How to Teach College Art

Teaching art at the college level can be a rewarding experience.

If you have a strong inclination for art and a desire to help others learn, teaching a college-level art class can be a fulfilling endeavor. Many colleges and universities offer classes in liberal arts, studio art and art history. Various colleges offer on-campus as well as online courses to students interested in art. To teach at the college level, you will need to possess a master's degree in fine arts or art history.

Instructions

1. Determine the subject you wish to teach considering your interests: painting, photography, music, sculpture or art history. This will help you decide the courses to study to qualify to teach art at the college level.

2. Obtain a bachelor's degree from a program in liberal arts, where you learn other subjects such as English and history along with art. Taking these courses gives you an alternative to change your major to some subject other than art in the future. If, however, you wish to focus exclusively on art, browse the website of ArtSchools to find schools that offer a four-year courses where coursework is more focused on art.

3. Browse websites such as ArtSchools and AllArtSchools to find colleges that offer a master's degree in fine arts or art history, depending on your field of interest. Follow the links they provide to check admission requirements at each college.

4. Look for information about what the college gives more importance to: admission tests such as the ACT and SAT or the student's portfolio. Get details of the equipment, studio space, faculty expertise and resources available at the college. Find out if the school has accreditation for the course of your interest from an institution considered an authority in the field. Compare across colleges for tuition fees and financial support options.

5. Apply to a few colleges, providing the specified information such as your admission test score, portfolio, resume and letters of recommendation. Once you gain admission to a program, take the courses, complete practical projects and clear the specified exams to obtain your master's degree.

6. Browse the website of the College Art Association for teaching positions in college art. Similarly, get information from the official websites of colleges that have an arts department, and look for teaching vacancies.

7. Apply to colleges with your resume and samples of your previous work.

References

• ArtSchools; Finding the Right Art School; Adam Burton
• WorldWideLearn: Guide to College Majors in Art
• Education-Portal.com: Art History Masters Degree Program Overviews

Resources

• ArtSchools: Directory of Art & Design Schools and Art & Design Degrees
• AllArtSchools: Art Master's Degree Programs