Art Education, Visual Arts (BFA)

Art educators help students of all ages appreciate and create visual art in classrooms and community centres. As a student artist, you’ll choose from a comprehensive list of artistic disciplines and find faculty to foster your talent no matter what your interests. Our media labs and production studios, amongst the best in Canada, give you the tools to realize your vision.  

As a student teacher, you’ll have internships in community art programs and schools. Then, halfway through your degree, you can apply to the specialization program that leads to provincial certification.

Through our holistic approach, attending small classes, receiving lots of personal attention, you’ll grow as a person, educator and artist. With solid training in artistic and teaching practices, you’ll be well-equipped to do everything from planning high school classes to developing community art programs, even developing effective and educational visits to fine arts museums. You’ll have a strong grounding in your own artistic practice, too, thanks to broad-based and intensive study.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree takes a minimum of three or four years (90 – 120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.

Program options

• Specialization in Art Education – Visual Arts (120 credits)*
• Major in Art Education – Visual Arts (66 credits)
• Minor in Art Education – Visual Arts (24 credits)

*Admission is to the major. After the completion of 60 credits in the Major in Art Education – Visual Arts program, if in-school art teaching interests you, then you may apply to transfer to the Specialization in Art Education – Visual Arts program.

As a graduate of the specialization program, you are eligible for teacher’s certification from the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur (MES). However, you must satisfy the English language proficiency requirements of the program to be recommended to the Quebec Teachers Certification Service for a Quebec permanent teaching diploma.

A solid combination of art education and art practice will open up many careers paths for you, including:

• High school and elementary school art teachers
• Art museum and gallery educators
• Instructors and program directors in community art programs: working with at-risk youth, elderly adults, women’s shelters, hospitals, and long-term care facilities
• Self-employed artist-teachers

Combined undergraduate study in Art Education and Psychology can be the basis for admission to graduate professional programs in Creative Arts Therapies.