What is studio art/art education?
If you’re interested in teaching art, our degree with the option in studio art/art education will prepare you for a career as an art educator in public schools. In the first four years, you’ll immerse yourself in the studio art program, earning a bachelor’s degree while gaining broad experience working with diverse media. You’ll have the opportunity to study art forms such as drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture and woodcraft. A fifth-year internship satisfies the initial certification requirements for teachers of art in public schools in New Hampshire and most other states.
Why study studio art/art education at UNH?
In addition to the Museum of Art and Paul Creative Arts Center on campus and the rich artistic community of Portsmouth just minutes away, the fine art museums of Boston are within an hour’s drive. You’ll meet and learn from artists and historians from around the world through our Visiting Artists & Art Historians program. Your education coursework will be handled expertly by our Education Department, which has been teaching teachers for more than 100 years.
Potential careers
- Art teacher
- Commercial artist
- Designer
- Museum educator
- Program director
Curriculum & Requirements
The program in art education is organized into a five-year, teacher-education sequence. This curriculum is designed to prepare teachers of art in the public schools. The satisfactory completion of the B.A. studio art curriculum for art education students and required education courses, in conjunction with the fifth-year internship, will satisfy the initial certification requirements for teachers of art in the public schools of New Hampshire and in most other states. These requirements may change by the time students apply for certification and the students are required to fulfill the then-current requirements. Art education students may take accredited crafts courses at other institutions as art electives.
A portfolio is required for acceptance to the studio art/art education option.
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
Students selecting to work toward a bachelor of arts degree in studio art/art education must complete a minimum of 14 courses (56 credits), with a minimum grade of C in each course. The following courses are required:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Foundation (4 courses) | 16 | |
ARTS 501 | Introductory Ceramics | |
ARTS 510 | Principles of Design | |
ARTS 532 | Introductory Drawing | |
ARTS 567 | Introductory Sculpture | |
| Required Core Supplemental (2 courses) | 8 | |
One additional 500/600-level 2D: | ||
ARTS 536 | Introduction Printmaking: Intaglio | |
ARTS 546 | Painting Design I: Perceptual Painting and Color Theory | |
ARTS 632 | Intermediate Drawing | |
ARTS 633 | Life Drawing | |
One 500-level Photography: | ||
ARTS 551 | Introduction to Darkroom Photography | |
ARTS 552 | Introductory Digital Photography (recommended) | |
| Four courses in a studio concentration at the 500/600/700 levels (see concentration courses below) | 16 | |
| One studio elective (Jterm or summer course can be used) | 4 | |
Select from ARTS 501, ARTS 525, ARTS 536, ARTS 546, ARTS 551, ARTS 552, ARTS 596, ARTS 598, ARTS 601, ARTS 610, ARTS 611, ARTS 612, ARTS 613, ARTS 614, ARTS 625, ARTS 632, ARTS 633, ARTS 636, ARTS 646, ARTS 651, ARTS 667, ARTS 696, ARTS 732, ARTS 746, ARTS 791, ARTS 792, 796 | ||
| Three art history courses | 12 | |
ARTH 480 | Introduction to Art History | |
or ARTH 474 | Introduction to Architectural History | |
600-level elective (select from ARTH 654, ARTH 655, ARTH 656, ARTH 674, ARTH 675, ARTH 677, ARTH 678, ARTH 679, ARTH 680, ARTH 681, ARTH 682, ARTH 684, ARTH 685, ARTH 686, ARTH 688, ARTH 689, ARTH 693, ARTH 694, ARTH 695, ARTH 697, ARTH 795) | ||
600-level elective with depth of content in 20th-21st Century art (select from ARTH 656, ARTH 688, ARTH 689, ARTH 693, ARTH 694) | ||
| In addition to the above, other courses are required for teaching certification. | ||
| Total Credits | 56 | |
Concentration Courses (4 courses)
Minimum of three 600-700 level studio courses. No more than one of the following: a 500-level studio course (select from ARTS 501, ARTS 525, ARTS 536, ARTS 546, ARTS 551, ARTS 552, ARTS 596), ARTS 598 An Artist's Life, a 600-700 level art history (see selection of courses in art history requirement above), or ARTS 600 Internship in Studio Art (with approval). Jterm and summer online courses cannot be used.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
ARTS 601 | Ceramics Workshop (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 610 | Principles of Typography | |
ARTS 611 | Animation and Motion Design | |
ARTS 612 | Interaction & Game Design | |
ARTS 613 | Design and Place | |
ARTS 614 | Design and People | |
ARTS 625 | Wood/Furniture Design Workshop (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 632 | Intermediate Drawing | |
ARTS 633 | Life Drawing | |
ARTS 636 | Printmaking Workshop (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 646 | Painting Design II: Perceptual Painting and the Individual Artist's Vision (may be repeated, must be taken twice before advancing to 746) | |
ARTS 651 | Photography Workshop (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 667 | Sculpture Workshop (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 732 | Advanced Drawing (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 746 | Painting Design III: Perceptual Painting and Narrative Themes (may be repeated) | |
ARTS 796 | Independent Study: Studio Art (K: Wood Design, may be repeated) |
The Discovery Program capstone requirement will be fulfilled by completing a capstone project that reflects the training received, and personal artistic growth made, throughout the student’s years of study at UNH. The capstone project includes participation in the BA/BFA Senior Exhibition in the UNH Museum of Art in April-May. Students will submit a minimum of 5 (or the equivalent what would be the equivalent of 5) recent works for faculty to review and select for the exhibition. At the review a written artist statement and verbal explanation of the work must also be presented.
The required minimum overall GPA in major coursework is 2.0.
Candidates for a degree must satisfy all of the University Discovery Program requirements in addition to satisfying the requirements of each individual major program. Bachelor of arts candidates must also satisfy the foreign language proficiency requirement.
Studio art/art education majors may use two major-required courses to satisfy two Discovery category requirements.
Introductory (500) Level:
- Basic skillset in a particular arts discipline
- Working knowledge of the tools and materials used in a particular arts discipline
- Basic understanding of analytical thinking when making and talking about art
- Demonstrate development of artistry
Intermediate (500/600) Level:
- Demonstrate development of artistry and skill set in a range of artistic disciplines
- Demonstrate knowledge of tools and materials beyond the basics
- Deeper ability to discuss and analyze works of art
- Ability to verbalize intent in a particular work of art
- Ability to research particular artists
- Ability to declare an area of concentration for advanced in a particular arts discipline
Advanced (600/700) Level:
- Demonstrate a high level of artistry
- Ability to work independently
- Develop and Demonstrate an individual sensibility
- Ability to understand and verbalize intent in a work of art
- Ability to construct a professional capstone portfolio or thesis
- Demonstrate in-depth familiarity with a range of artistic movements both historical and contemporary
