Art Teaching, Track 2

Track 2: for graduates without a BFA in Art Education

The Art Teaching Credential program is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and complies with the state’s rigorous standards in performance-based teacher education and the latest developments in art education theory and practice. The program includes one semester of student teaching in a public school classroom, supervised by a Cooperating Mentor Teacher. Once you have completed all coursework, student teaching requirements, and passed both cycles of California Teacher Performance Assessment testing, you will be recommended for a California Single-Subject Credential in Art.

Our students don’t just learn to instruct, they innovate, expanding the possibilities of where and how art is shared. From classrooms to museums, community hubs to entrepreneurial ventures, we map four dynamic paths: school-based teaching, museum education, community practice, and teaching-as-business. These tracks are introduced in the first semester (ARE 105 and 601) and threaded throughout the curriculum, conceptually and practically.

For those pursuing the California Teaching Credential, our MAT and Credential programs meet state accreditation requirements and offer a pathway to paid teaching positions even before graduation.

Inspire a new generation of artists. In our School of Art Education, you’ll tap into unparalleled creative resources while joining a global community of educators. All of your education courses are designed specifically for teaching art, while cross-university access allows you to deepen your practice through art and design classes in related fields.

Our curriculum emphasizes essential teaching strategies while being innovative, individualized, and built for real classrooms. Fieldwork is integral to our program. From school observations, student interviews, and practice teaching to internships and capstone projects, you’ll apply what you learn in live teaching environments. Technology is embedded throughout—established and emerging digital tools become part of your creative and instructional process. You’ll graduate with the tools, experience, and portfolio to guide others toward artistic fulfillment—and to define your place in the future of art education.

Online Learning Program. [img data-src="https://bpiqpjsgebtv-u1573.pressidiumcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Art-Ed-Online-Learning-scaled.jpg"]

The Academy requires graduate applicants to demonstrate their ability and intent to complete a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or Master of Architecture program (M. Arch.). After submitting the application form and application fee, graduate applicants must submit a statement of intent, a résumé, college transcripts showing completion of at least a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, and a portfolio/reel. Upon receiving all application requirements, the department will review and will recommend that the student be accepted, not accepted or allowed to enroll in Graduate Preparatory Coursework.

This track has its own entry requirements, published on the program page:

• Minimum 2.5 GPA in an earned Bachelor’s Degree
• Demonstrate Subject Matter Competency
• TB Health Certificate
• CTC Certificate of Clearance
• CPR & First Aid Workshop Certificate
• Resume
• Constitution Requirement
• 2 Letters of Recommendation

State authorization for online education.

Online education providers are required to seek authorization by many U.S. states and territories to enroll their residents and those physically located in their jurisdictions. Academy of Art University restricts enrollment for applicants in and from areas where online programs are not approved. Current and prospective students are encouraged to consult the university’s State Authorization for Distance Education Status Table to determine whether the Academy is authorized to offer their degree programs in the state where they will be located while taking online courses.

Start dates. Spring 2027 semester starts 2/3/2027 (application deadline 1/25/2027); Summer 2027 starts 6/21/2027 (deadline 6/14/2027); Fall 2027 starts 9/8/2027 (deadline 8/30/2027).

Graduate students must carry a minimum study load of 9 units to be considered as full-time students. Students are expected to attend summer semesters to meet their scheduled completion date.

Our online programs offer immersive classroom experiences both in real time and on demand.

The program includes one semester of student teaching in a public school classroom, supervised by a Cooperating Mentor Teacher.

Tuition. Graduate & Art Teaching Credential tuition for Fall 2026–Summer 2027 is $1,551 per unit for domestic students ($1,857 per unit for international students); tuition is the same for both on-campus and online classes. This 30-unit program’s tuition is $46,530 for domestic students.

Fees.

• Application Fee: $50 (one-time, nonrefundable)
• Registration Fee: $50 per semester (nonrefundable after the cancellation period)
• Enrollment Fee: $95 for first-term domestic students, charged in lieu of the $50 registration fee ($100 for international students)
• Student Activity Fee: $30 per semester, on-site only; waived for students taking all courses online
• Student Tuition Recovery Fund: $0
• Course fees vary by course; fees may be different for on-campus sections and online sections
• Materials/Supplies: $545 average per semester

Estimated total program cost for a full-time, onsite, domestic student (effective fall semester 2026): application fee $50, enrollment fee $95, registration fees $150, student activity fees $120, estimated course fees $1,071–$2,577, for an estimated $48,016–$49,522 due for the entire program.

Payment options. Academy of Art offers many different ways to help you structure your payments, including interest-free installment plans and pre-payment options. The installment plan enables students to pay their tuition in four separate payments during Fall and Spring and two separate payments for Summer.

Financial aid. Federal aid available to Academy of Art University graduate students includes Federal Work Study, Direct Stafford (unsubsidized) Loans and Direct Graduate PLUS Loans. Complete the FAFSA using Academy of Art University’s Federal School ID Number: 007531.

Military and veterans. The Academy processes the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), the Yellow Ribbon Program, Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapters 30 and 1606), Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31), DEA (Chapter 35), Military Tuition Assistance and MyCAA.

Net Price Calculator. Estimate your cost with the Academy of Art University Net Price Calculator: https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/academyart

Living expenses. The cost of attendance budget includes the costs of tuition and fees, books, supplies, monthly allowances for room and board, transportation to and from school, and personal expenses such as clothes. Estimates of (Monthly) Living Expenses, 2026-2027:

• Food & Housing: $1,393 (student living with parents); $2,729 (student not living with parents); $4,133 (student living on campus, avg.)
• Personal Expenses: $507; $634; $441
• Transportation: $134; $184; $154

Federal student loan debt. From the program’s School Performance Fact Sheet:

• Most recent three year cohort default rate, as reported by the United States Department of Education: 2023: 0%; 2024: 0%.
• The percentage of enrolled students in 2023/2024 receiving federal student loans to pay for this program: 2023: *; 2024: 0%.
• The percentage of graduates in 2023/2024 who took out federal student loans to pay for this program: 2023: *; 2024: 0%.
• The average amount of federal student loan debt of 2023/2024 graduates who took out federal student loans at this institution: 2023: $14,395; 2024: $14,864.

Students in the Art Education program gain meaningful, real-world experiences that shape them into confident emerging educators. Their preparation includes:

• comprehensive exploration of the art education field
• complete fieldwork, capstone projects, and internships to put theory into practice
• produce curriculum to use in their teaching
• develop a professional online teaching portfolio and digital media to promote themselves and their work
• explore various career paths within the field, including schools, museums, community education, and entrepreneurship

Program performance. From the program’s School Performance Fact Sheet filed with the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (calendar years 2023 & 2024, revised November 25, 2025):

• On-Time Completion Rate: 2023: *; 2024: 0% (0 of 0 students available for graduation).
• Placement Rate % Employed in the Field: 2023: *; 2024: 0% (0 of 0 graduates available for employment).
• License Examination Passage Rates: Not Applicable.

Graduation and retention rates (university-wide).

• Graduate Students (Full-time): % of all incoming full-time students (503) in Fall 2019 graduated in 5 years: 75%.
• Retention Rates – 2024 Cohort: All incoming full-time graduate students (199) in Fall 2024 re-enrolled in Fall 2025: 81%.

Professional licensure.

Academy of Art University’s Art Teaching Credential programs are accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and prepare students for a California K-12 Art Teaching Credential. Our Art Teaching Credential and the Master of Arts in Teaching (California Single Subject Credential in Art AND master’s degree) do not meet the educational requirements for other U.S. states and jurisdictions and include observing and teaching art to students in-person in California public schools.

Even  if you are taking all of your Art Education classes online, your experience doesn’t have to stay virtual. You can live and study in our San Francisco dorms, taking courses across other art and design schools at the university, accessing professional studio spaces, and working with the same high-end technology used in the field.