Working as an educator—whether you teach young children, teenagers or adults—requires expert knowledge in both your subject area and in pedagogy. This is especially true for art educators, who are responsible for using pedagogical theory to encourage students to develop their own philosophy of art practice alongside their technical artistic skills.
In order to do this important work, current and aspiring art educators should strongly consider earning an advanced degree, such as a Master of Arts in Art Education, to deepen both their teaching knowledge and their own art practice. Art education programs can serve teachers in various ways, but every MA in Art Ed student will be able to:
- Attain enriching knowledge in art theory, practice, education and pedagogy
- Better understand the importance of art in schools, colleges and universities
- Enhance their skills in teaching and lesson planning
Besides helping you build practical skills and knowledge, earning a master’s in art education can be very fulfilling. These programs support engagement with topics that are nuanced, humanistic and multidisciplinary. Don’t let today’s buzzwords like AI and data analytics make you think art education is no longer relevant to today’s world: art education is relevant, important and necessary.
Creativity vs. Pedagogy: The Best of Both Worlds
An MA in Art Education is a powerful way to gain skills and knowledge in the method and practice of teaching, also referred to as pedagogy. In a master’s program, you’ll engage with an expansive curriculum that teaches you more than just how to develop lesson plans based on a state-created curriculum: It will help you develop a comprehensive teaching approach to creating engaging curriculums that:
- Incorporate compelling topics of discussion
- Give students practical knowledge about the world
- Teach students to appreciate art, communication and social interaction
An MA in Art Education will also support your own artistic practice, reviving your commitment to creating art. Merging creativity and instruction within a master’s program will inspire you to develop innovative and engaging teaching methods. When you support creativity in your classroom, you give your students skills for art and for life.
“The art classroom is often the only place in public school where students have the opportunity to engage in problem solving and critical thinking, all of which are crucial skills for after graduation.”
— Erik Fox-Jackson, Clinical Assistant Professor of Art Education and Educational Theatre, Adelphi University
For example, a 2022 study found that students who engaged with arts education opportunities saw tremendous benefits, such as:
- Reduction in disciplinary infractions
- Improved writing skills
- Improved emotional and cognitive empathy
- More engagement in school
- Increased college aspirations
It’s clear that supportive art teachers and expansive art opportunities make an important contribution toward academic outcomes and social-emotional development—and advanced education in art gives you specialized knowledge to support students. While a bachelor’s in education program provides core skills to become a teacher in any subject area, master’s degrees in art education are specialized to give you the ability to use art to inspire and support your students.
The Importance of Art in Education
Historically, art has supported key social, political and cultural shifts. No matter the discipline, works of art can send important messages that relate to everything from contemporary society to the human condition and the ways technology and innovation have impacted our lives.
Art helps individuals and societies communicate complex ideas, and it can prompt critical thinking in novel ways and bring people closer together. Outside of the classroom, an MA in Art Education can support your understanding of art as a tool for:
- Critical thinking
- Social change
- Cultural expression
While you don’t need a master’s degree to understand art or develop critical thinking skills, an advanced degree allows you to appreciate, understand and communicate about art with a level of expertise that is not typically achievable without formal education. And, advanced education can be an important way for educators to strengthen their ideas about how art can be used as a tool. An MA in Art Education will expand your depth of understanding about art through pedagogy, historical knowledge and theoretical knowledge related to:
- The impact of the arts
- How to communicate the importance of arts
- The cultural significance of art
- Human and university experiences related to art
Why Is a Master’s Degree Important for Art Educators?
In a master’s degree in art education, you’ll learn cutting-edge approaches to education and learning. Gaining this pedagogy expertise is about more than becoming the most effective teacher you can be: a master’s degree teaches you how to create important connections and solve problems creatively, which prepares you for a variety of art education careers. A multidisciplinary approach enables educators to bring together ideas, frameworks and strategies from various disciplines, each with their own offerings.
For many educators, interdisciplinary approaches have become increasingly important, driven by an increased value of the power of collaborative approaches to problem solving. In an increasingly digitalized and globalized world, multidisciplinary approaches to education are more important than ever.
Amid these shifts, many schools need qualified instructors who are able to embrace an interdisciplinary approach to art education. Importantly, educators who can bring together strengths in pedagogy and a deep understanding of the arts can be highly impactful across institutions and organizations.
In order to advance as an educator, many teachers will be required to earn their master’s degree eventually. And, having a master’s degree typically will make you eligible for substantially higher salaries.
51% of public school teachers hold a master’s degree—a 3% increase from 2012.
For many educators, it is vitally important to acquire advanced education due to the increasingly complicated and demanding education landscape. An MA in Art Education demonstrates:
- Willingness to commit to long-term challenges
- Ability to engage with highly complex and advanced topics
- Drive to engage with concepts that are applicable across domains and disciplines
- Expert-level education in both art and pedagogy
About Adelphi’s Online Master of Arts in Art Education
Adelphi University’s online Master of Arts in Art Education (MA in Art Ed) program is suitable for recent college graduates, current teachers or career changers. By the time you graduate this two-year program, you’ll be ready to complete the requirements of New York State Visual Arts Pre-K–12 teaching certification.
Along the way you’ll learn methods for nurturing creativity through flexible online courses taught by experienced faculty, customizing your curriculum with a wide range of electives. By completing hands-on fieldwork anywhere in the State of New York, you’ll put the concepts you’ve learned to work in the classroom.
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