Art Education Concentration Program
Art Department
California State University, Northridge (CSUN)

Program Philosophy: The philosophy of Art Education Concentration program is based on the following content areas of visual art in preparing prospective teachers to teach visual art:

Artistic Perception
• Responding to visual art depends upon the development of perceptual and analytical skills.

Creative Expression
• Expression of artistic ideas requires the mastery of a foundational knowledge of concepts  and skills in visual art.

Historical and Cultural Context
• Visual art is central to the human condition and essential to the expression of all cultures, which comes from the arts of the past and present, within a social and cultural context.

Aesthetic Valuing.
• The study of visual art includes developing the critical abilities to recognize, analyze and
   understand the imagery, symbols, and content of art.

Connections, Relationships, and Applications of Art
• Visual art is connected to other arts, disciplines, and all areas of culture, which includes the career and professional opportunities in art.

Program Purpose and Design: The purpose of the CSUN Art Education Concentration program is to provide students with a strong foundation in and understanding of visual art, and with academically rigorous and intellectually stimulating coursework and field experiences necessary to teach visual art as a single subject to the diverse public school student populations in the secondary schools of California.

The design of the CSUN Art Education Concentration program revolves around a core of five courses (A479, A484, A485, A486; A590), which are required for the Single Subject Credential in Art, in addition to elective art education courses and required core foundation courses in visual art (see Art department program requirements). The content of the Art Education Concentration courses reflect and build upon the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools K-12: Visual Art and the California State Visual Art Curriculum Framework.

Art Concentration Core and Elective Courses (Minimum 18 semester units)

Art Education Concentration Program

Program Learning Outcomes: The learning outcomes of the Art Education Concentration program develops the following knowledge, abilities, skills and competences of students in their preparation to teach visual art:

Artistic Perception

• An understanding of the foundations of artistic perception.
• The development of perceptual skills that heighten response to works of art and
   the environment.

Creative Expression
• The development of creative problem solving skills needed to produce original
   works of art.
• The ability to create and exhibit artworks using a variety of materials and techniques.
• The development of a breadth of competence in several areas of art production.
• The use of expanded forms of expression in digital and electronic media art applications

Historical and Cultural Context of the Visual Arts

• The acquisition of a broad and deep conceptual knowledge of the history and diversity
   of art and the roles and forms of the visual arts societies, past and present. 
• An understanding of the role of art in one’s own culture and the cultures of others.
• The development of research skills, including reading and writing about art and artists.

Aesthetic Valuing
• The ability to see and respond to artworks and other visual forms.
• The ability to reflect on the visual arts in thoughtful essays or journal writing.
• The ability to guide discussions about art based on observation, knowledge and criteria.

Connection, Relationships and Applications

• The ability to connect and apply what is learned in the visual arts to other art
   disciplines and subject areas, including lifelong learning and careers
• The discovery, appreciation and valuing of contributions of the visual arts to
   culture, society and the economy in today’s world, through coursework
   including visual literacy.

History and Theories of Learning in Art
• A comprehensive knowledge of the history and theories of art education and the
  role of the arts in human development.

Studio and Field Experience in the Visual Arts

• Visual arts experiences under actual and simulated circumstances, and developing
   habits of responsibility for the maintenance, care and safety of a studio space. 

Core/Breadth in Visual Arts
• The establishment of a strong foundation in subject matter knowledge and
   understanding  in visual art that provides a basis for continued professional
   career development in teaching

Studio Concentrations in Visual Arts
• Specialization in one or more studio content areas.

Part 1: Content Domains for Subject Matter Understanding and Skill in Art from the Handbook of Art Teacher Preparation in California: Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Subject Matter Programs).


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