vocabulary
  • Develop an appreciation of the other arts including dance, film, music, literature, theatre and practical arts
  • Have awareness, comprehension and ability to describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate works of visual art
  • Have knowledge and understanding of the technical and safety aspects of methods and materials used in visual arts instruction

These objectives meet all of the New Hampshire statemandated competencies in art education that address dispositions, pedagogy, curriculum and assessment, and art content.

Required Courses

Master's Core Component
ED 5000 Social Behavior in a Diverse Society - 3 credits
ED 5010 Philosophy, Ethics and Education - 3 credits
ED 5180 Collaborative Action Research - 3 credits
- OR -
ED 5030 Research Design - 3 credits

Learning Theory Component
ED 5060 Theories of Learning and Cognitive Development - 3 credits
ED 5570 Classroom Interventions and Special Education Strategies - 3 credits

Content Area Component
(Choose 9 credits from the following)
AR 5560 ST: Arts in Education Summer Institute - 3 credits
AR 5560 Studio Topics in Art - 3 credits
AR 5300 The Arts in Society - 3 credits
AR 5910 Independent Study: Studio - 1-3 credits
IN 5560 Special Topics in Integrated Arts - 1-4 credits
IN 5970 Integrating the Arts - 3 credits
AE 5560 Special Topics in Art Education - 1-3 credits

Internship
AE 5410 Teaching Internship in Arts Education - 9 credits

Minimum Total for M.A.T. in Art Education (with certification) - 33 credits

Plymouth State University, 17 High Street, Plymouth, NH 03264-1595. Main Switchboard: (603) 535-5000.
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This page was last revised: 3/28/2008