Visual Arts Studies

Career potential

As more school districts are learning that the study and creation of art can increase student achievement, the need for certified art teachers is increasing. A major in visual arts studies will prepare you to become an art teacher.

A graduate degree is not required to teach art in K-12 grades. Pursuing a master of arts degree in art education or a master of fine arts degree will enable you to deepen your knowledge about art education, sharpen your classroom skills and to keep up with the best practices. Some school districts prefer to hire teachers with master's degrees.

You can also pursue graduate training in other education specialty areas such as art museum education. Those who earn a Ph.D. in art education will have the opportunity to teach at a college or university, as well as conduct research to advance the field of art education.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies and interview preparation.

Majoring in visual arts studies

As a visual arts studies major, you will study ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture, as well as art appreciation, aesthetics, art history, criticism and technology. Studying these areas will help you to offer a comprehensive art education program to students. In addition, UNT maintains a student chapter of the National Art Education Association, which will allow you to interact with other visual arts studies majors.

You will be required to minor in education, meaning you must meet general requirements specified by the College of Education. The College of Education acts as the teacher certification agent for the state of Texas. You must receive permission from the College of Education to enroll in your first education class. We recommend you contact the college's student advising office after you have earned 60 college credits so that advisors may determine your eligibility to take education courses.

Faculty members are involved in cutting-edge research and arts-based education methods, which has earned them national and international recognition.

UNT's College of Visual Arts & Design (Formerly School of Visual Arts) is one of the nation's most comprehensive visual arts schools at a public university, and it is considered one of the best in the Southwest. The 90,000-square-foot Art Building includes classrooms, three computer labs, faculty offices, studios, a workshop, the UNT Art Gallery, a slide library and a visual arts studies resource library.

Four other buildings house additional classrooms and laboratories, as well as the Texas Fashion Collection and the Cora Stafford Gallery. The North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts collaborates with Texas museums and school districts to improve the quality of visual arts instruction for young people.

Getting hands-on experience

Early in your course work, you will observe art teachers in local elementary, middle and secondary schools. During your senior year, you must also complete a full-time teaching internship at an elementary and a middle or high school where you will work with an experienced art teacher. Student teaching is required for certification. Some course work may require you to visit one or more of the major art museums in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Such visits will provide you with firsthand experiences with art and an opportunity to learn how teachers work with and use the resources available at museums.

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may apply for a job related to your major through UNT's office of Cooperative Education and Internships. You may earn academic credit and money and gain valuable work experience.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

You must attend an orientation to the College of Visual Arts & Design (Formerly School of Visual Arts), which is held about the same time as UNT's new student orientation or during registration at the start of each semester. Check with the admissions office for a schedule of orientations.

Faculty members serve as the primary advisors to students. General program information can be obtained from the College of Visual Arts & Design (Formerly School of Visual Arts) Student Services Office in the Art Building, Room 111.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.