Teacher Education
The Department of Art offers courses leading to four separate degrees in teacher education. These cover all levels from elementary through secondary school. A&M-Commerce's Field-Based Student Teaching Program places students in public school classrooms during the senior year, providing future educators with valuable real-world experience.
Recent trends in public education indicate a widespread need for qualified teachers at all levels. Students seeking a bachelor's degree in any of the following teacher education programs must complete:
- Degree requirements for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree
- University Studies requirements
- Requirements of admission to, and retention in the Teacher Education Program (refer separately to the sites on Educator Certification and Academic Services)
- Professional development courses
- Courses in art leading to the major
Students participating in the Field-Based Student Teaching Program should take no more than 33 semester hours during their senior year.
Interdisciplinary Studies (Elementary Education)
The Interdisciplinary Studies major involves studies in a variety of liberal arts and provides the prospective teacher with additional content knowledge above that covered in the University Studies curriculum. The broad education provided by this major is ideal for teachers in the elementary grades.
All-level Teacher Certification (K-12)
The sequence of courses leading to All-Level Certification provides a diverse background in various art media, critical thinking, art history, and educational theory. This major prepares students to teach across the grade levels from K-12. Because of its breadth, it is an ideal major, too, for students planning to teach in large high schools or to rise to supervisory positions in a school or district.
Secondary Teacher Certification (Option II)
Students in the Option II program will double major in art and another area of emphasis constituting a second teaching area. Students earn certification to teach in both areas. Designed for the secondary school level, this major is well-suited for small high schools, where a teacher's assignments may include classes both in and outside the visual arts.
Secondary Teacher Certification (Option III)
As in the All-Level major, the courses required for Option III provide a diverse background in various art media, critical thinking, art history, and educational theory. However, Option III prepares students for teaching at the secondary level and is ideal, because of its breadth and rigor, for large high schools with established art programs.
