Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design TeachingHenry Predolin School of Nursing, Business, Education, and Health Sciences
Bringing creativity to life
Your love of art draws you to teach and inspires you to share that passion with others. As a student enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design Teaching, you bring a fresh perspective to the teaching and learning process for your students to show their creative side. As a visual educator, you will immerse yourself in creative art making and acquire skills in the art of teaching.
This interdisciplinary degree integrates various fields, including drawing, painting, design, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, photography, computer imaging, art history, educational foundations, art teaching methods, and student teaching. The Art and Design Teaching major is part of a program which leads to a Wisconsin initial educator license to teach within grades K-12.
Madison, WI
On-campus
120
January 21, 2025
Careers within Art & Design Teaching
$61,620
Average annual salary for a K-9 Teacher
A bachelor’s degree in Art & Design Teaching prepares you for a variety of career paths. Careers with an asterisk (*) may require additional education.
- Art Teacher
- Artist
- Community Arts
- Designer
- Photographer
- Postsecondary Teacher*
- Printmaker
Art & Design Teaching by the Numbers
13
Number of Art and Design Teaching Majors
40
Partnership School Districts
Art & Design Teaching Student Spotlight
Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design Teaching
Ella Villagarcia ’24
In the canvas of life, Edgewood provided the brushstrokes of guidance and inspiration that I needed. Through introspection and exploration, I discovered my true calling in Art Education, driven by the belief that ‘heart speaks to heart.
Featured Courses in Art & Design Teaching
Digital & Traditional Printmaking – Art 221
Students in this course gain knowledge of concepts and craft in fine art printmaking. Digital and traditional methods will be used in the production of intaglio, relief, monotype, and silk-screen prints. Fundamental printmaking techniques in drawing and photography are emphasized. The history and evolution of the graphic arts will be covered, specifically how editions have been created from the matrix of plate, block, stone, and screen. The use of non-toxic materials and sustainable theories in the visual arts will be highlighted throughout the semester.
Global Encounters in the Arts – Art 257
This course explores various forms of visual expression produced by artists of diverse cultures from around the globe including Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Grounded in art history, this is an interdisciplinary course that looks at ways of thinking about art and its meanings from multiple perspectives. As we consider themes in visual expression and cultural production that are relevant across cultures, our study will focus on relationships between art, beliefs, cultural values, and social experience. We will engage post-colonial theories and global studies from relevant areas (in particular Native American studies, Latin American studies, African studies including studies of the African Diaspora, and Pacific and Asian studies). Throughout the course, students will be asked to think critically about the impacts of colonization on the arts and petioles from around the world, and what it means to look at the arts of formerly colonized people from our vantage point in the West as compared to indigenous visions and voices of the same.
The Reflective Practitioner – Education 451
This course engages candidate teachers in the inquiry, reflection, and action necessary for developing socially just educational institutions. Candidates will be challenged to recognize the importance of deep reflection and thoughtful pedagogical growth for engaged culturally responsive participation in schools and communities. Guided by Division of Education commitments, candidates will further develop and sustain a stance toward inquiry as integral to generating knowledge and informing their own teaching practice as they work toward building a more just and compassionate world. In class, viewpoints, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained, seeking and accepting feedback, having self-control, and demonstrating all elements of Teacher Professional Responsibility as defined by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This course meets InTASC Standards 9 & 10, Council for Exceptional Children Standards 6 & 7.
Student Organizations
Aspiring Teachers Club
The Aspiring Teachers Club welcomes all students enrolled in, or preparing to study, in the Division of Education at Edgewood College. Their mission is to prepare students for careers in education by providing members with opportunities to enhance their understanding of the profession. They accomplish this by engaging members with opportunities to participate in professional development and community service activities, both on- and off-campus. Their commitment extends to fostering a warm, inclusive, and fun environment, creating a vibrant student community within the Division of Education.
LOST/FOUND
LOST/FOUND is a publication that is edited and designed that features artwork, fiction, and poetry of Edgewood College undergraduate students. Student editors from the English department and student designers from the art department select the best student creative work to be included each year. Submissions for LOST/FOUND occur from November – January each year and the annual issue is published at the end of April in both digital and printed editions. Explore the featured artwork showcased in the 2023 edition of LOST/FOUND.
Accreditation
The Teacher Education licensing programs are approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI). Edgewood College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Art & Design Teaching Experiences
Madison and its neighboring communities offer a diverse array of practicum and student teaching placements, including private, parochial, and public schools in both urban and suburban areas. Having diverse options provides you with a broader range of experiences, which facilitates exploration to help you discover the best fit, enhancing both your skills and marketability.
Faculty Spotlights
Associate Dean of Education / Associate Professor
Julie Luecke
Julie C. Luecke, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Education, received her BS in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her M.Ed. in Curriculum from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was an elementary classroom teacher for nine years before moving into higher education. During her graduate studies, she took a year off to volunteer at Ongwediva College of Education in Namibia. Julie joined the Edgewood faculty in 2006, teaching undergraduate courses in educational foundations, courses in children’s literature for the undergraduate and graduate programs, and a course for the Edgewood College COR program, The Conception of Gender. This class emerged from Julie’s research interests in building support structures for gender expansive students and their peers, both through educational policy and practice and through children’s and young adult literature.
JLuecke@edgewood.edu
Sr. Lecturer, Art History
Sarah Stolte, Ph.D.
SStolte@edgewood.edu
Coordinator of Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE) Graduate Program and Associate Professor
Gerardo Mancilla
Gerardo Mancilla is an Associate Professor of Education for both the undergraduate and graduate programs. He holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, M.S. in Counseling Psychology, and Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to working at Edgewood College, Gerardo was working for the Madison Metropolitan School District where he was a Dual Language Immersion teacher. Gerardo teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses at Edgewood College. Gerardo’s research interests include Critical Race Theory, LatCrit, the school-to-prison pipeline, bilingual education, and immigration. Gerardo has also been active in the Madison community for many years.
Assistant Coordinator and Assistant Professor, Language and Literacy
Heather O’Neil
Heather O’Neil is an assistant program coordinator of Language and Literacy as well as an assistant professor. Heather has a BA in History and Secondary Education from St. Norbert College and an MA in Language and Literacy Development from Cardinal Stritch University. She is completing her Ph.D. in Language and Literacy at Concordia University-Chicago. Prior to Edgewood College, Heather was an assistant professor of undergraduate elementary education at Concordia University-Wisconsin for six years. She also worked as a district reading specialist, reading teacher, and literacy coach in various school districts in southeastern Wisconsin. Heather’s research interests include the identity formation of pre-service teachers, writing instruction, and culturally responsive instruction.
HONeil@edgewood.edu
Associate Professor | School of Education
Donna Vukelich-Selva
Donna Vukelich-Selva received her Ph.D. in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. She also holds a Master of Arts in Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies from UW-Madison. Before coming to Edgewood College in 2008, she taught at a K-12 bilingual school in Managua, Nicaragua, where she also founded and ran a study abroad program for US college students. Vukelich-Selva teaches both undergraduate courses in the Division of Education, as well as bilingual and ESL education graduate courses in the Language and Literacy program. She also teaches in Edgewood’s COR program for first year students and piloted a course on the history of immigration in the United States that is cross-listed with Ethnic Studies. Among her college responsibilities, Donna serves on the advisory board for Edgewood’s Center for Multicultural Education. Donna’s research interests include critical race theory, education and immigration, bilingual education and restorative justice. She has been active in the Madison community for many years.
(608) 663-3235
DVukelich-Selva@edgewood.edu
Adjunct Instructor
Sheila Zenk
SZenk@edgewood.edu
A Creative Haven for Students
The Stream is Edgewood College’s visual and theatre arts center. This dramatic industrial structure is home to the art and theatre art programs, Diane Ballweg Theatre, and Edgewood College Gallery. Within The Stream is a dedicated specialized laboratory-learning classroom for Art Education. Located on the southwest corner of campus, the building overlooks the surrounding woods and Lake Wingra.
The College received Gold LEED certification for the building, which makes it the second LEED-certified building on campus. Edgewood College became the first college or university in Wisconsin for exemplary environmental performance (2006).
Related Programs
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Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education -
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Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
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Bachelor of Arts in Art -
Frequently Asked Questions About Art & Design Teaching
Are there opportunities for networking or connecting with professionals in the field?
Students are encouraged to belong to the National Art Education Association and the Wisconsin Art Education Association to broaden their visibility and experiences.
Where have Edgewood College art and design teaching alumni built successful careers?
Art and Design Teaching alumni are working in multiple school districts across the state including, Sauk-Prairie, Janesville, Wisconsin Dells, Madison Metropolitan, Sun Prairie, Oregon, Fond du Lac, Osseo-Fairchild, Baraboo, and the Edgewood Campus School.
Is this program transfer-friendly?
Yes, out Art and Design Teaching program readily accepts transfer credits for applicable coursework, while striving to offer a seamless transition for students.
Does Edgewood College have an articulation agreement with Madison College?
Yes, Edgewood College has a transfer agreement with Madison College. Students who complete the Education Pre-Major degree at Madison College will be guaranteed admission to Edgewood College (when students transfer directly from Madison College to Edgewood College within 5 years of completing their associate degree).