Art Education: Alternative Settings

Want to use your love of art to facilitate artmaking with others? A Bachelor of Science in Art Education - Alternative Settings can prepare you to do so. KU’s Art Education program, regarded as one of the best in the nation, is all about options.

Of course, art teachers work in public and private elementary, middle and high schools, and higher education. But they also enjoy plenty of other options: serving programs at art museums, anthropology museums, children’s museums, community arts centers, family support agencies, hospitals, parks & recreation departments, private studios, and plenty of other settings. The Bachelor of Science in Art Education – Alternative Settings degree will prepare you for these fulfilling careers in museum settings, settings for health and well-being (e.g. art therapy) and community arts organizations.

Art Education - Alternative Settings students begin their first year taking the same visual art foundations program (drawing, design, digital art, and art history) as all other visual art majors. The second-year introduces coursework in a variety of art forms, and you’ll select an area of artmaking focus:  ceramics, sculpture, textiles, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, or time based/experimental media. Coursework in visual studies provides an understanding of art, design, and visual culture from historical, critical, and philosophical positions. Alternative Settings students complete courses in art history, psychology, education, health and wellness, in addition to fieldwork and internships in their areas of interest.

Dual Degree Opportunities

Students may choose to pursue a dual degree to earn a B.S. in Art Education - Alternative Settings and a B.A. in Art History or a B.S. in Psychology, or a B.F.A. in Studio Art. Typically, a dual degree takes five years to complete.

KU’s network of support begins the moment you enter the program and continues well beyond graduation. It reaches far beyond the university to include alumni who look at our graduates as potential colleagues or as replacements for their own positions because of our reputation for producing quality art teachers. You’ll be mentored by professors who are nationally and internationally recognized artists, educators, and scholars.

Internship Experiences

The region provides a wide variety of settings for students to obtain a rich array of experiences.  The Art Education - Alternative Settings program provides students with internship opportunities through museums, health and wellness facilities, and community art centers throughout the region in rural, suburban and urban locations. Regional museum educators, health and wellness practitioners, and community art directors mentor students through their role as internship supervisors. You’ll work closely with a professional in the field to enhance your knowledge and skills.

Sample Career Options

Student Learning Outcomes