Best Bachelor's in Art Teacher Education Programs in 2026

This 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Art Education at UW-Madison, offered through the School of Education, blends serious studio training with the classroom skills needed to teach, leading to a Wisconsin K-12 license in art education. Students work across studio art, art history, educational psychology, and curriculum and instruction, so their artistic practice and their teaching preparation grow together. Fieldwork is woven through the experience, placing candidates in schools and community settings during three of their four professional semesters and giving them time with both children and adolescents. That sustained practice builds toward a capstone student teaching placement. The program meets the certification requirements set by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and coursework is delivered on campus. Earning a bachelor's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Wisconsin's secondary school teachers.

The University of Maryland offers a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education, listed in the catalog as the Secondary Education Major in Art, which pairs art education coursework with a studio art content major. Students gain applied experience across elementary and secondary art courses and an after-school arts program, culminating in a yearlong internship in partner schools with full-time student teaching. The program leads to Maryland certification to teach art at the PreK-12 level. Instruction takes place on campus in College Park. As a bachelor's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Maryland.

The Bachelor of Science in Art Education is a 120 credit professional degree that trains artists to teach art, art history, aesthetics, and criticism in K-12 school or studio settings. It uses a competency based, field centered model and involves extensive fieldwork with supervision and seminars. Completion leads to eligibility for the Florida Teaching Certificate in grades K-12. The FIU catalog states the program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. A separate Career Development track allows certification by passing the required state exams. Earning a bachelor's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Florida's secondary school teachers.

Housed in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School's Department of Art and Design, Purdue University's Visual Arts Design Education, BA prepared candidates to teach visual arts. Students took studio courses across fine arts areas to build both artistic and teaching skills and completed practicum experiences observing in public schools under art education faculty supervision. The degree meets state and national certification standards. Purdue is no longer accepting new students to this major. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education prepares students to teach art in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The on-campus program pairs studio work with the theories, methods, and materials of art education, and fourth-year students complete a teaching seminar and full student teaching placements. It satisfies the educational requirements for Illinois licensure and is intended for students who want to combine artistic practice with preparation for teaching in the schools. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

Offered through the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, Ohio State's Bachelor of Art Education with Licensure prepares candidates to teach visual arts across prekindergarten through grade 12. Admission is competitive: after introductory art education, foundation, art history, and studio coursework, students apply through a portfolio review in the sophomore year, giving the program a selective, studio-grounded character. The heart of the training comes in two seven-week teaching practicums, where candidates take on full teaching responsibilities rather than simply observing. Completing the degree and passing the Ohio Educator Assessment Tests secures the Multi-Age, P-12 Four Year Resident Educator License in Visual Arts. For those drawn to art careers outside the classroom, a separate BAE Informal option exists, while this licensure track is delivered entirely on campus. This bachelor's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Ohio.

At California State University-Long Beach, the School of Art offers a BA in Art with an Option in Art Education that satisfies the subject matter competency California requires to teach art in public schools. The coursework weaves studio production together with criticism, history, and aesthetics, then adds art-education methods in making art, discussing it, and planning learning experiences for students. Before advancing, candidates complete a portfolio review, a fitting checkpoint for a visual discipline. The degree is built for students who intend to teach, though the California Single Subject teaching credential in art is earned afterward through the College of Education's teacher preparation program rather than during the BA. That sequence lets students ground themselves in their art before stepping fully into the classroom. Earning a bachelor's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of California's secondary school teachers.

State University of New York at New Paltz offers a Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts Education that combines a studio art concentration with art history, criticism, and the social and philosophical foundations of education. Students begin with foundation studio work before entering the degree program and complete fieldwork and student teaching across both Pre-K to 6 and 7 to 12 placements. Graduates are eligible for New York initial certification to teach visual arts at all grade levels. Courses are taught on campus. As a bachelor's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in New York.

The College of New Jersey's Bachelor of Arts in Art Education is designed to develop students as artist and teacher at once, leading to New Jersey State Art Teacher Certification for kindergarten through grade 12. The curriculum balances serious studio work with the craft of teaching, combining twelve studio courses and four art history courses with six art education courses, and it leaves room for students to build an individualized path through intermediate and advanced studio study. Field experiences in the sophomore, junior, and senior years place candidates in K-12 New Jersey art classrooms and local nonprofit arts organizations, so they teach in varied settings before their capstone. That capstone is a full semester of student teaching at both elementary and secondary levels, with an option to teach abroad. The program is delivered on campus. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

The Bachelor of Science in Art Education at Penn State University Park prepares students to teach visual art in PreK-12 schools. Coursework combines studio art, art education methods, and field experiences in a range of art learning environments, followed by student teaching across elementary and secondary settings in the fourth year. Graduates are eligible for Pennsylvania Instructional I certification in art education. The on-campus program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Earning a bachelor's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Pennsylvania's secondary school teachers.

Aspiring art teachers at the University of South Carolina pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education that treats studio practice and teaching as equal partners. Housed in the School of Visual Art and Design, the 123-to-141-hour program has students work across media such as drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, and 3D design while building a foundation in art history and education coursework. That breadth of making feeds directly into the classroom side of the degree, which includes a field-experience seminar, a semester of directed teaching in art, and hands-on work in local elementary and secondary schools plus the Young Artist's Workshop. Because the major requires no separate cognate or minor, students can devote their time fully to art and pedagogy. The degree leads to South Carolina K-12 art teaching certification. This bachelor's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in South Carolina.

Boston University's College of Fine Arts offers a 132-credit Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education for artists who want to teach, weaving together studio art, education, and liberal arts study so candidates keep making work while learning to lead a classroom. Students enter the major after the Foundation year and complete a term-long, 300-hour practicum in schools under a department-approved mentor, giving them substantial, guided time in the field. That combination of deep studio grounding and extended fieldwork shapes teachers who are practitioners in their own right. Graduates become eligible for a Massachusetts initial license to teach visual arts, in either the PreK-8 or 5-12 band, with the option to complete a second practicum that covers both. The program is campus-based, with placements in local schools. As a bachelor's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

Art Education at the University of Vermont brings together the studio and the classroom, offered as a B.S.AE. through the College of Education and Social Services in cooperation with the Department of Art and Art History. Across a minimum of 120 credits, students develop as artists and as teachers, combining studio art and art history with general and professional education coursework so their creative practice and their pedagogy grow side by side. The heart of the degree is a full-time, 12-credit student teaching internship accompanied by a licensure portfolio seminar that helps candidates document their readiness. Completing it leads to Vermont licensure to teach art across grades PreK-12, a wide band that spans early learners through high school. The program is delivered on campus. It fits students who want to keep making art while preparing to lead others in doing the same. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

MassArt's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education is a four-year, full-time, in-person program combining studio art (a breadth or specialization track) with education coursework and hands-on experience teaching PK-12 students. Students seeking licensure complete a supervised school-based practicum, while others may complete a community, museum, or gallery internship. The college describes it as a State-approved educator preparation program; successful completion leads to MassArt endorsing candidates for Massachusetts DESE Initial licensure in Visual Art (PK-8 or 5-12). Candidates must still pass the required MTEL exams to be licensed by the state. BFA students may also apply to an expedited master's option. A bachelor's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Massachusetts.

Miami University's Bachelor of Science in Art with Multi-Age Visual Arts Licensure lets students train as artists and as teachers at the same time, leading to Ohio licensure that spans prekindergarten through grade 12, roughly ages 3 to 21. The 91-hour major is built on a strong studio and art history core, moving through foundation courses and upper-level studio work before adding 18 hours of art education alongside required education and literacy coursework. It closes with ART 419 supervised student teaching, a 15-hour capstone that puts candidates in front of real classes. Delivered on the Oxford campus, the program carries dual accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and CAEP, along with Ohio Department of Education licensure standards. That combination keeps artistic depth and teaching preparation on equal footing. A bachelor's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Ohio.

Indiana University Bloomington's B.S.Ed. in Visual Arts Education prepares candidates to teach art at every grade level, blending studio practice with the craft of teaching in the School of Education. Coursework develops instructional technique across a wide range of media, from painting to computer art, and sets that studio work alongside education theory and content study so future teachers can both make and explain their art. Real-world experience comes early through the Saturday Art School community program, where candidates work with young artists before their capstone semester. That final term brings a semester-long student teaching placement in a K-6 classroom. Graduates can then apply for an Indiana All School Settings license, and the degree is delivered on campus. This bachelor's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Indiana.

The University of Arkansas offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education with a K-12 Teaching Concentration. Delivered on campus, the program blends studio art, art history, and professional education coursework, and it prepares graduates to teach art in elementary, middle, junior, and high schools. The concentration culminates in a two-semester Residency in Art Education. Completing it leads to Arkansas K-12 art teacher licensure. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

The Bachelor of Arts with an Art Education emphasis at College of the Ozarks is made for artists who want to teach, and it gives them serious room to make work. Based in the Art Department, the K-12 licensure track certifies graduates to teach kindergarten through twelfth grade in both Missouri and Arkansas. Studio life anchors the experience, with spaces in the Jones Learning Center for drawing, painting, design, and fibers, and the Art Annex for clay, sculpture, and kiln-fired glass. The department also runs the Boger Gallery, which brings in visiting artists, exhibitions, workshops, and lectures, keeping students close to a working art community. A separate Studio Art emphasis sits alongside the teaching track for those who want to concentrate in areas such as graphic design, ceramics, or painting. Graduates of this art teacher education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as secondary school teachers.

Appalachian State University's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education blends serious studio training with the craft of teaching, preparing artists to lead K-12 art classrooms. Students declare a studio concentration in an area such as painting, ceramics, printmaking, or sculpture, then layer in a sequence of art education methods courses that translate their making into teaching. Admission through the Department of Art is selective, with a portfolio review required to move into intermediate and upper-level work. The program culminates in a 15-week, 12-credit student teaching placement that puts candidates in front of real students before they finish. Graduates who complete the on-campus BFA qualify for a North Carolina K-12 art teaching license. The result is a degree that treats artistic depth and classroom readiness as equal partners. A bachelor's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in North Carolina.

The Art Education BA requires a minimum of 120 semester hours and is earned alongside a BA or BFA in art from the School of Art, Art History, and Design, which students may complete simultaneously. It includes at least 48 semester hours of professional education and 33 semester hours of art education content, plus studio coursework across media. Candidates admitted to the Teacher Education Program complete an all-day, full-semester student teaching placement. The program is approved by the state of Iowa as preparation for teaching licensure with endorsements for K-8 art and 5-12 art. As a bachelor's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Iowa.

Augustana College offers an art education specialist program leading to a Bachelor of Arts and secondary art teaching licensure for grades 7-12, housed in Art/Art Education and delivered on campus in Rock Island. It carries an Art Education Specialist endorsement and is designed for candidates who want to teach art in secondary schools. Students gain field experience working as assistants for Augustana's summer Kaleidoscope art classes for children and in local schools. The college notes that all programs prioritize learning by doing and problem-solving through experience, on campus, in the Quad Cities and around the world. This bachelor's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Illinois.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Art Education is a 120-credit program leading to Visual Arts Education certification by the State of Michigan in grades PreK-12. Candidates complete STA 413 Student Teaching Internship in Visual Arts Education (6 credits) as part of a Teacher Certification Internship year and teach in the Saturday Morning Art outreach program. The curriculum follows the National Art Education Association Standards for Art Teacher Preparation and covers visual culture, social justice, and culturally responsive approaches. The degree leads to certification after successful MTTC test performance designated by the Michigan Department of Education. As a bachelor's degree in art teacher education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as secondary school teachers in Michigan.

Temple University's Bachelor of Science in Education in Art Education sits within the Tyler School of Art and Architecture and combines studio art, art history, and professional education coursework. Students complete field experiences in Philadelphia schools across grade levels and a full-semester student teaching placement. Offered on campus, the program leads to Pennsylvania certification to teach art in grades K-12. The art unit is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. Earning a bachelor's degree in art teacher education is a common route toward becoming one of Pennsylvania's secondary school teachers.

For students who want to teach visual art at every level, Calvin University's Bachelor of Arts in Art Education leads to a Michigan Teaching Certificate covering PreK-12. Based in Grand Rapids through the School of Education, the program keeps students close to real classrooms from the start, with clinical experiences beginning in their first education courses. Internship options stretch well beyond the region too, drawing on a network of more than 200 K-12 partners worldwide, so students can teach locally or globally. That combination of early practice and wide reach makes the path both grounded and adventurous. Graduates post a 91 percent pass rate on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification. Instruction stays on campus, with international internships available for those who want to broaden their classroom experience abroad. A bachelor's-level path in art teacher education, it builds toward a career among secondary school teachers in Michigan.

Northwest Nazarene University's Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts Education is a traditional on-campus program shared between the Department of Education and the Department of Visual Arts, preparing candidates to teach visual arts in grades K-12 and to satisfy Idaho certification requirements. Its shared home shows in the coursework, which balances a 38-credit professional education core with a substantial Visual Arts endorsement, offered either as a 45-credit standalone or as first and second endorsements of 33 and 24 credits. Total credits land between 69 and 84 depending on the endorsement path chosen. Candidates complete required student teaching at either the middle or junior high level or the senior high level. Studio practices, art history, digital media electives, and a Senior Exhibition capstone round out an experience that keeps students making art while they learn to teach it. This bachelor's-level art teacher education program prepares graduates for work as secondary school teachers in Idaho.