phd programs in art education

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Art Education, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Art Education (+Dual Ph.D.)

TODO FIXME : DRAFT : WORK IN PROGRESS

Elevate your scholarship and the art education profession..

The Ph.D. in Art Education prepares students to become innovative researchers, informed educators, and leaders in higher education, schools, communities, and museums. At Penn State, you’ll enjoy all the resources of a large research university within a close-knit, collegial environment of faculty and fellow students committed to making an impact on the field of art education.

Program Application Deadline

The deadline for applications for AY 2025–26 is January 15, 2025.

To be assured full consideration, please review all details on program and admission requirements, and ensure that you apply by this deadline.

Earn a Ph.D. in Art Education at Penn State

Take your experience and research in art education to the next level. Penn State’s Ph.D. in Art Education–including unique dual-title options that incorporate African American and Diaspora Studies or Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies –is ideal if you want to build on your experience in the field through original research projects that make significant contributions to art education theory and practice.

Coursework in art education and related disciplines such as philosophy, curriculum and instruction, sociology, anthropology, and other fields provides necessary theoretical and methodological background for dissertation research. Doctoral students are required to complete 32 credits of graduate coursework (20 of which are to be completed in art education), pass their Qualifying Examination, English Competency Examination, Comprehensive Examination, Final Examination, and submit a dissertation.

Faculty bring a range of teaching, research, and administrative experience from across the country and around the world. The international student body provides students with insight into a range of art teaching practices. You’ll benefit from all the resources of a large research university while studying as part of the collaborative, close-knit community within the Penn State School of Visual Arts.

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission . Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies .

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Students who seek admission to the graduate program must make formal application to The Graduate School and admissions committee of the Art Education program. To be admitted without deficiencies, the student is expected to have completed either a baccalaureate degree in art education or a program considered by the admissions committee to provide an appropriate background for the application’s degree objectives. Related programs include work in studio art, art history, art education, education, museum education, etc. Deficiencies may be made up by course work that is not counted as credit toward an advanced degree. Students pursuing graduate degrees may simultaneously take course work leading to teaching certification and art supervisory certification. The students who plan to teach art education at the college level should note that some institutions require professors to hold a public school art teaching certificate and to have had public school teaching experience.

Students with a minimum 3.00 junior/senior grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) and with appropriate course backgrounds will be considered for admission. The most qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of spaces that are available for new students. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 average may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests. Transcripts should indicate high attainment in appropriate academic and creative work. Letters of recommendation should attest to scholarship and ability to work independently. In addition to the above requirements, there are specific requirements for each degree program:

M.S. and Ph.D. Application Materials

• Completed official Penn State Graduate School Application for Admission .
• professional objectives
• how these objectives would be furthered by graduate study,
• the areas in which research and creative work are planned,
• what the applicant hopes to do with the graduate degree he or she is seeking to attain, and
• evidence that the applicant is prepared to undertake graduate level work.
• Submit an example of scholarly writing.
• Submit three (3) letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should attest to the applicant’s scholarship and ability to work independently.
• Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended .
• Submit a Portfolio (optional). Applicants may submit images of their creative works that represent arts-based research or images that illustrate their conception of art.
• Indicate in your Statement of Professional Intent if you would like to be considered for an Assistantship/Fellowship.

M.P.S. Application Materials

• Statement of purpose in pursuing the M.P.S. in Art Education.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Teaching portfolio to include teaching philosophy and a sample of curricular materials developed by the applicant.
• A critical reflective written response to an article provided in the GRADS application site. The response should outline the key arguments made by the author(s), a critical evaluation of the logic and assumptions in the article, and a connection to the applicant’s own instructional or professional experience.
• Curriculum vitae with evidence of professional leadership and service.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended , including official military transcripts (if applicable). (All college or university transcripts are required regardless of the length of time that has passed, the grades earned, or the accreditation of the institutions attended.)
• International applicants whose first language is not English or who have received a baccalaureate or master’s degree from an institution in which the language of instruction is not English, please refer to GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students .

https://bulletins.psu.edu

Ph.D. in Art Education Handbook

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Art Education (AED) Course List

Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of The Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by The Graduate School.

Current Cohort Bios

Dissertations

Aaron Knochel

• Associate Professor of Art Education

[email protected]

814.863.7309

Is the Ph.D. in Art Education right for you?

The Ph.D. in Art Education is for scholars who want to delve deeper into art education research topics. Students in the program conduct original research with the potential to impact art education theory and practice.

The program fosters collaboration, collegiality, and innovation within a close-knit environment where students also enjoy all the resources of a large research university.

Degree Options

Penn State’s Art Education program offers the opportunity to pursue one of two extraordinary dual-title Ph.D. degree options – Art Education + African American and Diaspora Studies, or Art Education + Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Either of these novel, interdisciplinary options will position you to make a lasting impact on the art education profession.

Dual Ph.D. and Diaspora Studies

This dual-title Ph.D. is for scholars who want to delve deeper into art education research topics with a focus on African American life, art, and visual culture. Students in the program conduct original research with the potential to impact art education theory and practice, as well as the field of African American and diaspora studies.

In addition to art education and African American and diaspora studies, course work covers related disciplines such as philosophy, curriculum and instruction, sociology, anthropology, and other fields, providing the necessary theoretical and methodological background for a dissertation. Students must complete 47 credits.

Faculty bring a range of teaching, research, and administrative experience from across the country and around the world. The international student body provides students with insight into a range of art teaching and research practices.

Graduate Bulletin Links

• African American and Diaspora Studies Bulletin page.
• Graduate Studies information related to the dual-title Ph.D. in Art Education + African American and Diaspora Studies.

Dual Ph.D. and Gender Studies

The dual-title graduate degree in Art Education + Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is for students who want to focus on feminist and non-binary perspectives and pedagogy in their art education research.

Coursework in art education, gender and sexuality studies, and related disciplines such as philosophy, curriculum and instruction, sociology, anthropology, and other fields provides necessary theoretical and methodological background for thesis and dissertation research.

Faculty for the dual-title degree program bring a range of teaching, research, and administrative experience from across the country and around the world. The international student body provides students with insight into a range of teaching practices.

• Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Bulletin page .
• Graduate Studies information related to the dual-title Ph.D. in Art Education + Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Guides + Resources

• Art Education Ph. D. Handbook
• The Graduate School At Penn State

Considering the Ph.D. in Art Education? Consider this.

You’ll make an impact on the discipline through your research.

• Faculty bring experience from across the country and the world.
• Dual-title Ph.D. options layer diverse, interdisciplinary perspectives with Art Ed scholarship.
• Enjoy SoVA’s close-knit environment, along with all the resources of a major research university.
• Program fosters collaboration, collegiality, and innovation.
• Penn State has sponsored the annual Graduate Research in Art Education (GRAE) conference since 2005.

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• Department of Art Education

Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in art education

About the Program

Offered within the VCU School of Education , 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.

The program integrates urban community engagement, digital and emerging media, and research and assessment in diverse settings, ensuring graduates will be highly qualified to serve in teaching, research and leadership positions at universities and in arts and education organizations.

• Curriculum + Requirements

Ready to Apply?

Connect with the department of art education, follow vcuarts.

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2025 Best Art Education Doctor's Degree Schools

There was only one school in the United States to review for the 2025 Best Art Education Doctor's Degree Schools ranking. If you would like to see more options to choose from, check out the Best Doctor's Degree Schools in the United States ranking. .

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Doctor’s Degree Schools List

One Size Does Not Fit All

The art education school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings , including this list of the Best Art Education Doctor's Degree Schools.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Art Education in the United States

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in art education.

Top Schools for a Doctorate in Art Education

University of Arizona is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in art education. University of Arizona is a very large public university located in the city of Tucson. More information about a doctorate in art education from University of Arizona

Art Education by Region

View the Best Art Education Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in art education, best master's degrees in art education, best bachelor's degrees in art education, best overall in art education.

View All Rankings >

Rankings in Majors Related to Art Education

Art Education is one of 37 different types of Teacher Education Subject Specific programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to Art Education

Notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to Aparajita Datta . More about our data sources and methodologies .

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PhD in Art Education

The Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education degree is designed for students who want to make a scholarly contribution to the Art Education field.

Allison Rowe, PhD (2021). “Work Like a River” (participatory lecture, 2017). Photo by Larissa Issler

PhD Art Education

At the University of Illinois, faculty and graduate students build a vibrant community of inquiry within the context of a Research 1 university. This community, including faculty whose breadth of interests span topics including contemporary art and visual culture in education, formal and informal learning, cultural policy and urban studies, and teacher training and identity, provides an intellectually stimulating environment for graduate students to stretch themselves intellectually and become world authorities on the particular topic of their dissertation.

Some doctoral students receive funding and support as teaching assistants for 4 years, and this funding is conditional upon academic standing. This funding includes a tuition waiver, a salary, health insurance, annual conference funding, plus many opportunities to gain competitive grants. Students complete coursework, consisting of 5 courses in art education, courses in research methodology and writing, courses in a minor that complements individual student interest, and courses that prepare students for the qualifying exam (taken after one year of full-time study) and the preliminary exam (at the conclusion of coursework). Examples of minors include Asian Studies, Art History, New Media, Museum Studies, and Women’s Studies. Following the conclusion of coursework, students write a dissertation that contributes new knowledge to the field of art education. Finally, students defend their dissertation.

During this course of study, there are numerous resources available to graduate students in Art Education, both within our program and across the University of Illinois:

• At our major comprehensive research university, students have access to the broadest possible range of elective courses.
• Visual Arts Research is a scholarly, refereed journal and has been published through the Art Education program for over 40 years. It is edited by Art Education faculty.
• The Everyday Arts Lab offers an excellent local site for graduate research for those interested in arts and social practice.
• With a total of 14 million titles the University of Illinois Library houses the largest collection of any public university in the world. The Ricker Library of Architecture and Art has 120,000 titles and 33,00 serials.
• The Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory is a program that promote conversations among a range of departments in the humanities, social sciences, and performing arts by organizing lectures, panel discussions, and conferences, as well as the Modern Critical Theory lecture series.
• The Krannert Art Museum includes an archive of over 8,000 works of art and rotating exhibitions of traditional and innovative art works.
• The Spurlock Museum highlights the diversity of cultures around the globe.
• Illinois is host to the  International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry , which brings a large contingent of art education scholars to campus.
• Regular visiting speakers from other institutions including Kevin Tavin, Amelia Kraehe, David Darts, Olivia Gude, Luis Camnitzer, Matthew Goulish, Marjorie Manifold, and Stephanie Springgay.
• Devoted room for Art Education PhD students including carrels for your use.

Faculty Interests

• Arts-based research
• Community arts education
• Conceptual art practices and theory
• Creative cities
• Cultural globalization
• Emerging curriculum theory
• Performance studies
• Psychoanalysis
• Social practice
• Socially engaged art
• Teacher identity
• Urban education
• Visual culture
• Youth studies

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