As part of a professionally oriented art school at a major research institution, the Art Education program at BU School of Visual Arts is uniquely positioned to offer students a comprehensive preparation to a career in the discipline. Students engage in the study of the cultural, social, cognitive, emotional, and artistic dimensions of children and youth development with a focus on diversity and inclusion. They develop skills in applying innovative pedagogies that meet the demands of teaching and research in a global and contemporary environment.
BU School of Visual Arts students prepare to be teaching artists by engaging in coursework and research that include interdisciplinary studies, collaboration with other programs and colleges, arts-based research methods, and immersive practice in PreK-12 schools, museums, or in the community.
Unique in its concept, the Art Education program offers students the opportunity of completing the coursework and internships that prepares them for endorsement in both Massachusetts licenses in the teaching of Visual Arts, Prek-8 and 5-12. As a result, students enrolled in the BFA, the 4 +1 BFA/MA, and the MA with Initial License benefit from an outstanding teacher preparation program that results in one of the highest rates of placement in the state.
Boston University offers a number of programs that lead to a professional license or certification. Provided here is state-specific licensure information regarding the Master of Art in Art Education with Initial License degree program. This information also applies to the Bachelor of Fine Arts/Master of Art in Art Education 4+1 program.
For candidates not seeking licensure, MA in Art Education programs include on-campus and online delivery. These flexible modalities provide an extended professional development through an advanced degree for those already practicing or preparing to pursue doctoral research. Graduate students benefit from a choice of courses offering in-depth enrichment in both the historical roots of the discipline and critical perspectives afforded by contemporary theories and practices.
Some of Our Grads
Graduates from the Art Education program enjoy successful careers, teaching both in the greater Boston area and throughout the country.
- Dawn Benski, Fine Arts Department Chair, Scituate Public Schools
- Kristi Oliver, recipient of the Massachusetts Art Educator of the Year Award, President of the Massachusetts Art Education Association
- George Ratkevich, Visual Arts Coordinator, Burlington Public School System
- Lindsay Erben, Director of the Arts Institute of Middlesex County Overseeing arts, culture, and history under Middlesex County Government
Degrees Offered
Featured Faculty
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Felice Amato
Assistant Professor of Art, Art Education
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Rébecca Bourgault
Assistant Professor of Art, Art Education; Chair of Art Education
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Diana Hampe
Lecturer in Art, Art Education
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Nicole Pond
Lecturer in Art, Art Education
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Jana Silver
Art Education Field Work Coordinator
Meet Art Education Assistant Professor, Felice Amato
Having taught Spanish and art for nearly 20 years in Minnesota public schools, Felice Amato, Assistant Professor of Art Education at BU, feels a lot of reward in teaching. She also feels this way when immersed in her art.
In CFA’s Faculty Feature series, Amato shares with CFA how the Art Education department at BU cultivates the belief that art educators are artists, as well as teachers, encouraging students to teach from a place of deep knowledge and love of art.
“Art is a reflection of society, but it is also a catalyst for change. We’re not just preparing students to be teachers. We’re teaching our students to teach theirs to be designers, thinkers, and problem-solvers.“
Hear from Amato on the various opportunities art education students receive – from Summer Studios for online students to learning in small cohorts, having personal interaction with faculty and facilitators, all while having the benefits of studying in a large research university.
