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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Art and Design B.A. – Licensure: Visual Art (Grades K-12)

Program Overview

College of Performing and Visual Arts

Location: Guggenheim 101

Telephone: 970.351.2143

Fax: 970.351.2299

Website: https://arts.unco.edu/art/

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

Contact the Art office for more information.

The program consists of four parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) Credits
  4. University-Wide Credits

*For Educator licensure majors, PTEP coursework counts towards the minimum of nine upper-division UNC credits (300-400).

Program Description:

The art education emphasis is a K-12 teacher education program preparing students to teach visual arts in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. The art education program requires competency in visual art technique and processes, analysis of the place of the arts in our historical heritage and current community, and the ability to apply the arts to human experience and learning. Satisfactory completion of requirements leads to K-12 art education licensure.

Program Admission Requirements:

    Academic Good Standing

    • It is important to note that the Art & Design major cannot be completed within 2 years. The first year is spent in completing the Foundations courses and requirements. Seniors and transfer students considering applying to the Art & Design program are advised that it is not possible to complete requirements in fewer than four regular semesters.
    • Should the number of qualified applicants exceed space available in required courses, the school will admit only those students ranking highest in cumulative grade point averages.

    Program Requirements:

    • New Art & Design students must complete the Foundations requirements before they can begin their advanced art studies. The Foundations Courses include ART 134, ART 180, ART 183, and ART 184. Students must also successfully complete the Foundations Portfolio.
    • Transfer students who have articulated coursework from another institution will only submit artwork completed in courses taken at UNC. Students who have completed ART 134, ART 183 and ART 184 at another accredited university are exempt from the Foundations Portfolio.
    • An Exit level PTEP Senior Portfolio review is required prior to graduation. The portfolio consists of work from the student's concentration area. Students are evaluated on their knowledge and successful demonstration of professional portfolio preparation of artwork, art history and cultures, and verbal and written critical analysis. The PTEP Review also evaluates students on their knowledge and successful demonstration of art education pedagogy.

    PTEP Program Requirements:

    Teacher candidates who complete an approved content degree and the UNC professional teacher education program, as well as pass the appropriate Colorado Department of Education designated PRAXIS exam (if applicable), will be eligible for recommendation from UNC for a Colorado Department of Education teaching license.

    If you are seeking licensure in your program area, the following items are required to complete your program.

    • Completion of Application for Initial Admission to PTEP
    • Completion of Full Admission to PTEP
    • Completion of Application for Student Teaching
    • Completion of content specific PRAXIS test prior to Student Teaching
    • Candidates may not take extra courses with Student Teaching without prior approval from the Program Coordinator and the STE Director.
    • All PTEP Field Experiences and methods courses need to be successfully completed prior to Student Teaching.
    • Student Teaching outside the supervision of UNC Faculty may or may not be approved.
    • Teacher Candidates will not be placed in a school where they were once students or where they have a close relative attending and/or working.
    • Teacher education and educator preparation licensure programs do not accept Professional Teacher Education Program (PTEP) or field based courses that are more than ten years old. PLEASE NOTE: Teacher Candidates have the right to petition this policy at the discretion of the program coordinator.

    Please work with your content advisor to determine when these requirements will be completed throughout your program.

    Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

    1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

    To complete the degree in 120 credits as outlined, the program recommends the below LAC courses that also count toward the 73 required major credits.

    Any additional coursework completed outside of the recommended list below may extend the length of the program of study.

    Written Communication — 6 credits

    Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

    See Written Communication courses

    Mathematics — 3 credits

    Select any course to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

    See Mathematics courses

    Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies, and International Studies — 15 credits

    To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

    ART 181ART 182, and ART 185 are recommended to fulfill Arts & Humanities requirement and the additional 3 credits required in Arts & Humanities or History or Social & Behavioral Sciences and will fulfill both LAC and major requirements.

    See Arts & Humanities, History and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

    Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

    Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

    See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

    See Liberal Arts Curriculum

    2. Required Major — 73 credits

    Take all of the following courses:

    Complete the following four Foundations Courses first

    ART 134Introduction to Drawing

    3

    ART 180Contemporary Art History

    3

    ART 1832D Design

    3

    ART 1843D Design

    3

    Complete the following courses:

    ART 181Ancient Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 182Medieval to Rococo Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 185Neoclassic to Modern Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 210Introduction to Ceramics

    3

    ART 231Painting I

    3

    ART 237Introduction to Digital Media

    3

    ART 248Introduction to Art Education/Art for the Exceptional Child

    3

    ART 250Introduction to Printmaking

    3

    ART 261Introduction to Sculpture

    3

    ART 265Metalsmithing

    3

    ART 270Graphic Design I

    3

    ART 271Introduction to Photography

    3

    ART 340Foundations of Art Education

    3

    ART 342Curriculum and Instruction in Art: Studio Strategies

    3

    ART 345Clinical Experiences I: K-12 Art

    3

    ART 441Cultural Studies in the K-12 Curriculum

    3

    ART 445Clinical Experiences II: K-12 Art

    3

    ART 449Current Issues in Art

    3

    ART 466Visual Arts Student Teaching Seminar

    1

    Area of Focus (6 credits)

    A minimum of six credits of upper-level courses, at the 300-level and above, from the areas of Studio Art, Art History, or Graphic Design, must be completed for an Area of Focus. The Area of Focus must be chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor and should result in an intentional and cohesive body of work with thematic unity.

    3. Required PTEP — 22 Credits

    EDF 290Foundations of Education

    3

    Choose one of the following courses, based on preferred teaching level:

    PSY 347Educational Psychology for Elementary Teachers

    3

    PSY 349Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers

    3

    Complete the following courses:

    ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

    3

    EDFE 444Supervised Student Teaching

    1-15

    EDSE 433Exceptional Students in the Regular Classroom

    2

    Note: EDFE 444: Take 11 credits

    4. University-Wide Credits — 0-3 credits*

    *Note: Students must apply the recommended courses to both the liberal arts curriculum requirements and the major requirements to complete this degree program in 120 credit hours. Students may have up to 3 credits of university wide electives to apply to this degree depending on the number of credits applied to both the LAC and the major. See your advisor for details. 

    Four Year Plan

    This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance. 

    Year 1 – 30 credits

    Fall Semester

    ART 134Introduction to Drawing

    3

    ART 180Contemporary Art History

    3

    ART 1832D Design

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Total Credit Hours:15

    Spring Semester

    ART 181Ancient Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 1843D Design

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Total Credit Hours:15

    Year 2 – 33 credits

    Fall Semester

    ART 182Medieval to Rococo Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 210Introduction to Ceramics

    3

    ART 231Painting I

    3

    ART 237Introduction to Digital Media

    3

    ART 248Introduction to Art Education/Art for the Exceptional Child

    3

    Application for Initial Admission to PTEP

    Total Credit Hours:15
     

    Spring Semester

    ART 185Neoclassic to Modern Art HistoryLAA1

    3

    ART 250Introduction to Printmaking

    3

    ART 261Introduction to Sculpture

    3

    ART 340Foundations of Art Education

    3

    EDF 290Foundations of Education

    3

    PSY 347Educational Psychology for Elementary Teachers

    3

    or

    PSY 349Educational Psychology for Secondary Teachers

    3

    Total Credit Hours:18

    Year 3 – 30 credits

    Fall Semester

    ART 270Graphic Design I

    3

    ART 271Introduction to Photography

    3

    ART 342Curriculum and Instruction in Art: Studio Strategies

    3

    ART 449Current Issues in Art

    3

    ECLD 341Content-Based Literacies for Equitable Access to PK-12 Instruction

    3

    Total Credit Hours:15

    Spring Semester

    ART 265Metalsmithing

    3

    ART 345Clinical Experiences I: K-12 Art

    3

    ART 441Cultural Studies in the K-12 Curriculum

    3

    Upper Division Major Elective

    3

    Liberal Arts Curriculum

    3

    Total Credit Hours:15

    Checkpoint for Full PTEP is done through ART 345

    Year 4 – 27 credits

    Fall Semester

    ART 445Clinical Experiences II: K-12 Art

    3

    EDSE 433Exceptional Students in the Regular Classroom

    2

    Upper Division Major Elective

    3

    LAC Natural and Physical Sciences with LabLAS1LASL

    4

    University-Wide Elective

    3

    Application for Student Teaching

    Total Credit Hours:15

    Spring Semester

    ART 466Visual Arts Student Teaching Seminar

    1

    EDFE 444Supervised Student Teaching

    1-15

    Total Credit Hours:12

    EDFE 444: Take 11 credits

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