Alverno College is the only college or university in Wisconsin that offers this unique dual major, which results in licensure to teach in Art Education (550) and a supplemental license in Adaptive Education (859) with an emphasis on Art Therapy. Students are engaged in art educational and therapeutic approaches, working with students in the PreK-12th grade population in addition to learning how to teach and adapt art for children and adults. Students learn the pedagogical theory of art education, the wellness and therapeutic models of art therapy and expressive arts, and they implement their learning in educational and non-educational settings, engaging their students and participants in rich, accessible art experiences.
In order to teach art effectively, you first need to develop a solid base in studio art. Your studies focus on both the meaning and form of art. By actively creating works of your own, you are able to fully engage with aesthetic experience. By working with various media, you expand your ability to invent and experiment. Your program of studies includes an introduction to drawing, 2D and 3D design, and color theories. You learn the processes of ceramics, painting, metals, fibers, photography, computer graphics, printmaking, and sculpture, and other media to support your ability to create effective lessons and develop your own artmaking knowledge, skills, and abilities.
You also study art history and art from other cultures, as by studying the legacy of the past you come to better understand yourself and the work of contemporary artists. You analyze art in historical context, considering how factors such as politics, economics, religion, education, and technology impact the arts. You learn to make informed artistic judgments and to recognize the artistic relationships necessary to produce art. In addition, you learn about the cultural and artistic influences of historically underrepresented and disenfranchised groups.
In order to develop and refine your teaching ability, you take courses in psychology and art education, integrated with the liberal arts curriculum. As an Art Education/Art Therapy double major, you take additional courses to expand your expertise in Abnormal Psychology (PSY 250), understanding the Exceptional Learner (ED396), working with Expressive Arts (A492), and Art Therapy processes (AE285). You learn to analyze the general and specific needs of particular age groups, and to relate these needs to artistic forms, manipulation of materials, and behavioral characteristics. Your art education fieldwork includes classroom observations and practices in regular and inclusive art settings.
The culmination of the art education/art therapy major lies in successful completion of two nine-week Student Teaching experiences in PreK-12th grade art education, and an additional semester Student Teaching Practicum in adaptive education in art, working with students with exceptional needs in an art education setting. These experiences are required by the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for licensure. Upon graduation, you can be licensed as a PK-12 art educator (550) and PK-12 adaptive art specialist (859). Graduates are confident and highly qualified art educators who can flexibly and creatively meet the needs of all of their students after completing this unique program.
| 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 | 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 Arts Seminar | 3 |
| A Elective | Art (A) Elective, 300 or 400 level | 15 |
| Art Education Courses | ||
| 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 & AE-480S | Direct Observ & Teaching Art/Elem Sch and Direct Obs & Teaching Art/Secondary Sch | 12 |
| AE-481 | Directed Observ/Teaching in Art Therapy | 6 |
| Art History Courses | ||
| AHS-210 | Ancient to Byzantine Art (Course offered fall term only) | 2 |
| AHS-252 | Medieval to Modern Art | 4 |
| AHS-409 | Modern & Contemporary Art | 3 |
| AHS Elective | Art History (AHS) Elective | 2 |
| 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 Requirements | ||
| HS-312 | Lives of First People | 2 |
| PSY-110 | Life Span Development | 4 |
| PSY-250 | Abnormal Psychology | 4 |
| Assessments | ||
| A-100 | Community Art/Design Midsemester 1 | 0 |
| A-399 | Formal Introduction to Advanced Work | 0 |
| AE-130 | Aesthetic Engagement Ext Assessmnt Lev 1 | 0 |
| AE-230 | Aesthetic Engagement Ext Assessmnt Lev 2 | 0 |
| AE-330 | Aesthetic Engagement Ext Assessmnt Lev 3 | 0 |
| AE-395 | Ext Assessmnt Aesthetic Engagement Lev 4 | 0 |
| AE-400 | Ext Assessmnt Aesthetic Engagement Lev 5 | 0 |
| AE-450 | Ext Assessmnt Aesthetic Engagement Lev 6 | 0 |
| AE-482 | Ext Assessmnt Effective Citizenship Lev4 | 0 |
| PST 329 | Praxis II Completed | |
| PST 406 | Praxis II Completed | |
| Total Credits | 108 | |
Take this mid-semester assessment for each semester for a total of 8 semesters.
3 credits must be at 400 level.
This major does not require a minor and follows the general education requirements for mega majors-not science related.