Department of Art & Art History

Art Education

Coordinator: Dr. Lisa LaJevic
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The conceptual framework for Art Education, as for all programs in professional education at The College of New Jersey, is creating exemplary professionals. Themes and outcomes associated with that framework are described in the School of Education section of the bulletin.

The Art Education Major offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and qualifies an individual for New Jersey State Art Teacher Certification, kindergarten through twelfth grade. The required curriculum includes a full range of art studio and art history courses. Students are given opportunities to experience actual classroom environments and situations through observations and/or teaching practicum in the sophomore, junior, and senior years. This program, which is accredited through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), is designed to prepare the student both as artist and teacher.

Required studio courses include color theory and 2-D design, 3-D design, digital arts, drawing, painting, and sculpture. Students create their own path of studio study through the selection of two additional 200-level intermediate studio courses, and three 300-level advanced studio courses. These courses and the required Sophomore Professional Experience, Art Techniques in the Elementary Classroom, Art Techniques in the Secondary Classroom, and Principles and Practices in Art Education (Junior Professional Experience-JPE) course lead to Student Teaching. A full semester of student teaching offers experiences at both elementary and secondary levels.

Candidates for a teacher-education certificate must have a 2.75 cumulative grade point average to successfully complete their teacher education program. They must also meet the state hygiene/physiology requirement and pass the appropriate Praxis examination before the New Jersey State Department of Education will issue the appropriate certificate. Teacher-education candidates will receive a 'certificate of eligibility with advanced standing' which requires a candidate to be provisionally certified for his or her first year of teaching. After one year of successful teaching, the candidate is eligible for a permanent certificate.

Course Descriptions
Art Education

Recommended Program of Study (for students entering fall 2012 or after)

Fall Freshman

Spring Freshman

Fall Sophomore

Spring Sophomore

Fall Junior

Spring Junior

Senior Year

Art Education course descriptions can be found at: http://www.tcnj.edu/~bulletin/arts/.


Note: The Art Education (AAE) courses must be taken in sequence: 273, 373, 374, 375, 490 & 492. See bulletin for course prerequisites.

* It is recommended that students do not schedule a class that meets immediately before or after AAE 273. Because students will spend class time in the K-12 schools observing art teachers, extra time may be needed for the commute. Field placements are arranged by the course instructor and STEP Office. Students must provide their own transportation to the schools, however the course instructor will try her/his best to partner students with classmates to meet transportation needs.

**AFA 2XX level courses may include, but are not limited to: AFA 201 Figure Drawing, AFA 202 Printmaking, AFA 221 Fiber Art, AFA 227 Ceramics, AFA 265 Book Arts and AFA 280 Photography,

***AFA 3XX level courses may include, but are not limited to: AFA 305 Art Photography, AFA 311 Advanced Painting, AFA 330 Advanced Sculpture, and AFA 381 Photography II. Please note: In order to enroll in these advanced level studio courses, you must meet the course prerequisites. You may repeat these courses and/or apply for a 300-advanced level independent study in another studio area.

**** Students should try to leave 3-4 weekdays open from 8:00 am-12:00 for AAE 375 fieldwork. Students will be expected to spend time (outside of class) working in an elementary and secondary school. Field placements are arranged by the course instructor and STEP Office. Students will work with a classmate of their choice, so they should make sure to have similar schedule availabilities. Students must provide their own transportation.


Additional Information
Minors

Many Art Education students choose to add a minor to their academic program. Although there are numerous minors available at TCNJ, art education students have declared minors in the following areas: Art History, Photography, Digital Arts, Psychology, Deaf Studies, Communication Disorders, and Women’s and Gender Studies. Depending on the minor, an additional semester (or summer classes) may be required in order to meet the requirements. Students are permitted to request an over load of five course during one semester only (if they meet the 3.3 GPA requirement and are of sophomore standing or higher). Sample planners for selected minors may be available through the art education advisors, coordinator, or in the Art Office.

Minors consist of five full courses units. Only one course taken as a part of the student’s major may also be counted toward the student’s minor; however, correlate courses to the major may be applied freely to the minor. Multiple minors may overlap by only one course. One-half of the courses required for the minor must be completed at TCNJ or through a prior approved course exchange program.

In order to declare a minor, students must complete an Application for Minor/Removal of Minor form, and obtain the signature of the Department Chair. College policy requires that applications for minors must be submitted at least one semester prior to graduation, however it is recommended that you submit your application as early as possible. For additional information about minors and application form, please visit the website of the appropriate department, http://www.tcnj.edu/~recreg/policies/miinors.html, and the course bulletin at http://www.tcnj.edu/~bulletin/index.html.


Praxis Tests

It is strongly recommended that Art Education students take the Praxis II Test: Art Content Knowledge (Test Code: 10133) prior to student teaching. This test is a requirement of the state and is a mandatory component of the NJ initial teaching certification application. Students must meet a qualifying score of 150 prior to graduation. When registering for the test, be certain to list the NJ State Department of Education as a score recipient (R7666), and provide TCNJ’s Certification Office with a copy of the first and last page of the score report, as “sub-scores” are not provided by ETS. Please verify that the social security number on the score report is correct. Register for the test through the Praxis website: www.ets.org/praxis. Information about the Art Content Knowledge test can be found at: http://www.ets.org/praxis/nj/requirements/. For further information contact the college's Certification Office at 609-771-2408 or browse their website: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/certification/index.html.

If you plan to teach in other states, you will need to check the PRAXIS website to learn what tests are required for art teaching. You should also visit the website of the state’s Department of Education. Because NJ has reciprocity with many states, once you receive your NJ teaching certificate, you may be qualified to teach in other states. Please note that certain states may require additional PRAXIS tests and requirements. Additional information is posted on TCNJ’s Certification Office website.

Student Teaching

Student teaching (AAE 490, 2 units) is completed during one semester of the final year of study. Students spend half the semester in an elementary school placement, and the other half in a secondary school placement. Students must take the Student Teaching Seminar (AAE 492, 1 unit) during the same semester as AAE 490. It is recommended that students do not work or enroll in any other classes during the student teaching experience. Thus, this may require that students take 5 courses during another semester (or a course during the summer) in order to graduate within 4 years. Students can elect to take a course while student teaching, but it may be very challenging.

An annual student teaching meeting with the STEP Office is conducted every November. Placements are arranged through the STEP Office, and the process requires an online application during the junior year of study (typically due in early December, the academic year before student teaching). In order to student teach, students must have a GPA of 2.75 or higher. After submitting the application to the STEP Office online, students must submit an unofficial transcript, 3 copies of an updated resume, and signed student teaching application to the program coordinator. Once the STEP Office receives the student teaching applications, they begin processing the paperwork and assigning each art education student an elementary and secondary field placement. Field placements are posted on the STEP student teaching application website: https://jedi.tcnj.edu/webteam/step/login.php. Students may view the pending and approved school placements and the names of their assigned K-12 cooperating teachers. It is recommended that students email and call the cooperating teacher(s) a few weeks before the field experiences begins to introduce themselves and clarify the start date of the student teaching placement. During the first student teaching seminar (AAE 492), students will be given packets of information and asked to distribute the documents to their cooperating teachers. The Culminating Clinical Experience (Senior Student Teaching) Handbook can be accessed online: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/step/studentteaching.html. For additional information about student teaching placements, please see the STEP Office website and the program coordinator.

TCNJ also offers global student teaching. If students elect to student teach abroad, they spend seven weeks of their student teaching requirement at an international school, and the remaining weeks in a New Jersey school. For additional information, please contact the STEP Office (Global Student Teaching): http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/globalteaching/index.html.

Substitute Teaching in New Jersey

Most K-12 school districts in New Jersey accept substitute teaching applications from college students who have completed 60 credits (or 15 units) of coursework. During their junior year, candidates should contact administrative offices of any NJ local school district, where the substitute teacher application process begins. Requirements of the substitute teaching application may include: W-4 form, I-9 form, ID, Mantoux PPD tuberculin test, 2 money orders, Criminal history check, Sagem Morpho Criminal History Verification form, signed oath of allegiance, and official transcript showing at least 60 credits (15 units). The substitute teaching certification is valid for 5 years. For additional information about substitute teaching, please visit the Certification Office: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/certification/index.html.

New Jersey State Health & Physiology Requirement

Art Education students need to meet the New Jersey State Health & Physiology Requirement for teaching certification. Students must take a biology, nutrition, anatomy & physiology, health/wellness issues, personal/family/community health, OR a Health and hygiene test in the TCNJ Certification Office (ext 2396). This requirement must be met prior to graduation. For additional information, please visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/certification/index.html.

Initial Teaching Certification in New Jersey

Students must apply for the NJ initial teaching certificate during their final semester. Undergraduate students can obtain a NJ certification application from TCNJ’s Certification Office (available during the first 2 months of the semester they plan to graduate). All applicants must return the following items to TCNJ’s Certification Office: NJ certification application, NJ certification fee, and Praxis score report copy. For information about teaching certification, please contact TCNJ’s Certification Office: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/certification/index.html. Additional information about NJ Teaching Licensure and Credentials can be found on the State of NJ Department of Education website: http://www.state.nj.us/education/educators/license/teacher/.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, art education students must apply for “Conferment of Degree” (through PAWS) on or before the beginning of the semester in which they will complete ALL requirements. 
Requirements include:
1. Fulfillment of all courses and units
2. Qualification score of 150 or higher on the Praxis II test: Art Content Knowledge (Test Code: 10133).
3. State Health & Physiology requirement for certification. For additional information, please visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/~educat/certification/index.html.
4. Proof of HIB Training
5. Completed application for the NJ initial teaching certificate. During the semester that a student plans to graduate, s/he should obtain the required forms from TCNJ’s Certification Office.

 Advising and Course Registration

All TCNJ students are assigned a Faculty Advisor. Art education students should plan on meeting with their advisor (or attend a registration meeting) at least once each semester. Students are expected to track their academic progress, understand the requirements of the major, and review their academic requirements on PAWS (Primary Academic Web-based Services). In order to remind students to meet with their advisor prior to registration, a registration hold may be placed on the student account, which is then removed once they meet with their advisor.

Course registration is performed through PAWS (Primary Academic Web-based Services). For additional information about PAWS, please visit: http://www.tcnj.edu/~it/paws/students.html.
A helpful tutorial on how to use PAWS and register for classes, can be found at:
www.tcnj.edu/~it/paws/documents/RegisterforClasses.pdf.
Information about Summer Courses can be found at: http://summer.pages.tcnj.edu/.

Information for Art Education Transfer Students
The art education program requires, at a minimum, 2 ½ years for transfer students. Each TCNJ course is typically worth 1 unit, and in order to offer a pedagogically sound curriculum, the art education courses must be taken in the following chronological order:
AAE 273- 1st semester: This course is offered in the Fall only  (1st course of sequence)
AAE 373- 2nd semester: Spring only  (prerequisite is AAE 273)
AAE 374- 3rd semester: Fall only  (prerequisite is AAE 273)
AAE 375- 4th semester: Spring only  (prerequisite is AAE 373 & 374)
AAE 490 & 492 (student teaching)- 5th semester  (prerequisite is AAE 375)
Students may transfer to TCNJ during the Spring semester, however they must wait to begin the art education
sequence until the following fall semester. Also, art Majors are required to take a total of 12 art courses at TCNJ.                                              

 

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