The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Art with an concentration in art education at JMU is a graduate program for certified art educators dedicated to excellence in teaching and directing comprehensive art education programs in schools, museums, art organizations or the private sector. The program includes in-depth analysis of the methods and techniques for teaching studio art, art history, art criticism, aesthetics and visual culture. The program promotes graduates who are:
- Dedicated art education professionals.
- Articulate art education advocates.
- Charismatic leaders who demonstrate art education as a vital component of general education.
The goals of the program are:
- To provide students with the structure, skills, core concepts and methods of inquiry for teaching and directing comprehensive art education programs, including: aesthetics, art criticism, art history, studio production and visual culture.
- To provide students with opportunities to create and evaluate art instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
- To provide opportunities for students to demonstrate an extensive range of strategies for teaching and evaluating art instruction, including the use of technology.
- To foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction among students for developing thesis papers and projects.
- To deepen a student's knowledge in a specific area of art education scholarly interest.
- To provide students with access to the latest research on how children learn and develop and how culture influences human development and creative artistic expression.
- To provide students with access to the latest research on how children learn to understand, appreciate, create and judge works of art.
- To provide students with opportunities to apply research to art lessons that support intellectual, social and personal development.
