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Bachelor's in Visual Arts Education

If you are a practicing artist who wants to teach arts in academic settings, discover the BS in Visual Arts Education at Indiana Wesleyan University. With this visual arts education, you can learn how to channel your artistic talents and skills into effective teaching methods for diverse audiences of students. This comprehensive curriculum helps you teach traditional techniques, such as printmaking, as well as methods in digital imagery and graphic design. At our Christian university, you can learn how to integrate biblical principles into a virtuous career in arts education.

Why Pursue My Visual Arts Education Bachelor’s at IWU?

There are several benefits to pursuing the visual arts education bachelor’s at IWU. In this comprehensive program, students receive 1:1 support from faculty with experience as visual artists in a variety of creative roles. We also provide a complete system of student services, from tech support to tutoring, to help you succeed in this BS in Visual Arts Education program. Students learn from expert faculty who will become mentors in the faith, integrating classroom learning with biblical truths for a Christ-centered environment that encourages spiritual growth.

What Will I Learn in this BS in Visual Arts Education Program?

The courses in this visual arts education are designed to help students learn effective teaching skills while elevating their creative and technical abilities in the visual arts. The major, designed to meet Indiana fine arts standards, also includes professional education courses that prepare students to teach in public and private elementary, middle- and high school classrooms. Course topics cover principles of teaching, disciplinary literacy, ideation, interpretation, and more.

What Makes IWU Different?

Education Pioneer

IWU has provided on-campus education for more than 100 years.

Rooted in Christ

Faith-integrated curriculum and a commitment to changing the world.

Superior Support

Center for Student Success for counseling, tutoring, and more!

What You Will Study in This Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts Education

Coursework for this BS in Visual Arts Education program covers how to:

  • Become proficient in lesson design, mastery teaching, motivation, effective instruction, classroom management, learning styles, and multicultural perspective
  • Understand the elements and principles of design through individual and collaborative learning
  • Explore the nature of individual learning needs, including the needs of children who differ in cognitive-academic, social-emotional, physical-sensory characteristics, special education, and related services
  • Integrate biblical principles into a career teaching visual art

...
After Graduation
Potential Careers

  • Teacher, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary
  • Art, Drama, Music Teacher
  • Art Director
  • Art Therapist
  • Fine Artist


Work in Various Industries

  • Industry

Program Requirements
Indiana Wesleyan University students are assessed multiple times as they progress through the Teacher Education Program and acquire the knowledge, skills and dispositions required of successful educators.
  1. Admission to the Teacher Education Program.
    • Cumulative GPA of 2.75 and a 3.0 in each teaching major, including teacher education courses. All professional education courses completed with a grade of C- or less must be repeated.
    • Formal application.
    • Teacher Education Program Assessments: interview; reading and writing on demand assessments.
  2. Admission to student teaching. Students apply for admission to student teaching a year prior to the academic year in which the student teaching semester occurs.
    • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the major.
    • Design a lesson plan that is assessed by a School of Teacher Education faculty member using an assessment rubric that is expressly designed for that purpose.
  3. Students apply for admission to student teaching a year prior to the academic year in which the student teaching semester occurs.

The student teaching semester culminates with the following assessments:

  • Students develop a standards-based portfolio during the student teaching semester, assembling artifacts in five different domains that provide evidence that they have met the standards and expectations required of them. The portfolio is assessed with a rubric designed expressly for that purpose.
  • Student teachers develop a Teacher Work Sample that is designed to determine the degree to which their teaching has been effective in producing the learning expected of their students.
  • As the concluding activity of the student teaching semester, a defense committee, consisting of the student's supervising teacher, School of Teacher Education faculty, other University faculty and practicing P-12 teachers, conducts an interview with each student teacher. The student teacher is assessed on his or her professional impression and also the degree to which he or she answers questions successfully.
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Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

The IWU Teacher Education Program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and is a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
Take the Next Step

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