How To Become an Art Teacher With or Without a Degree

Becoming an art teacher requires a mix of artistic talent, artistic knowledge, and the ability to teach. Depending largely on where you want to teach, you may spend four or more years in academia acquiring those skills, or you may get by on your talent and reputation.

Public Schools Require at Least a Bachelor's Degree to Teach Art

If you want to teach art in public schools, you will need at least a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with courses focusing on teaching and on art and art history. This might be a major in education with a minor in art, or a major in art education, art, or art history with a minor in education. You might choose to specialize in teaching disabled or gifted children. Your university's art education program will guide you to the best focus according to your goals and the requirements of your state.

For teaching at the primary school level, a B.A. in education is a common choice. For teaching at the secondary school level, a B.A. with a major in art or art history is more usual. Some schools add a fifth year to a regular B.A. that is dedicated just to preparing to teach.

Depending on your state, you may even need a master's degree to teach art in a public school. Increasingly, states are requiring teachers to obtain a master's within a few years of their original certification. A number of programs offer certified teachers the ability to earn a master's degree online.

Student loans can cover much of the cost of the degrees you need for teaching art. In some cases, loan forgiveness could be an option if you teach in needy areas. 

Public Schools Require Certification to Teach Art

To teach in public schools, you will need to successfully complete a stint of student teaching and then be certified — licensed — by the state. In most states, this involves taking two Praxis tests. The first test measures your knowledge of language and math, and the second test measures your knowledge of art and art education.

If you move to another state, you will need to know what kinds of reciprocity options exist for transferring your teaching license. You may be required to take additional coursework.

Teaching at the college level almost always requires a master's or doctorate. You don't usually need to be certified, though, as your expert knowledge is the main draw.

If you already have a degree in art but haven't completed coursework in teaching, most states offer alternative pathways to receive certification that will allow you to teach art in public schools. Usually, this involves completing a teacher preparation course or program, doing some student teaching, and then passing the Praxis exams to get your certificate. Almost a fifth of teachers in the U.S. obtained their certification through an alternative route.

Similarly, if you already have a degree in education, you can often add an art "endorsement" in order to be able to teach art. You may have to complete art-related coursework and show a portfolio.

These Places Let You Teach Art Without a Degree

Your expertise and reputation can qualify you to teach at a community center, senior center, or museum or to offer classes in your own home or studio, perhaps for kids after school. You could also teach for a nonprofit or church or at a summer camp. You can create and teach an online art class. You don't need to be certified or have a degree. 

Many private schools will likewise hire you without teaching certification if your expertise is appealing. Art teacher jobs in public schools are hard enough to come by, though, that you will be competing with certified teachers for private school jobs.

Community colleges, especially, hire temporary part-time art instructors as adjunct faculty. You won't necessarily need a degree, but you will be competing for the job with artists who have master's degrees.

Whether at public schools or private schools, with or without state certification, you can teach art if you have the desire. Find the path that works for you and paint yourself a rosy future.