Degree: Master of Arts (MA)
Field of Study: Art Education

Program Overview

There is a temporary pause in admissions to the MA in Art Education.

Graduate Policies

For graduate policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

The Master of Arts in Art Education requires a total of 39 credits and is designed to educate professional teachers of art for public and private schools who are also competent, creative artists. The program meets the requirements of the Ohio Board of Education to qualify its university-recommended students for Pre-K-12 Visual Art Specialist Licensure to teach art in the public schools of Ohio and more than 40 reciprocating states.

The admission procedure includes an online application, three letters of recommendation, a college transcript, and artist portfolio, which are to be submitted to the Art Education office, and an interview with the program director in which students show a portfolio of artwork and discuss their program of study.

Required Courses

The Art Education, MA is designed to educate professional teachers of art. There are four decision points in the Art Education Program. For each of the decision points, there are three possible outcomes: unconditional admission; conditional admission with a prescribed remedial plan which when successfully completed will result in unconditional admission; or denial of admission. Denial of admission at any decision point means the student is no longer able to pursue an art education degree at Case Western Reserve University.

Decision Point 1: Entry to the Program

Application for admission to the program requires:

1. being accepted to the university
2. being accepted as an art major through an art portfolio review
3. submission of a signed Statement of Assurance of Good Moral Character
4. a satisfactory interview with art education faculty, documented on the Teacher Licensure Admission Assessment Form

Decision Points 2 and 3:  Admission to Advanced Standing & Student Teaching

Application for advanced standing and student teaching requires:

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better
2. Discipline GPA of 2.7 or better
3. Education GPA of 3.0 or better
4. Minimum average score of 2.5 on the ePortfolio
5. Pass TB test; present documentation of hepatitis B vaccinations
6. Pass criminal background checks (BCI & FBI)
7. Minimum average score of 2.5 on DAI
8. Successful completion of the Student Teaching Interview.

Decision Point 4: Retention During the Student Teaching Semester

1. Minimum average score of 2.75 on each CWRU Student Teaching Final Assessment by Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor during the first student teaching placement
2. Minimum average mid-semester score of 2.75 on DAI

Decision Point 5: Recommendation for Initial Licensure

Application for initial licensure occurs after successful completion of all degree requirements. The application requires:

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better.
2. Discipline GPA of 2.7 or better.
3. Education GPA of 3.0 or better
4. Completion of degree requirements
5. Minimum average score of 3.0 on the ePortfolio
6. Minimum average score of 3.0 or better on DAI
7. Completion of CWRU Final Student Teaching Assessment by Cooperating Teacher and University Supervisor averaging 3.0 or better on each
8. Achieve passing scores on Ohio Licensure exams
9. Completion of the following:  Feedback on University Supervisor, Feedback on Cooperating Teacher, CWRU Teacher Licensure Exit Interview and Survey.
10. submission of a current final transcript documenting the following: a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, an art course GPA of 3.0 or better, and an education GPA of 3.0 or better
11. a passing score on DAI, completed by the art education faculty
12. achievement of state-mandated scores on the two Ohio Assessments for Educators exams
13. completion of the CWRU Student Teaching Final Assessment by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor with a grade of B or better
14. completion of the CWRU Teacher Licensure Exit Interview and Survey

After successfully completing all requirements at the four decision points, the student is recommended by the university’s director of teacher education for the Ohio Provisional Art (Pre-K-12) License. Completion of the MA Program in Art Education degree does not ensure that the State of Ohio’s Provisional Visual Art Teacher License will be awarded.