At Florida Southern College, you don't have to choose between becoming an artist and becoming a teacher — you'll graduate ready to be both.
Develop Your Artistry While You Learn to Teach
Florida Southern’s BA and BS in Art Education blend studio artistry with teaching excellence, preparing aspiring K–12 art educators to develop their own creative voice while learning how to nurture that same creative energy in future students.
Offered jointly by the Department of Art and the School of Education, and fully approved by the Florida Department of Education, the program combines rigorous studio practice, art history, and professional educator training into a degree that opens classroom doors across the state and beyond.
Your coursework spans studio art, art history, and education foundations — taught by practicing artists in small classes designed for individual growth. Alongside your academic work, you'll gain real classroom experience from your earliest semesters, building the confidence and credentials to step into a K–12 art room from day one.
Ready to inspire the next generation of artists? FSC's application process is straightforward, and scholarship funding is available for Art Education students through our Visual Arts and Design portfolio review.
All freshman applicants to Florida Southern Colleges full-time degree programs must submit the following information:
Applying to Florida Southern as a transfer student is easy. Submit:
If transferring fewer than 24 credits, also include your official high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores.
Learn More about transfer admissionsStudents pursuing Art Education may submit a portfolio in Graphic Design or Studio Art for scholarship consideration.
FSC's Art Education curriculum is built around the conviction that the best art teachers are practicing artists themselves. Your coursework combines an array of studio art disciplines and art history courses with the foundational education coursework required for K–12 teacher certification in Florida.
Studio classes are held in eight fully equipped classrooms — each dedicated to a specific discipline: painting, figure drawing, printmaking, graphic design, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and design. Small class sizes taught by practicing artist-faculty create a nurturing, intimate learning environment where experimentation is encouraged and individual development is the priority.
Both the BA and BS degree paths are structured to satisfy all educational requirements for initial teacher certification in Florida in Art Education K–12, fully approved by the Florida Department of Education.
Core areas of study include:
Art Education at FSC puts you in the classroom early and often. Field study placements in local Lakeland-area schools give you practical teaching experience across the K–12 spectrum, while two distinctive on-campus resources offer additional opportunities you won't find at other programs:
An on-campus preschool where Art Education students can integrate educational theory and research into hands-on classroom practice with young learners.
A transitional school for students with dyslexia (grades 2–8) located on the FSC campus, giving Art Education majors meaningful experience supporting students with diverse learning needs.
These experiences, combined with state certification coursework, ensure you graduate not just certified, but genuinely classroom-ready.
Art Education students at FSC are part of two vibrant communities at once — the Department of Art and the School of Education. Get involved with Kappa Pi, the international art honor society sponsored by the art department, and connect with fellow students who share your passion for both making and teaching art.
With the Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art, a Smithsonian-affiliated institution, steps from your studio classroom, you'll have access to one of the finest art collections in Florida. The permanent collection includes everything from Pre-Columbian artifacts to contemporary masterworks by Picasso and Warhol, giving Art Education students direct experience with the kind of collection they'll one day bring to life for their own students.
You've seen every photo there is of the Sistine Chapel, why not see it through your own eyes? FSC's Junior Journey program takes Art Education students to cities including New York, Paris, and Rome, often at no additional cost. There's no better preparation for teaching art history than standing in front of the works themselves.
Upon completing your degree, you'll be fully certified to teach K–12 art in Florida schools — and ready to step into the classroom with confidence.
Museums, galleries, and cultural institutions rely on skilled art educators to design and deliver programming for visitors of all ages. FSC's combination of studio training, art history coursework, and access to the on-campus Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art provides an ideal foundation for this growing field.
Community arts centers, private studios, and continuing education programs depend on working artists who can also teach. FSC's emphasis on developing your own creative practice alongside your teaching skills prepares you for this dual role.
Experience with Roberts Academy and an understanding of diverse learning needs positions FSC Art Education graduates to work in specialized settings, bringing the power of creative expression to students who need it most.
The organizational, creative, and educational skills developed in FSC's Art Education program translate naturally into leadership roles at arts organizations, school district arts programs, and non-profit cultural institutions.
"My courses taught me how to infuse academics into the art classroom. They made me a better educator."
"What I love about the Art Education program is that I am taught how to positively engage my future students with artistic expression while actively advancing my skills as an artist by experimenting with different mediums of art."
"Art education is the perfect blend of the fine arts and the art of teaching. I am lucky enough to be supported by the education department as well as the art department as I complete my degree. Throughout my time as an art education student I have felt supported by both departments as they work together to ensure my success."
"The education department and professors have been integral for my development as an art educator. Going into my senior year I am very excited to use all I have learned from them to teach. My professors have helped me ingrain my art interests into all of my work and I really appreciate it!"
From studio classrooms and local school placements to the galleries of a Smithsonian-affiliated museum and the streets of New York, Paris, and Rome, FSC Art Education students are always learning by doing, as artists and as educators.
Get an inside look into the Florida Southern College experience with on-campus tours and events designed to show you what it will be like to live, study, and play at FSC.
Spend a day and discover what it's like to be a part of our amazing campus community!
Admissions
Meet FSC Mocs before a fun-filled experience at Southern Select! You can enjoy light refreshments...
Admissions
Much more than a traditional campus visit, Southern Select includes team building activities, a...
Admissions
Read the latest from FSC's Art Education program, from student teaching placements and studio exhibitions to faculty recognition and alumni achievements.
At FSC, you are the focus. Our team is here to answer your questions about the BA and BS in Art Education, scholarship opportunities, and what it means to graduate as both a working artist and a certified K–12 educator.
Foundations Program Director, Associate Professor of Art
A career in art education starts with developing your own creative voice. Take your next step toward a BA or BS in Art Education at Florida Southern College.
