Art Education/Adaptive Arts (AE.E.MA)
This program is for artists to make a difference. Art educator students use creative voice to inspire others, build community, and open new ways of seeing and understanding the world. Students develop both as an artist and a teacher—earning K–12 Art Education teaching license (550) while learning how to turn their passion for art into meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages.
Coursework blends studio practice with education theory, emphasizing inclusive teaching, curriculum design, and art’s role in social change. Students explore how to create lessons that reflect varied voices, encourage self-expression, and connect art to real-world issues.
In the studio, students work across media—drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, digital tools—while refining their own artistic identity. Art history and cultural studies deepen students' understanding of how art reflects and influences society, past and present.
Fieldwork and two nine-week student teaching placements in K–12 classrooms provides students skills, experience, and confidence to lead. Graduates leave ready to teach, advocate, and create—with the tools to build a more thoughtful, expressive, and connected world through art.
This program is for artists who believe in the power of creativity to teach, connect, and heal. As the only program of its kind in Wisconsin, Alverno’s double major in Art Education and Art Therapy prepares students to become a licensed K–12 art educator (550) and adaptive art specialist (859), uniquely qualified to work across educational and therapeutic settings.
Students explore how art cultivates personal growth and social change—blending educational theory with expressive arts, psychology, and adaptive practices. Courses focus on creating spaces of belonging and access that support the needs of all learners.
In the studio, students work across media—drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, fibers, and digital tools—while growing their own artistic voice. Art history and cultural studies deepen students' understanding of how art shapes identity and community, and how it can be a force for opportunity and empowerment.
Hands-on fieldwork includes teaching in general and inclusive classrooms, along with a specialized practicum in adaptive art education. These real-world experiences prepare students to lead with empathy, insight, and confidence.
Graduates leave with endorsements for two teaching licenses and a deep foundation in both education and healing arts—ready to teach, advocate, and make a meaningful difference through creative practice.
This program is for artists with a bachelor’s degree who want to build a meaningful career—earning K–12 licenses in Art Education (550) and Adaptive Arts (859) plus a Master of Arts in Education in two years. The flexible format supports growth as both artist and educator, empowering you to inspire others while staying connected to your creative practice.
Students study art education from multiple perspectives—examining curriculum, representation, and art’s role in culture and community. Coursework focuses on creating meaningful, student-centered lessons that meet learner needs while nurturing their identity as a creative educator. Emphasizing practical teaching, reflection, and collaboration, this program prepares students to lead with confidence and adaptability.
Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in art or a related field—such as graphic design, fashion, or other visual arts—or complete required coursework before admission. Graduates leave ready to ignite creativity in students, adapt to varied learning environments, and transform communities through art education.
Designed for licensed art educators, this flexible post-baccalaureate certificate in Adaptive Education enables students to expand teaching practice through therapeutic, student-centered approaches. Students design creative, compassionate lessons supporting the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs of K–12 learners—empowering every student to thrive through the arts.
Andrea Skyberg is Associate Professor and Director of Art Education at Alverno College. She teaches graduate courses in art education as well as undergraduate courses in arts education, studio art, creative writing, and the Accelerate program. Skyberg collaborates with faculty across disciplines on initiatives that promote experiential learning, creative integration, community engagement, and activism.
As an artist, musician, writer, and curator, Skyberg's work explores creation as a sacred and political act, reclaiming the value of care, creativity, and transformation. These experiences inform her teaching and her commitment to helping students recognize creativity as an innate human capacity—one that can be cultivated to process emotions, express ideas, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A-100 | Community Art/Design Midsemester 1 | 0 |
| ART COURSES | ||
| A-121 | Analytic Drawing | 3 |
| A-122 | Expressive Drawing | 3 |
| A-134 | 2-D Design | 3 |
| A-147 | Grant Writing for Artists & Educators | 1 |
| A-189S | Form and Space | 4 |
| A-193C | Art in the Professions (General Education ) | 2 |
| A-221 | Beginning Figure Drawing | 3 |
| A-234 | 3-D Design | 3 |
| A-262 | Graphic Design & Illustration | 3 |
| A-491 | Senior Art Seminar | 1 |
| A-492 | Expressive Therapies Seminar | 3 |
| Art Education Courses | ||
| AE-100 | Field Experience Module Registration | 0 |
| AE-222 | Principles of Art Education | 3 |
| AE-386 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-387 | Adaptive Field Experience | 1 |
| AE-392 | Art in Early Childhood & Elementary Sch | 4 |
| AE-393 | Art in the Secondary School | 4 |
| AE-480L | Direct Observ & Teaching Art/Elem Sch | 6 |
| AE-480S | Direct Obs & Teaching Art/Secondary Sch | 6 |
| Art History Courses | ||
| AHS-210 | Ancient to Byzantine Art | 2 |
| AHS-252 | Medieval to Modern Art (General Education) | 4 |
| AHS-409 | Modern & Contemporary Art (General Education ) | 3 |
| Education Course | ||
| ED-116 | Relational Competence Workshop | 3 |
| ED-352 | Investigating Integrated Social Studies With the Inquiry Arc | 4 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| PSY-110 | Life Span Development (General Education ) | 4 |
| Choose 15 Art Upper-level (300/400) Elective Credits | 15 | |
| A-321, A-352, A-356, A-359, A-362, A-363, A-366, A-371, A-376, A-380, A-384, A-397 | ||
| Choose One 400-Level Course: | 3 | |
| Advanced Figure Drawing | ||
or A-452 | Advanced Painting | |
or A-456 | Advanced Printmaking | |
| Assessments | ||
| A-482 | Ext Assmnt of Effective Citzenship Lvl 4 | 0 |
| ED-220 | Interview Assessment | 0 |
| ED-475 | Student Teaching Seminar | 0 |
| PST 406 Praxis 2 Ae (or equivalent) | ||
| PST 329 Praxis II Prep Seminar | ||
| General Education Courses | ||
| AC-151 | Initial Social Interaction Assessment | 0 |
| CM-120 | Communication Seminar 1 | 4 |
| CM-125 | Communication Seminar 2 | 3 |
| CM-225 | Communication Seminar 3 | 3 |
| FSS-125 | First Semester Seminar | 2 |
| FA-110 | Intro to the Arts | 4 |
| HUM-150 | Express/Interpretn Human Experience | 4 |
| HFA-210 | 2 | |
| HFA-310 | 2 | |
| ILA-100 | Introduction to the Liberal Arts @ Alverno | 0 |
| QL-156 | Mathematical Connections | 3 |
| QL-122 | Quantitative Literacy in Modern World | 4 |
| or BU-151 | Personal Finance | |
| BI, CH, PH, SC Course With Lab | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 129 | |
Must Complete 7 Semesters
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ART COURSES | ||
| A-121 | Analytic Drawing | 3 |
| A-122 | Expressive Drawing | 3 |
| A-134 | 2-D Design | 3 |
| A-147 | Grant Writing for Artists & Educators | 1 |
| A-189S | Form and Space | 4 |
| A-193C | Art in the Professions (General Education) | 2 |
| A-221 | Beginning Figure Drawing | 3 |
| A-234 | 3-D Design | 3 |
| A-262 | Graphic Design & Illustration | 3 |
| A-491 | Senior Art Seminar | 1 |
| A-492 | Expressive Therapies Seminar | 3 |
| ART EDUCATION COURSES | ||
| AE-100 | Field Experience Module Registration | 0 |
| AE-222 | Principles of Art Education | 3 |
| AE-285 | Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-386 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-387 | Adaptive Field Experience | 1 |
| AE-392 | Art in Early Childhood & Elementary Sch | 4 |
| AE-393 | Art in the Secondary School | 4 |
| AE-480L | Direct Observ & Teaching Art/Elem Sch | 6 |
| AE-480S | Direct Obs & Teaching Art/Secondary Sch | 6 |
| AE-481 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 6 |
| ART HISTORY COURSES | ||
| AHS-210 | Ancient to Byzantine Art | 2 |
| AHS-252 | Medieval to Modern Art (Genearl Education ) | 4 |
| AHS-409 | Modern & Contemporary Art (General Education ) | 3 |
| EDUCATION COURSES | ||
| ED-116 | Relational Competence Workshop | 3 |
| ED-220 | Interview Assessment | 0 |
| ED-396 | Introduction to Exceptional Learner | 4 |
| ED-475 | Student Teaching Seminar | 0 |
| ADDITIONAL COURSES | ||
| ED-352 | Investigating Integrated Social Studies With the Inquiry Arc | 4 |
| PSY-110 | Life Span Development (General Education ) | 4 |
| PSY-250 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
| CHOOSE ONE 400 LEVEL COURSE | 3 | |
| Advanced Figure Drawing | ||
| Advanced Painting | ||
| Advanced Printmaking | ||
| ART ELECTIVE COURSES | ||
| Choose 12 Upper-Level (300) Credits From: 1, 3 | 12 | |
| A-321, A-352, A-356, A-359, A-362, A-363, A-366, A-371, A-376, A-380, A-384, A-397, | ||
| ASSESSMENTS | ||
| A-100 | Community Art/Design Midsemester 2 | 0 |
| A-482 | Ext Assmnt of Effective Citzenship Lvl 4 | 0 |
| PST 329 Praxis II Prep Seminar | ||
| PST 406 Praxis 2 Ae (or equivalent) | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS | ||
| AC-151 | Initial Social Interaction Assessment | 0 |
| CM-120 | Communication Seminar 1 | 4 |
| CM-125 | Communication Seminar 2 | 3 |
| CM-225 | Communication Seminar 3 | 3 |
| FSS-125 | First Semester Seminar | 2 |
| FA-110 | Intro to the Arts | 4 |
| HUM-150 | Express/Interpretn Human Experience | 4 |
| HFA-210 & HFA-310 | and | 4 |
| ILA-100 | Introduction to the Liberal Arts @ Alverno | 0 |
| QL-122 | Quantitative Literacy in Modern World | 4 |
| or BU-151 | Personal Finance | |
| QL-156 | Mathematical Connections | 3 |
| Science Lab Course | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 143 | |
May not choose a course used above.
Must complete 8 semesters.
Three credits should focus on technology.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AET-604 | Art Education Field Work | 1-3 |
| AET-622 | Art Education Methods | 3 |
| AET-681 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AET-686 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AET-692 | Expressive Arts Seminar | 3 |
| AET-695 | Art Portfolio Assessment | 0 |
| AET-750 | Pre-Stud Tch Art Portf Assmnt | 0 |
| LTM-601 | Field Experience Module Registration | 0 |
| LTM-602 | Field Experience Module 1 | 1 |
| LTM-603 | Field Experience Module 2 | 1 |
| LTM-612 | Foundations of Teaching, Learning & Assessing | 4 |
| LTM-629 | K-9th Grade Developmental Methods | 3 |
| LTM-631 | Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| LTM-632 | Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment | 3 |
| LTM-641 | Student Teaching | 3 |
| LTM-675 | Student Teaching Seminar-LTM | 0 |
| PST 400 Praxis 2 Elc | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 31-33 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AET-604 | Art Education Field Work | 1-3 |
| AET-622 | Art Education Methods | 3 |
| AET-681 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AET-686 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AET-692 | Expressive Arts Seminar | 3 |
| AET-695 | Art Portfolio Assessment | 0 |
| AET-750 | Pre-Stud Tch Art Portf Assmnt | 0 |
| LTM-601 | Field Experience Module Registration | 0 |
| LTM-602 | Field Experience Module 1 | 1 |
| LTM-603 | Field Experience Module 2 | 1 |
| LTM-612 | Foundations of Teaching, Learning & Assessing | 4 |
| LTM-629 | K-9th Grade Developmental Methods | 3 |
| LTM-631 | Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| LTM-632 | Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment | 3 |
| LTM-641 | Student Teaching | 3 |
| LTM-675 | Student Teaching Seminar-LTM | 0 |
| PST 400 Praxis 2 Elc | 0 | |
| Total Credits | 31-33 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AE-285 | Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-386 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-387 | Adaptive Field Experience | 1 |
| A-492 | Expressive Therapies Seminar | 3 |
| PSY-250 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
| AE-481 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 6 |
| ED-396 | Introduction to Exceptional Learner | 4 |
| or ED-368 | Working With Diverse Populations | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A-492 | Expressive Therapies Seminar | 3 |
| AE-285 | Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-386 | Media & Methods in Art Therapy | 3 |
| AE-387 | Adaptive Field Experience | 1 |
| AE-481 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 6 |
| ED-368 | Working With Diverse Populations | 4 |
| PSY-250 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |