Art Education
College of Arts and Architecture
School of Visual Arts
DEGREES AND CERTIFICATION
Post-baccalaureate Certification candidates must have qualifications equivalent to students at the undergraduate level who complete the baccalaureate degree in art education. Students with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree will have fulfilled all studio requirements.
The Penn State University Instructional I Certificate recognizes no differences between baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate candidates. To receive the certificate you must be qualified. Candidates who have degrees outside the field of art education may find they must make up courses in areas where they have not had appropriate course work. For example, students holding degrees in art history may find they do not have an equivalent to the studio art courses required. Students from some studio art programs may not have sufficient course work in philosophy, psychology, or art history.
TRANSCRIPT REVIEWS
Post-baccalaureate Certification candidates may do a preliminary review of their previous course work using the Art Education Post-baccalaureate Certification Advising Worksheet. Checking previous transcripts and transposing these to the course requirements in the certification option at Penn State will assist in the admission process. An official transcript review and a grade point average of 3.0 are essential for admission.
The Post-baccalaureate Certification Officer in art education reviews candidates’ transcripts. During this review any additional course requirements will be recommended. Reviews do not become official until the student is accepted into the Post-Baccalaureate Certification Only program or Masters in Art Education with Certification program. For further information contact the Post-baccalaureate Certification Officer.
LENGTH OF STUDY
It generally takes two years to obtain Art Teacher Certification at Penn State. Courses available during summer session at University Park may help reduce slightly the number of courses needed each semester, but you should count on at least three full regular semesters of course work to complete the program. The final semester involves student teaching in Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Certification Courses* Note: Graduate level substitutions depend on the Post-baccalaureate Certification Officer’s approval and availability of course.
Undergraduate Level Graduate Level Substitutions
ED PSY 14 3 credits (ED PSY 421)
SPLED 400 3 credits
A ED 101S 3 credits
A ED 201W 3 credits (AED 588)
A ED 211 & 212 3 + 1 credits (AED 541)
A ED 225 (GI) 3 credits
A ED 322 3 credits
A ED 323 3 credits
A ED 401 3 credits
A ED 489 4 credits
A ED 490 2 credits
A ED 495A & 495B 15 credits
LEVEL I TEACHER CERTIFICATION APPLICATION PROCEDURE
(A program leading to an "initial" or Additional Certification area)
Complete the Penn State application and enter "CERT" in the Graduate Degree Sought box on the application and enter "A ED" in the Graduate Major (Program) Sought box. Two copies of official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended should be sent to the Certification Office, 228 Chambers Building, University Park, PA 16802-3205. Complete application instructions can be found online at the Graduate School Admissions and Program Information Portal.
In addition to the electronic application and two copies of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, Art Education requires the following supplementary materials for applications for those seeking Post-Baccalaureate Certification:
___A cover letter from the applicant that includes a one- to two-paragraph statement of intent (You may want to respond to these or similar questions: Why are you interested in being certified to teach visual arts K-12? What personal and professional goals will certification help you reach?)
___Examples of personal artwork in either 35 mm. colored slide or digital format (approximately 10-20 slides should be submitted in a plastic page; digital images should be presented as a CD-ROM or DVD and in a format that can easily be read by Apple computers; in either format, include written information on each work such as title, medium, size, date)
___One or two examples of formal writing (these may be papers from college courses, a professional report, or other documents that demonstrate the applicant’s ability to write effectively)
___Three letters of reference from people who can speak to the applicant’s potential for teaching and for upper division academic work
The Graduate School Application must be submitted in an on-line format as an Electronic Application. When you apply electronically (online), processing time is reduced and receipt of your application is assured. Please read the online directions carefully before you begin completing the application form. If you do not pay by credit card, please download a copy of the Application Fee Form that can be accessed from the Electronic Application, and mail along with your payment of the non-refundable application fee to: Graduate Enrollment Services, The Pennsylvania State University, 114 Kern Building, University Park, PA 16802.
Contact the Art Education Office staff at caw2@psu.edu or call 814/865-6570 to arrange a transcript review with the Post-baccalaureate Certification Officer in Art Education.