Art Education (MAT)

Hands-on Education

Our MAT in Visual Arts Education program prepares you to

• teach in grades PreK–12;

• use reflective practices in teaching and learning;

• use technology as a vehicle for advancing creativity, innovation and learning;

• seek collaborations and connections among and across disciplines and diverse learning populations;

• provide safe, supportive and inclusive environments for diverse learning communities, including students with special needs and English language learners; and

• take the Praxis exams needed to earn the Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate in PK–12 Art.

Curriculum

UArts is a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)–certified provider of teacher intern certificates.

Teacher Intern Certification Program

UArts is an approved provider of the teacher intern certification program. Pennsylvania’s teacher intern certification is a professional certificate that entitles the holder to fill a full-time professional teaching position during the student-teaching practicum. So if you are already employed as an art educator, you have the option to continue teaching in your respective school if all requirements are met—including passing the required Praxis test before student teaching.

For more information, see the FAQ below, or contact the MAT in Visual Arts program director.

Faculty Spotlight

MAT in Visual Arts Education faculty are nationally recognized leaders, passionate and celebrated educators and artists who work closely with students to foster a supportive and challenging learning environment.

Contact Art Education Program Director Carolina Blatt at  cblatt@uarts.edu.

See More Faculty

Student Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight

"The MAT program highly prepares students to be true masters of art education by fully understanding psychology of individual students and in a group setting. It well prepared the importance of material management, lesson building and curriculum. It was highly effective in ensuring that all students have a well rounded art background before entering into the classroom."

Careers

The Art Education program sets graduates up for success in a range of professions and provides students with extensive hands-on experience. MAT graduates will have over 190 hours of experience with students in a wide variety of educational environments before completing their degree. Students completing a Master of Arts in Teaching in Visual Arts degree are able to work at schools, museums, nonprofit organizations and healthcare institutions, and are qualified to teach in elementary, secondary, post-secondary education; community art and cultural centers; art galleries, nursing/drug/daycare centers; or weekend programs.

Other career paths for Art Education graduates include

• Art critic/writer
• Art teacher
• Artist-in-residence/Artist-in-the-schools
• Arts administrator
• Freelance instructor
• Museum curator
• Postsecondary instructor
• Recreation specialist
• Teacher/instructor overseas
• Teacher of art and recreation

How to Apply

Application Deadline 

Spring 2023 priority deadline: Applications received by October 15 will be among the first considered for admission and scholarship. We will not accept any applications or materials after January 9.

Fall 2023 priority deadline: Applications received by February 15 will be among the first considered for admission and scholarship. We will not accept any applications or materials after August 12.

Review graduate tuition, financial aid and scholarship information.

Start or resume your application.

Application Requirements

• Start or resume your application.

• $60 nonrefundable application fee

  • If the cost of the application fee is a barrier, contact Admissions to request a fee waiver code.

• Official undergraduate transcript

  • Official transcripts must be sent directly from the college where you have earned, or will earn, your undergraduate degree by mail, email or a secure electronic document-delivery service. 

  • If you have earned, or will earn, your undergraduate degree outside the U.S., see our transcript requirements for international graduate applicants below.

• Two letters of recommendation

  • Two letters of recommendation from professors or professionals in your field, who are familiar with your capabilities, are required. In the case that these recommenders are not available, you may request letters from colleagues, collaborators or peers, if necessary.

  • Applicants must enter contact information for their recommenders on the application. An email will be sent to recommenders providing a link for them to upload their letter. Letters of recommendation may also be submitted by the recommender via email to gradcredentials@uarts.edu.

• Statement of intent

  • Statements should be a minimum of one to two pages and detail your professional plans, interests and goals. What do you hope to gain in your studies at the graduate level? 

  • Your statement of intent may be uploaded during the application process or added after submission via your applicant status portal. 

• Résumé

  • Your résumé should highlight all your professional accomplishments, including employment, internships, honors, exhibitions and publications.

  • Your résumé may be uploaded during the application process or added after submission via your applicant status portal. 

• Portfolio 

  • MAT applicants should include up to 10 to 15 examples of work that demonstrate the breadth of their studio experience with diverse media. 

  • The portfolio may be uploaded during the application process or via your applicant status portal after submission. You must confirm when your submission is complete via the linked electronic form before your portfolio can be reviewed for admission. 

• Interview

  • After your application has been processed, you will be contacted for a personal interview, conducted by the program director. Interviews may be conducted on campus, or by phone or Zoom.

International Applicants

University of the Arts’ Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in both Visual Arts and Music Education programs prepare students for Pennsylvania’s Instructional I Certificate to teach PK-12 in the designated subject area. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, when applying for certification, the candidate must: be a citizen of the U.S.; or hold a permanent resident immigrant visa that allows you to live and work in the U.S.; and file a Declaration of Intent to Become a Citizen of the United States form. Please see the PDE’s Foreign-Educated Teacher Certification Applicants page for more information about citizenship and certification. 

In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants or those with foreign credentials must submit

• Official undergraduate transcripts

  • Applicants who have academic documents from institutions outside the U.S. are required to provide original, attested or certified true copies of academic records from the institution where they have earned, or will earn, their undergraduate degree. These records should be in the original language in which they were issued.

  • For postsecondary school records that are not in English, applicants must also submit an official translation of all their academic documents. Translations must be a complete, literal, word-for-word translation in the same format of the original academic document. Transcripts cannot be translated by the student or any members of their family. Acceptable translators include English teachers or other school officials, professional translators, or a local EducationUSA office. 

  • Admissions might request that students obtain a course-by-course credential evaluation if we are not able to confirm the equivalent level to a U.S. undergraduate degree.

• Proof of English proficiency

  • For international applicants whose primary language is not English, and who have not completed two semesters of college-level English in a college/university where the language of instruction is English, proof of English proficiency is required. 

  • Recommended minimums for English proficiency exams are as follows. 

    • TOEFL iBT: 79
    • TOEFL essentials: 8.5
    • IELTS: 6.5
    • Pearson PTE Academic: 53
    • Duolingo: 100

  • Applicants who meet the academic and creative requirements for admission but whose scores do not meet the English proficiency requirement for degree study might receive an offer of conditional admission that requires enrollment in the university’s English as a Second Language Institute (ESLI). Applicants who successfully complete ESLI will then be able to begin their degree program studies in the fall semester.

  • In special circumstances, applicants who do not have access to the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English tests can request a waiver of this requirement. The request should be submitted by email to admissions@uarts.edu. Requests will then be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and might require an interview.

• I-20/F-1 international student visa information: Upon acceptance, students will be contacted by University of the Arts’ International Student Programs office, regarding visa counseling and all materials required to create an I-20 in order to obtain an F-1 visa. Contact Mara Flamm, director of international student programs, with any questions regarding your I-20 or F-1 visa.

Apply Now

Intern Certification Program

Students employed in full-time teaching positions may qualify for the Intern Certification Program, in which they can keep their teaching position throughout the program and serve as the “teacher of record“ (essentially, be their own cooperating teacher) for their student-teaching placement. This option allows students to complete their MAT and obtain certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education while maintaining employment in a teaching position. This option is ideal for those who are already teaching and need to obtain certification.

Sign-up to receive more information.

Details 

For any student to be the “teacher of record“ for their student teaching, the student must have or do the following.

• Obtain a full time K–12 art teacher position in any kind of school, starting at least one semester prior to student teaching.

• Be accepted into a PDE-accredited K–12 art education internship certification program at a college or university.

• Pass all PRAXIS 2 tests before student teaching. 

• Apply to PDE for an internship certification before they begin their student-teaching semester, which will be approved through TIMS by the accredited college. 

• Obtain a letter of agreement between the cooperating school where the student teaches and the college who holds the accredited program.

• A field supervisor must visit the student teacher a minimum of six times during their student-teaching experience and use the standard PDE forms for student teacher evaluation.

• The cooperating school may require further monitoring and/or mentorship within their school.

If all of these are in place the student teacher is considered the “teacher of record.“

Request more information.