ART EDUCATION
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Promote creativity and inspire artistry.
With a degree in Art Education from Mercyhurst, you can inspire students in K-12 to unleash their creative imaginations in the classroom, or you can practice art education in a public setting, such as a museum or community center. Art educators do more than instruct students on the techniques and theories of art, but equip students with the foundation to take their knowledge of color, form, and design into their own hands.
Your degree in Art Education will let you explore contemporary issues and practice in the visual arts and in art education. You’ll also gain more than 100 hours of observation before completing required student-teaching hours. This program is designed so that all majors are eligible to sit for the Pennsylvania Department of Education teaching certification upon graduation.
Art education students are supported by both our Department of Art and Department of Education throughout their undergraduate career. You will be given a comprehensive curriculum in 2D, 3D, and graphic arts, as well as in evidence-based practices and hands-on classroom experience, leaving you well-prepared to enter the classroom upon graduation with a diverse skillset and foundation in today’s best education practices.
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Art 100 Drawing I (3 credits)
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Art 122 or 123 Art History (3 credits)
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Art 125 2-Dimensional Design (3 credits)
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Art 126 3-Dimensional Design (3 credits)
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Basic Level 2-D Studio (3 credits)
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Basic Level 3-D Studio (3 credits)
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Art Electives (2) (3 credits)
- ART 122 - Ancient to Medieval Art History (3 credits)
- ART 123 - Renaissance to 20th Century Art History (3 credits)
- ART 128 - Basic Computer Design (3 credits)
- ART 223 - History of Modern Art (3 credits)
- ART 224 - History of Photography (3 credits)
- ART 230 - Graphic Design History (3 credits)
- ID 220 - History of Interior Design (3 credits)
- ID 221 - History of Architecture (3 credits)
- ARTH 125 Art Therapy I (3 credits)
- ARTH 225 Art Therapy II (3 credits)
- ARTH 325 Art Therapy III (3 credits)
- PSYC 101 Intro to Psychology (3 credits)
- (3) Approved Electives (3 credits)
- ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
- ART 220 Typographic Foundations 3 credits
- ART 221 Digital Imagery 3 credits
- Four (4) Approved Art and Graphic Design Elective
- ART 106 Photography I
- ART 128 Basic Computer Design
- ART 206 Intermediate Photography
- ART 223 History of Modern Art
- ART 224 History of Photography
- ART 305 Digital Photography
- ART 306 Color Photography
- ART 400 Individualized Studio I
In The Classroom
The Mercyhurst University Department of Art teamed up with the Erie Zoo for an “ExZOOberant Paint Party” in our art studio. The Jungle Crayon Fence surrounds the children’s play area as a memorable and fun piece of personality in the nearby Erie Zoo. Students and faculty from the Department of Art led the initiative to host a painting party to give new life to this iconic fence in the zoo area. The entire Mercyhurst community was invited to join in the fun, with students, faculty, and staff helping paint more than 85 crayons with unique designs and names that all adhered to an animal theme. Mercyhurst’s Department of Art students love opportunities to be creative in the Erie community, especially the chance to work on unique displays like the Jungle Crayon Fence!

Contact Us
Jodi Staniunas Hopper, MFA
Chair, Department of Art
Office: Hirt 101
Phone: 814-824-3313
Email: jstaniunashopper@mercyhurst.edu