Art & Design
Master of Arts
Online + Summer On-Campus Sessions
A Mostly-Online Master's Degree for Art Educators
Our programs rank particularly high in student engagement
and in faculty credentials and training.
The Art & Design Master of Arts degree is designed for current or aspiring art educators who wish to build upon their credentials while developing as artists, teachers and leaders in the field of art education. The program combines work in methodology, curriculum development, aesthetics, studio processes and current issues in the field. Art educators can reconnect with their studio practices and develop new teaching strategies and skills.
You'll learn from expert faculty and practical field application. Synthesize your own personal talents and interests into this in-depth and individualized master's degree. The program takes 2 years to complete and begins each Fall term.
This program is delivered online during the fall and spring semesters to fit around your schedule and includes 2 to 4 week (depending on your class choices) summer on-campus (Greeley, CO) residencies—allowing you to get back in the studio. In these summer workshops you can actively practice your own art, extend your artistic skillset and learn techniques you can share in your own classrooms.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Art & Design Master of Arts degree are often already involved in art education and many of them return to teaching art in the schools. Other successful graduates are working throughout the nation and abroad as school arts administrators; museum educators; art curators; and directors of community art centers, state arts agencies and non-profit arts organizations. Others are now in the entertainment, publishing and emerging technologies fields.
More Resources
We also encourage you to visit the School of Art and Design—Art & Design MA web page for this program. From there you can also learn more about the traditional on-campus delivery of this program.
Contact the Academic Program Coordinator
Art & Design MA—Academic Program Coordinator
Tom Stephens
thomas.stephens@unco.edu
(970) 351-2243
Course of Study
The Art & Design Master of Arts is a 30 credit hour program consisting of online coursework during the Fall and Spring terms plus summer residency sessions. Eighteen of the credit hours are from six required courses. Twelve credit hours are upper level electives in studio and art history taken on-campus during your summer visits. All 30 semester hours must be selected from 500 and 600 level courses. For more details and to design your own course of study, please contact the Academic Program Coordinator.
Students will design, conduct and complete Action Research Projects and Final Reports in lieu of a comprehensive exam.
The summer on-campus requirements can be as short as two weeks depending on your course choices. Maximum summer requirements are four weeks if you prefer a summer content course that is not at the same time as your research course. These summer sessions allow you to actively practice your own art, potentially learn new artistic skillsets, and later apply these experiences in your classrooms.
Required Courses – 18 Credit Hours
| Year One |
| Fall |
ART 640 Literature of Art Education (3) – Online |
| Spring |
ART 680 Seminar in Art History (3) – Online |
| Summer |
ART 600 Research Methods in Art (3) – On-Campus |
| Year Two |
| Fall |
ART 642 Art Curriculum and Instruction: Studio Methods (3) – Online |
| Spring |
ART 696 Action Research in Art Education I (3) – Online |
| Summer |
ART 697 Action Research in Art Education II (3) – On-Campus |
Admission Requirements and Transfer Credit
Admission Requirements
Students who have completed an undergraduate degree in art or art education or the equivalent and whose grade point average is a minimum of 3.0 based on the last 60 semester hours of coursework may apply for the Master of Arts degree program in the School of Art & Design. An applicant who does not have an undergraduate major in art or art education, or its equivalent, will be required to complete specified coursework or areas of study before beginning the program.
Eligibility by State
UNC has secured approval from almost every state, as required by new federal regulations, so that students are eligible to apply to online programs at UNC. However we are unable to accept applications at this time for our online programs from students residing in a few select states because their requirements, particularly application fees, for such approval are prohibitive. Please verify your Eligibility by State before applying.
Note: All international students residing outside of the United States are eligible to apply to our online programs. Students attending online while residing outside of the United States do not need student visas for admission.
Transferring Credit
Applicable graduate credit may be applied towards this academic program. In order for credits to be accepted toward a degree they must be graduate level credits, be approved by the Academic Advisor, and have a grade of A or B. Once approved by the advisor, students must complete a Petition to Count Work in a Degree Program to have the credit approved by the Grad School. Master’s and specialist degree students must complete a minimum of 24 credits at the University of Northern Colorado. All work counted in a degree program must be within five years for a master’s degree and six years for a specialist degree. The time limit is calculated from the beginning of the first class transferred in and counted in the degree program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition
This program is offered through the UNC Office of Extended Studies, which means a flat per-credit tuition rate for all students in the program. There are no student fees. Certain courses may carry specific course fees for additional services and materials.
Tuition rates are set each academic year (which begin each Fall semester). The tuition rate for the 2012-13 school year for this program is $450 per credit hour.
Financial Aid
Students who cannot pay for tuition alone are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. Students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA priority filing date for each academic year (which begins each August) is March 1. Late submissions of the FAFSA are still accepted but may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid.
Master’s degree students require a minimum of 5 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full time enrollment is based on 9 credits.
To apply for federal financial aid assistance
Fill out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Extended Studies degree seeking students may contact Aimee Rogers in Financial Aid for more specific help at (970) 351-2502 or visit UNC Financial Aid website.
Students can also find information in the Guide to Federal Student Aid at studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html
Get Started
The Art & Design Master of Arts online program accepts applications year-round with the following deadlines each year to be considered for entry that Fall semester.
- Early Application Deadline: March 31
- Standard Application Deadline: June 30
Applications received by March 31 will receive priority consideration for available spots. Admission to the Master of Arts in Art & Design degree program is approved by the faculty of the School of Art & Design following an evaluation of the applicant's admission materials.
Admission to this program is a two-part process:
- Apply to the UNC Graduate School. Apply Now.
- Concurrently submit application materials to the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in the School of Art & Design.
Once you apply to the UNC Graduate School and your application packet is complete, your application will be reviewed by the graduate school then sent to the faculty/program for an admission decision. A completed application typically takes four to six weeks to process.
