Mar 28, 2024  
2023-24 Western Washington University Catalog 
    
2023-24 Western Washington University Catalog

Art — Elementary, BAE

Location(s): WWU - Bellingham


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Department of Art and Art History, College of Fine and Performing Arts

52 credits

Introduction

Making art is messy, unpredictable, and divergent. Teaching art can empower students to embrace the messy, unpredictable, and divergent in life. The Bachelor of Art Education, Elementary (BAE, Elementary) major integrates art-making and art-looking to explore the powerful intersection of material and process exploration, visual and cultural literacy, and personal meaning-making in art. Art education theory comingles with practice as we teach and learn with one another, drawing on current, interrelated art education pedagogies so that each student develops their own, unique teaching philosophy in the process.

The BAE, Elementary major satisfies the academic major requirement for teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education and must be accompanied by the professional program in elementary education. See the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Multilingual Education  section of this catalog for program admission, completion, and teacher certification requirements.

Why Consider an Art-Elementary Major?

The BAE, Elementary major prepares students to teach art within a general elementary classroom (K-5). The program includes foundational studio art courses, art history survey courses, and two art education courses, including topics such as artistic development in childhood and adolescence, curriculum design and assessment, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in art education spaces, and art education advocacy, equipping majors with an array of artistic practices to integrate into their future classrooms.

 Contact Information

Department Chair
Cara Jaye
Fine Arts 106A
360-650-7771
cjaye@wwu.edu

Art Major Information
Fine Arts 116
360-650-3660
ArtInfo@wwu.edu

Elementary Educational
Professional Program
Information

Miller Hall 300
360-650-3336
wce.wwu.edu/eled/
elementary-education

Teacher Education Admission
Miller Hall 254F
360-650-6161
wce.wwu.edu/admissions/contact

 Sample Careers

Art Educator | Art Therapy

 Major/Career Resources

www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Most classes in the Studio area are restricted to majors only. To access classes in this area, an online application to the Department of Art and Art History is required at cfpa.wwu.edu/art/admissions. The application will include a portfolio of recent work and an unofficial transcript of any college-level courses already taken. Application Deadlines: Application deadlines are by midnight on October 15 and January 31. 

Grade Requirements

A grade of C (2.0) or better is required for courses in the elementary education professional program and all courses required for the endorsement.

Additional Requirements


Elementary Education Professional Program Requirements


Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Multilingual Education, Woodring College of Education

100 credits

Introduction

This program centers an anti-bias, anti-racist, social justice philosophy and leads to a recommendation to the state of Washington for a teaching certificate with an Elementary Education endorsement. Students seeking a bachelor’s degree with teacher certification and an endorsement in elementary education must complete the GURs, an approved academic major, and the professional education course work listed below.

Admission and Declaration Process

See the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Multilingual Education  section of this catalog for program admission, completion, and teacher certification requirements.

Grade Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the elementary education professional program and in all courses required for the endorsement.

Professional Field Experiences & Methods Courses (38 credits)


Departmental Honors


In addition to the general requirements for all honors students, an art major who wishes to graduate with honors must complete an honors senior project in art.

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