Find Your School
Empowering Veterans Through Education

Find GI Bill® Approved Programs and Yellow Ribbon Schools

Get Started
Find VA-Approved Colleges For Military and Veterans
Art Teacher Major for Military and Veterans

Art Teacher Major for Military and Veterans

If you’re interested in becoming an art teacher, you’ll need to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education, a Bachelor’s in Art, or a Bachelor’s in Education with a major in art appreciation or  history, drawing, ceramics, graphic, or visual arts.

Different states have different requirements for Art Teacher Degrees, but they all require that graduates take certification or licensing exams to teach in public schools. Private schools have no such requirements but may prefer their teachers to have certification regardless. Master's and PhD Degree holders may teach at the university level or work in other high-level art-related careers.

Using the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance for an Art Teacher Degree

If you’re interested in pursuing an Art Teacher Degree and need financial help, the GI Bill, a military education benefit for service members in the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Coast Guard and their eligible dependents, covers tuition and fees, provides a monthly housing allowance, and offers additional money for books and supplies.

Using Spouse Tuition Assistance (STAP) and MyCAA for an Art Teacher Degree

Spouse Tuition Assistance

When seeking an Art Teacher Degree military spouse tuition assistance programs help military spouses (and sometimes dependent children) pay for their education, whether they are in the U.S. or stationed elsewhere in the world.

All military branches once offered programs following Spouse Tuition Assistance (STAP) guidelines or created something similar. Today, individuals and organizations use the term STAP interchangeably to describe various offerings by military relief organizations, but the programs can differ.

STAP now refers to the education benefits offered by military aid societies, many of which the U.S. military branches and the federal government do not run.  Instead, they are private, nonprofit organizations, and what they provide varies.

These organizations include:
  • Army Emergency Relief
  • Air Force Aid Society
  • Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society
  • Coast Guard Foundation

MyCAA

The workforce development program MyCAA, formally known as the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, provides financial assistance of up to $4,000 ($2,000 over two years) to eligible military spouses pursuing or maintaining a Science Teacher Degree, certification, or license.

As long as an individual meets the requirements, MyCAA will pay for spouses pursuing any occupation or career.

Careers With an Art Teacher Major

Once students earn an Art Teacher Degree and a license or certification to teach, they can attain many roles. They can teach in a public or private school or they can tutor. They can even work in administrative or leadership roles.

According to St. Cloud University, art education majors can find work in the following industries:
  • Art Libraries
  • Colleges & Universities
  • Community & Recreation Centers
  • Local, State, & Federal Government
  • Museums & Galleries
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Public & Private Schools
  • Publishing Companies
They may also work independently and consult or own their own businesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average national annual salary for high school teachers is $65,220. Post-secondary teachers earn about $79,870.

What To Expect From a Military-Friendly Art Teacher Degree Program

A Bachelor's Degree is the minimum requirement to become a licensed art teacher in the U.S.

They may observe teachers as they work or assist them in an internship during the last year or semester of their major. Depending on the state’s licensing or certification program requirements, they may also student teach in an art classroom.

At the Bachelor's Degree level, students will take a mix of educational courses with art courses. These may include drawing, painting, ceramics, and art history. Master’s Degree courses have more in-depth coursework in education theory and research techniques. A Doctorate may also have a research focus, as well as an art history focus. Degree programs vary from school to school.

Select Yellow Ribbon Colleges with Art Teacher Degree Programs

  • University of Montana Missoula: University of Montana Missoula offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Teacher Education.
  • University of Dayton: University of Dayton offers a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Art Teacher Education.
  • Le Moyne College: Le Moyne College offers a Master’s Degree in Art Teacher Education.
  • Daemen College: Daemen College offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Teacher Education.

Select Military-Friendly Colleges with Art Teacher Degree Programs

 

Art Teacher Degree Paths Using the GI Bill

Online Programs

Several schools, like Ohio State University and Boston University, offer online art education programs at all degree levels. However, some education degree programs require students to participate in teaching assistantships and internships on campus or at another school. Check with the school of your choice to see their online offerings.

Students can already be licensed teachers who want to specialize in art. Per Boston University, “The online Master of Arts in Art Education program is designed for art teachers who already have state licensure or for individuals who are interested in the field of art education for reasons other than teaching licensure.”

Check with the school of your choice to see their online offerings.

Certificates in Art Teaching

All states require students interested in teaching art to have certification or a license for public school employment. Some private schools may also require certification, but it is typically not mandatory.

For certification, students must complete a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited teacher-training program and pass a skills test. Depending on the state, teaching certificate or license renewal occurs every four to eight years.

Associate’s Degree in Art Teaching

At press time we could not locate any Associate's Degree options specifically for teaching art. Some feel it's best to take art classes at the community college level as preparation for an art teaching degree path.

Bachelor’s Degree in Art Teaching

This Bachelor’s Degree prepares students to teach art at elementary and secondary levels and take other education-related jobs outside the classroom.

Your Future with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Teaching

Master’s Degree in Art Teaching

Azusa Pacific University describes its Master’s in Art Education as coming “with a robust studio practice and the subsequent integration of those skills into the classroom. Aspiring and seasoned art educators hone their commitment to the studio and classroom and strengthen their research and contribution to the field of art education.”

Your Future with a Master’s Degree in Art Teaching

Doctoral Degrees in Art Teaching

Students typically attain a Doctoral Degree when they want to go into teaching at graduate or postgraduate levels and conduct research. According to Virginia Commonwealth University, “The art education concentration of the Ph.D. in education program allows students to connect contemporary art and education theories and philosophies, practical and professional experiences, and impact research to develop an area of expertise relevant to the field of art education.”

Your Future with a PhD in Art Teaching