As part of a research one university, we offer a rigorous doctoral program that challenges you to redefine and expand the scope of art education. We will provide you with a program as dynamic as our students are.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) in Art Education is designed to prepare highly qualified art educators for careers of distinction in college-level teaching and research. Doctoral students are expected to become scholars and contribute new knowledge to their chosen field.
Applications to the doctoral program must hold a Master’s degree in Art Education or equivalent from an accredited university. A minimum of three years of successful teaching art in schools, or equivalent, is also desirable.
The Art Education Program at the University of Illinois has been recognized, for over thirty years, for the ground-breaking research conducted by its faculty and doctoral students. Graduates of the PhD program in Art Education hold positions of prominence in the most influential art education programs in North America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
As a doctoral student you will take courses in the foundations and philosophies of art education, research methods, professional teaching seminars, advanced art education seminars, and research and professional writing seminars in art education.
On entering our program you will be assigned to a graduate supervisor in art education, but as your interests evolve you will chose whom to work with most closely. In addition to coursework, you will complete a written qualifying exam at the end of your first year, a preliminary exam at the conclusion of coursework and commencement of your dissertation, and a defense exam on completion of your dissertation. By the conclusion of your study, you will be a world authority on the subject of your dissertation. Our faculty's areas of expertise include
- Curriculum development
- Visual culture
- Emerging technologies
- Multiculturalism
- Globalization
- Spiritual practice
- Social networking
- Community-based art education
- Art practices for marginal populations
