art student in a critique

What does it cost?

Check out our cost calculator or visit student financial services for information on estimated costs.

How long will it take?

36 semester hours of graduate coursework must be completed

Where will I take classes?

Application Deadlines View Admissions Requirements

  • Fall: April 1
  • Spring: Does not admit
  • Summer: Does not admit

Art Education, M.A. Ed.

The Georgia State University Master of Art Education (M.A.Ed.) is an advanced degree in art education structured to build a community of collegial professionals who demonstrate disciplinary expertise, including knowledge of the content of art education, skill with sound pedagogical strategies, understanding of current scholarship and issues in the field and the ability to affect student learning positively. Emphasis is placed on teaching diverse learners in urban and metropolitan settings.

Specific objectives for students completing the M.A.Ed. program include:

  • Expanding their skills and understanding in studio art production and contemporary art concepts;
  • Developing their pedagogical skills and strategies as master teachers;
  • Empowering them to integrate theory and best practices in their classrooms;
  • Fostering their critical thinking skills and life-long learning as members of a professional community;
  • Developing their leadership and advocacy skills to have an impact on students, classrooms, communities, schools, districts and professional organizations.
Program Highlights

The Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design features an internationally active faculty and a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for professional careers in art and design. The programs foster critical thinking and dynamic artistic production in an interdisciplinary environment. The school offers an M.A. in Art History, M.A. in Art Education, M.A.T. and M.A.Ed. in Art Education and an M.F.A. in Studio Art with concentrations in Ceramics, Drawing and Painting, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Textiles.

MEET THE ART EDUCATION FACULTY

  • M.F.A. degree that is NASAD accredited.
  • M.F.A. students receive full tuition waivers and monthly stipends as part of assistantships and numerous M.A./M.A.Ed. research assistantships are granted with equal benefits.
  • Graduate assistantships are available for students in the M.F.A. Studio programs, M.A. in Art History and M.A.Ed. programs.
  • Students are eligible for competitive fellowships, including the premium Welch fellowships. The fellowships fund students for the entire three years of study, in addition to the students’ regular stipend and full tuition waiver.
Program Details

Applicants for the M.A.Ed. and M.A.T. degree must submit the following items:

  • Three letters of recommendation. No form is required.
  • Statement of Intent: A one-to-two-page statement of purpose describing academic interests, proposed area of specialization and long-range career goals. The statement should also explain how the graduate program will serve those interests and goals.
  • The letters of recommendation and the statement of intent should be uploaded with the other application materials.
  • Portfolio: A successful portfolio demonstrates creativity and commitment in a cohesive body of work. The portfolio should contain two- and three-dimensional work. It should reflect basic skills in drawing and design and sufficient advanced skill in one area. Twenty images should be submitted if the applicant is not a practicing art educator. If the applicant is a practicing art teacher, a minimum of 10 images of personal studio work and up to 10 images of student work are acceptable. Under no circumstances should more than 20 images be submitted.
  • Examples of work by the applicant’s students should represent a variety of media and reflect quality in design, craftsmanship, originality, complexity and historical or cultural content.
  • Submission guidelines for the statement and portfolio preparation are the same as the M.F.A. degree (listed below).

Specific admission requirements for the M.A.Ed. degree include the following:

  • An undergraduate major appropriate to the intended major.
  • A high standard of overall undergraduate achievement, usually a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
  • Proof of Tier 4 teaching certification (from Georgia or other state).

Master of Art Education (36 hours)

Course of Study
  1. Select one (3):
    • Three hours of art history coursework (non-Western preferred)
  2. Nine hours of coursework in a studio concentration
  3. Nine hours of 8000 level art education coursework
  4. Three hours of coursework in the area of the psychology of learning, to be selected from:
    • *EPY 7080 The Psychology of Learning and Learners (3)
    • EPY 7090 The Psychology of Learning and Learners: The Young Child (3)
  5. Three hours of coursework in the areas of philosophical and social foundations of education, to be selected from:
    • EPSF 7100 Critical Pedagogy (3)
    • EPSF 7110 Multicultural Education (3)
    • *EPSF 7120 Social and Cultural Foundations of Education (3)
  6. Three hours of research methodology, to be selected from:
    • *EPRS 7900 Methods of Research in Education (3)
    • EPRS 7910 Action Research (3) (preferred)
    • EPRS 7920 Classroom Testing, Grading, and Assessment (3)
  7. Six hours of AE 8999, Thesis Research.

*These specific education courses are offered online and are aligned with the low-residency M.A.Ed. cohort program structure.

The thesis in art education may concentrate solely on an art education issue or explore a studio or art history-oriented problem that is tied to an art education issue. Research in art education may focus on action research in the candidate’s own classroom as well as other research methodologies

Each academic school in the College of the Arts offers opportunities for students who have been accepted into one of the graduate degree programs to work as assistants. Graduate assistants work as tutors, aid faculty members in research projects, supervise laboratories and teach undergraduate courses. Assistantships normally are awarded only to students enrolled full time in their degree programs. For the expected level of enrollment, see “Courses and Course Load” in section 10100 below. Students interested in graduate assistantships should contact the director of graduate studies in their school for specific information.

Students receiving assistantships as well as financial aid should be aware that receiving an assistantship can reduce the amount of financial aid awarded.

Goals and outcomes upon completion of an M.A. Ed. program include:

  • Expanding skills and understandings in studio art production and contemporary art concepts.
  • Developing pedagogical skills and strategies as master teachers.
  • Empowering and integrating theory and best practices in their classrooms.
  • Fostering critical thinking skills and life-long learning as members of a professional community.
  • Developing leadership and advocacy skills to have an impact on students, classrooms, communities, schools, districts and professional organizations.

Description

Careers

The graduate programs at the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design prepare students for competitive careers in contemporary art, art education, design and art entrepreneurship.

Highlights include one-on-one mentorship with an internationally acclaimed faculty, access to art institutions and creative publications, networking with high-profile artists, scholars and businesses, experience from conference to international art fair participation, artist residencies, as well as assistantships to develop practical skills and garner learning experience.

The graduate program leads students to career paths such as graphic, interior and Web designers, multimedia artists, curators, gallery directors, museum and non-profit arts managers, art administrators, K-12 art teachers, art educators, art historians and writers, creative directors at advertising and marketing firms, props and set design fabricators, and art appraisers, among others.

Contacts

Graduate Coordinator
Wesley Harvey
[email protected]

Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design
10 Peachtree Center Avenue SE
117 Art & Humanities Bldg.
Atlanta, GA 30303

35 Broad St., 4th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303

The information shared provides an overview of Georgia State’s offerings. For details on admissions requirements, tuition, courses and more, refer to the university catalogs.