Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Introduction to the Art and Visual Culture Education Division
Welcome to the Art and Visual Culture Education Division at the University of Arizona. The Division offers a comprehensive approach to learning about art, visual culture, and education that prepares students as excellent teachers and future leaders. Post-baccalaureate students who pursue certification within the Division will be qualified to teach art to K-12 students in Arizona, as well as in most states across the USA. The Division’s graduates enjoy an extremely high job placement rate in schools, as well as in galleries, museums, and other arts-based and community settings. National statistics warn of an acute teacher shortage over the next ten years; thus, teaching is a viable career choice.
Coursework for certification comprises 18 units of art and visual culture education coursework, plus required College of Education coursework and the student teaching practicum. Graduates qualify for the K-12 Art Specialist Endorsement on a Secondary Certificate for the State of Arizona. Students must pass the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment in Art and Professional Knowledge-Secondary, and meet US and Arizona Constitution and Reading requirements for certification.
Students who are admitted to the certification option must hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. This degree should reflect significant coursework in studio art and art history. Students who do not have sufficient art and art history coursework may be asked to take additional undergraduate coursework in the School of Art. All post-baccalaureate students are required to maintain a minimum 2.5 grade-point average in art and visual culture education and in education courses and to approach their work with the utmost professionalism, as described in the "Fitness to Teach Criteria" outlined by the College of Education.
All art and visual culture education students are affiliated with the School of Art in the College of Fine Arts. The faculty is committed to teaching and mentoring undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students who are interested in a career in teaching art and other related art and visual culture professions.
We look forward to working with you as you complete your post-baccalaureate certification.
Admission to Post-Baccalaureate Certification
Enrolling in the post-baccalaureate program requires that you be formally admitted by the University of Arizona and to the Post-Baccalaureate certification program in art and visual culture education.
For undergraduate admissions, please visit:
http://admissions.arizona.edu/Ways_to_apply.htm
Look specifically at instructions for applying as a non-degree status student.For admission to the post-baccalaureate program in art and visual culture education, please contact an Art and Visual Culture Education faculty member.
Steps to Completing Post-Baccalaureate Certification
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Year 1
Fall Semester
Take courses towards certification:
- ARE 330, Foundations of Art and Visual Culture Education
- ARE 434, Diversity Issues in Art and Visual Culture Education
- ARE 469, Teaching Media and Visual Culture or 476, Art and Cultural Criticism in Art Education
- TTE 300, Observation in Schools
- EdP 310, Learning in Schools
Non-curricular:
- During the first advising appointment after admittance, apply for College of Education Affiliate Program through an art and visual culture education faculty member. (Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their undergraduate coursework and a minimum of 30 undergraduate credits in art and art history and meet "Fitness to Teach Criteria" developed by the College of Education.)
- During the first advising appointment after admittance, apply for fingerprint clearance. Dates of fingerprinting are posted in the art and visual culture education faculty office hall and online: http://coe.arizona.edu/pages/dep_aass/fingerprint.php.
Fingerprinting can also be processed through the UA Police Department and city police departments. Please visit the UA Police Department for more information: http://www.uapd.arizona.edu/Fingerprint%20locations.pdf- Participate in a Portfolio Review (you must participate in two during your studies). Please contact an Art and Visual Culture Education faculty member for dates and requirements.
Spring Semester
Take courses towards certification:
- ARE 431, Pedagogical Practices in Art and Visual Culture Education or ARE 60, Curriculum Theory in Art and Visual Culture Education
- ARE 438, Teaching Art and Visual Culture, Wildcat Art
ARE elective- TTE 350, Schooling in America
- LRC 416, Structured English Immersion
Non-curricular:
- Participate in the second Portfolio Review. Please contact an Art and Visual Culture Education faculty member for dates and requirements.
- Apply for student teaching.
- All certification coursework must be completed before student teaching (Exception: SERP 301b may be taken concurrently with student teaching).
- Application for student teaching placement takes place early in the semester prior to student teaching. A mandatory meeting is held in the College of Education during the third or fourth week of each semester for persons planning to student teach the following semester. Announcements of the meeting are posted via the art and visual culture education listserv, on the bulletin board in the art and visual culture education faculty office hall, and on the College of Education website. After attending the meeting, students arrange an appointment with an art and visual culture education faculty member to determine a school placement and to have her or him sign the application form.
- Failure to act professionally and/or an insufficient grade point average will prohibit a student from being recommended for student teaching.
- Complete the non-curricular requirements toward certification in Arizona:
- Take the Arizona Educator Proficiency Exams (AEPA) in Art and Professional Knowledge--Secondary.
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Year 2
Semester Two
Complete:
- TTE 493b, Student Teaching Secondary Schools and
- SERP 301b, Mainstreaming in Secondary Schools
Student teaching is the capstone experience in the certification program. In addition to apprenticing in a middle or high school all day for a semester, it involves attending bi-weekly meetings with the university supervisor, completing assignments for the meetings, and completing the Student Teaching Portfolio. Unprofessional behavior will prohibit a student from passing student teaching.
Non-curricular:
- Complete and pass the Arizona & U.S. Constitution tests or course alternatives (PoliSci 210 at the UA, or approved course at Pima College or University of Phoenix)
- Apply for certification to teach. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Arizona Department of Education to fill out the required forms and pay the necessary fees for provisional certification in Arizona.
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Overview of Post-Baccalaureate Certification Course Work and Requirements
The following is a listing of required Art and Visual Culture Education and College of Education courses:
Art and Visual Culture Education Courses:
| Course Number* | Course Title | Availability |
|---|---|---|
ARE 330 |
|
Fall & Spring |
ARE 431 |
|
Spring |
ARE 434 |
|
Fall |
ARE 476 or ARE 469 |
|
Fall |
ARE elective |
|
Term varies |
ARE 438 |
|
Spring |
*All courses above are 3 credits
College of Education Courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Availability |
|---|---|---|
TTE 300 (4 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
EdP 310 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
TTE 350 (3 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
LRC 416 (6 credits)* |
|
Fall & Spring |
SERP 301b (2 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
TTE 493b (12 credits) |
|
Fall & Spring |
*The Arizona Department of Education recently began requiring 6 credits of Structured English Immersion; LRC 416 meets the requirement for 3 credits; a second 3 credit course is being developed in the College of Education
Additional non-curricular requirements**:
US & Arizona Constitutional Exams: This can be achieved by taking: POL SC 210, or a course at Pima, or at the University of Phoenix, or by taking a test. Please contact the College of Education Student Services Area or the Arizona Department of Education for details and test dates.
Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) Students take assessment exams in:
- Art*
- Professional Knowledge: Secondary*
*Please contact the College of Education Student Services Area or the Arizona Department of Education for details and exam dates .
Fingerprints (required for student teaching) All students must be fingerprinted in order to student teach in Arizona’s schools. Please allow at least 2 months for processing. The College of Education schedules fingerprinting sessions.
** These requirements are mandated by the Arizona State Department of Education for the K-12 Art Specialist Endorsement on a Secondary Certificate for the State of Arizona. This certification approximates certification requirements in most states.
You are required to maintain a minimum 2.5 grade point average in all undergraduate art and visual culture education and education course work. A minimum 3.0 G.P.A. is required for any graduate student. All students are expected to conduct their work with the highest degree of professionalism, specifically in terms of their course work, their personal characteristics, and their willingness to seek out opportunities to work with children in outside educational settings. You are expected to begin to think and act like a teacher in your course work. All class work is expected to be completed in a professional manner and students are expected to attend all classes and participate in art and visual culture education activities fully. Failure to act professionally and/or an insufficient grade point average will prohibit you from being recommended for student teaching.
