Visual Arts & Design

Graduate academic certification in Art Museum Education, open to current University of North Texas graduate students as well as those interested in just pursuing certification, takes advantages of the unique strengths of the department faculty and the vast array of resources in the DFW area. Students who have completed the certificate now work in museums throughout North Texas and beyond.

Certification in Art Museum Education is designed to provide professional training for those who desire careers in areas of art museum education and expertise in the use of art museums as education resources for school educators. UNT is ideally situated to serve as the site for a professional training program in art museum education. The North Texas area offers rich museum resources for study and practice in the field; bolstered by UNT's experienced faculty, course offerings and educator-training opportunities.

The program consists of 18 credit hours, including seminars in the history and theory of art museum education, current practices in museum education, roles and functions of art museums, critical art pedagogy, and a 6 credit hour internship in a Texas art museum. Art museum education certification is designed to be pursued in conjunction with a graduate degree in art history, art education or studio. It can also be pursued alone with permission from the Department of Art Education and Art History.

Eligibility for the program is extended to those who meet at least 1 of the following academic requirements:

• be a current student enrolled in a UNT graduate degree program in art education, art history or studio,
• hold a B.A. with at least 12 credit hours of post-baccalaureate graduate studies, or
• hold a master’s or doctorate in art education, art history, studio, or related field.

Course Requirements

The Graduate Academic Certificate in Art Museum Education requires 4 courses (12 hours) and 6 hours of internship.

• AEAH 5940 - Seminar in Art Museums - Study of the functions of an art museum, including acquisition, authentication, conservation, exhibition, research, and collection management; history of art museums, and major art museum collections. Visits to North Texas area art museums and discussion/demonstrations with art museum staff. (3 credit hours)

• AEAH 5942 - Seminar in Art Museum Education I - Applied study of the practice of art museum education. Emphasis on teaching, writing, and program development for multiple audiences in the art museum. (3 credit hours)

• AEAH 5945 - Seminar in Art Museum Education II - Study of contemporary and historical issues regarding the educational function of art museums. Concentration on object-based learning, pedagogical theory, and audience identification. (3 credit hours)

• AEAH 5772 - Critical Art Pedagogy - Examination of theoretical frameworks and current research in critical art education, with a particular emphasis on the relationship among art education, social inequality and change. (3 credit hours)

• ART 5450 - Internship in Art Museum Education - The internship provides practical experience leading toward specific goals as a junior staff member of an area art museum education department. Three hundred (300) clock hours are to be completed over the course of a summer semester or one long semester – 30 hours of which are devoted to documentation. Proposal, implementation, and evaluation will be jointly supervised by UNT faculty and a senior museum educator. (6 credit hours)

For more information about Art Museum Education at the University of North Texas, contact Assistant Professor of Art Education, Dr. Laura Evans or the Department of Art Education and Art History at aeah@unt.edu. 

For information regarding gainful employment data, visit the Toulouse Graduate School.