Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

All students focus on foundational courses in art and design along with liberal arts courses that are customized to the needs of a practicing artist.

You'll begin taking courses in ceramics, sculpture, painting, etc. to ensure a broad understanding of artistic materials and approaches within art education. You will begin initial field experiences in K-12 classrooms with their first art education courses. A sophomore portfolio review provides the opportunity for mentorship with a panel of experienced art educators, focusing both on the student as an artist and as an educator.

You'll focus on one of four emphases within art education: animation (online or in person), graphic design (online or in person), illustration (online or on-ground), or fine arts (in person students only). You will also work in art education courses, including embedded field experiences in schools. The junior portfolio review provides the opportunity for additional mentorship focused on the needs of an art educator.

The first semester of the senior year is focused on in-depth methods in art education courses, including 60 hours of field experience in your student teaching placement classrooms. The second semester is spent primarily in student teaching with hands-on support from a mentor teacher as well as a supervising professor. Candidates prepare a portfolio and teacher work sample that can be used immediately in interviews for teaching positions.

You will complete over 800 hours in field experience placements. Those placements focus on time in K-12 classrooms as well as arts education community organizations. Field experience hours are integrated into Art Education courses and assignments focus on connecting the content of the course with reflections on the field experience placement. For instance, in Philosophy of Art and Education, field experience hours include interviews with practicing classroom teachers that inform the development of a philosophy of education. In Equity in Learning, field experience hours focus on hours in diverse classrooms with reflections focused on how to support students of all backgrounds.

Students complete over 800 hours in field experience placements. Those placements focus on time in K-12 classrooms as well as arts education community organizations. Field experience hours are integrated into Art Education courses and assignments focus on connecting the content of the course with reflections on the field experience placement. For instance, in Philosophy of Art and Education, field experience hours include interviews with practicing classroom teachers that inform the development of a philosophy of education. In Equity in Learning, field experience hours focus on hours in diverse classrooms with reflections focused on how to support students of all backgrounds.

Portfolio reviews focus on mentorship throughout the program with experienced art educators.

Small class sizes lead to a deep sense of community within the program and the campus.