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​Arts Education

Combine your passion for fine arts and learn to develop curricula for the visual arts.

Student works with elementary school child on art project

Arts education students are dually enrolled in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Education, allowing them to take studio arts courses and interdisciplinary electives in conjunction with education theory and cultural foundations.


About the School of Education and VPA

The School of Education

The School of Education is a national leader in enhancing educational practice. A pioneer in the inclusion movement, the School of Education continues that tradition through its work to improve urban education.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts

Home to the visual and performing arts at Syracuse, VPA supports the creative process and professional development. The College is divided into seven areas: the School of Art; the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies; the School of Design; the Department of Drama; the Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music; the Department of Film and Media Arts; and the Department of Creative Arts Therapy.

Courses

Core coursework covers studio art, methods of teaching art, and curriculum development. Sample courses include:

  • Special Topics in Foundation Drawing
  • Special Problems in Art Ed
  • Methods and Practice in Teaching Art
  • Philosophy & Foundations of Art Education Practice
  • Arts and Ideas

View official major requirements.

Practical Experience

The art education major offers learning opportunities outside the classroom for students as a supplement to the coursework.

  • Participate in an Art in New York City MAYmester course.
  • Attend Syracuse’s University Lectures and Syracuse Symposium events.
  • Teach art to children ages 5 to 15 in weekly workshops.
  • Student teach in a variety of classroom settings at local schools.
  • Network as a member of the Syracuse University Student Art Education Association.

Study Abroad

Support your resume and expand your perspective with a study abroad experience during your time at the University. Consistently ranked among the top 25 international education providers in the U.S., Syracuse Abroad offers more than 100 programs in 60 countries. 

Art education majors most often go abroad to the Syracuse University Florence Center. Summer programs of interest may include The Industry of Knowledge: Higher Education in a Global Context (Florence).

Life After Syracuse University

With a degree in art education you can pursue careers including:

  • Art director
  • Recreational therapist
  • Art teacher
  • Professor

Or continue on and earn a graduate degree in areas such as art therapy, art leadership, business, or art education. Past graduates have continued their education at many of the top graduate schools in the U.S.