At a glance: Art Education
At a glance: Art Education
"My favorite thing to do during the day is working and socializing in the art studio. I hope that somewhere in the future I will have the privilege of sharing the gift of art with children. But, life is a journey. We’ll just have to wait and see."
Julie Brewer
Major: art education and studio arts
The art education major is an intensive full-time teacher preparation program that enables students to earn a PreK-12 licensure as a teacher. ONU's program is designed to prepare its candidates to be not only accomplished art educators, but also articulate advocates for the role of art in PreK-12 education. Visit our department's web site.
Degrees Offered
Students in the department of art and design obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Arts degree in one of four majors. In addition, a variety of minors and options are available in other disciplines.
Distinctive features
The curriculum involves partnerships with public schools and is designed so that students come to understand educational theory through personal experience in authentic teaching situations. For instance, students at Ohio Northern plan and teach a group of middle school students participating in the Saturday Morning Arts (SMArts) program. Also, ONU teacher candidates complete 12 weeks of student teaching experiences in an elementary public school and in a secondary public school.
Facilities
The department of art and design is located in the Wilson Art Center, a stimulating environment that offers well-equipped and updated studios, classrooms and computer labs. Located near the art center are the Elzay and Stambaugh Galleries, educational and cultural resources for the Ohio Northern community and the Northwest Ohio region. Throughout the year, the galleries feature outstanding exhibits from international and regional artists as well as ONU faculty and students. The modern three-story Heterick Memorial Library houses the fine art, design and photography book and periodical collections.
Student organizations
AIGA/The Professional Association for Design, Kappa Pi National Art Honorary, National Art Education Association, Student Art League
Program outcomes
The department of art and design is committed to teaching and learning through an intensive, structured and sequential program of visual studies and liberal arts education. Our goal is to develop students as creative, productive and intellectually curious artists and designers capable of historical and cultural insight, critical thinking and technical proficiency in an area of emphasis.
Professional placement
Art and design graduates can pursue many fulfilling career paths. Alumni who enter the teaching field are trained to be competent in all areas of visual arts taught in public schools (K-12). Other alumni have embarked on exciting careers at companies such as American Greetings and Art American in Cleveland, Ceramics Monthly magazine and the American Ceramics Society in Columbus, The New England Journal of Medicine in Massachusetts, Dr. Pepper in Texas, ABC Carpet and Home in New York City, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Walt Disney Company in Florida, Periscope (Mercury) Studio in Washington and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Graduate schools
Recent graduates have pursued graduate training in the fine arts, design, education, museum studies or art therapy at institutions such as George Washington University, Indiana University, University of Michigan, Kent State University, University of Cincinnati, Seton Hill University and Edinboro University.
Career opportunities
Careers in art education: kindergarten/elementary art teacher, middle or high school art teacher, college professor (with a MFA degree), adult education instructor, state arts council employees, arts management organization employees and education administrators.
Careers in studio arts: studio artists, illustrators, art therapists (with a master’s degree), museum and gallery owners/artists and photographers.
Careers in design: identity designers, print communication designers, interface designers, advertising and promotional designers, exhibit designers, way-finding designers and environmental designers.
