Art Education, MA

Piedmont University’s Master of Arts degree in Art Education is a 30-credit program and is offered online and in off-campus sites if candidates request this. Teachers who wish to pursue the MA degree with an off-campus cohort will take most of their courses in the off-campus location and will then take Demorest campus in the summer for the art content courses online. (NOTE: The MA Degree in art education is not appropriate for individuals who are seeking initial certification in art education or who wish to add art education to their current certification.)

Piedmont art instructors are aided by an inspirational backdrop. For instance, the Smith Williams Art Studios house dedicated spaces in ceramics, drawing, digital fabrication, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Meanwhile, the Mason-Scharfenstein Museum of Art houses a permanent collection and holds exhibitions bringing artists from around the world to Piedmont University. And when you are a Lion, you will be able to make use of those facilities on a regular basis.

Piedmont’s Master of Arts (MA) degrees in education are designed for teachers and/or individuals who hold a valid teaching certificate or who are currently teaching in a private school accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC) at the Accredited With Quality (AWQ) or Accredited (ACC) level. Eligibility for application requires a bachelor’s degree with a 2.5 cumulative GPA from an accredited college or university and a copy of a valid teaching certificate or letter from the principal or head of school verifying full-time employment as a teacher or educational administrator. NOTE: Master of Arts degree programs do not lead to initial educator certification nor to the conversion of a non-renewable certificate, provisional or waiver, to a professional certificate. Piedmont has Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and certification-only programs leading to initial certification.

Applicants must also submit:

1. Graduate Admissions Application
2. Official, final transcripts from the college or university awarding the Bachelor’s degree showing all course work from all colleges and universities attended. (Piedmont University transcripts are on file.)
3. Two (2) professional references. One reference is required from a supervising administrator, and the other can be a choice of the following: a former professor, or instructor (college instructor, staff development instructor or mentor), or professional colleague
4. Copy of valid, current professional Georgia teaching certificate at the appropriate level or letter from the principal or head of school verifying full-time employment as a teacher or educational administrator. For those holding provisional certificates a copy of the current certificate and a copy of the PSC letter outlining requirements for updating to a clear-renewable certificate
   • (Note: If your certificate is not a Georgia certificate and you desire to be certified in Georgia, you must complete all requirements through Professional Standards Commission [PSC].)
5. For Art Education, the art department chair must approve a portfolio of past work and a philosophy of teaching before acceptance
6. Personal Affirmation Form

* These programs are for advanced certification and do not lead to a recommendation for an initial Georgia Teaching Certificate. Holders of out-of-state certificates should contact the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for reciprocity rules.

** Teachers using this option must have taught three out of the past five years with a professional teaching certificate in an accredited public school or private school [SACS or GAC (top two levels)] verified through submitted annual evaluations.