Jul 22, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Art, Studio Practice Concentration (Preparation for Teaching), BA

The BA in Studio Practice/Preparation for Teaching, offered by the Department of Art and Art History , is designed for students interested in teaching art in high school or middle school and has been approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) as meeting the undergraduate subject matter preparation for a single subject credential program to be completed after the BA. The Preparation for Teaching degree provides a broad foundation in contemporary art practice and permits some specialization in a favorite art medium as well as specialized courses in teaching art education for young people. (Note that completing this major does not guarantee admission to a credential program; see www.sjsu.edu/education for more information.) This is an excellent time to prepare for a teaching career in California.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3B, 4, UD 3, UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) (3 units)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures
Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Exceptions for University Graduation Requirements including exemptions and waivers, are approved for specific majors and on a case-by-case evaluation only.

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division GE: 25 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework: Area 3A)

6 required units of American Institutions/US123 may be satisfied by selecting applicable GE courses in Areas 3B and/or 4

Upper Division GE: 6 (3 units may be satisfied by major coursework: UD Area 3)

Physical Education: 2

GWAR / WID: 0 (3 units satisfied by ART 100W )

Lower Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 3

Upper Division Humanities & the Arts College Requirement: 2-4

Major Preparation: 27

Major Requirements: 34

University Electives or Minor: 13-15

Total: 120

2. Lower Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (3 units):

Complete one course from:

ART 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
DSGN 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
ENGL 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
HUM 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)
PHIL 44HA Design Your Life, Design Your Semester, Design Your World 3 unit(s)

3. Upper Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (2-4 units):

Complete any one course offered by the College of Humanities & the Arts in a discipline other than your major.

4. Major Preparation (27 units)

ART 12 - Two-Dimensional Design and Color Concepts 3 unit(s)
ART 13 - Three-Dimensional Design Concepts 3 unit(s)
ART 24 - Drawing I 3 unit(s)
ART 68 - Beginning Sculpture: Object & Concept 3 unit(s)
ART 74 - Introduction to Digital Media 3 unit(s)
PHOT 40 - Beginning Photography 3 unit(s)

General Art History Survey (3 units)

Highly recommend students take ARTH 70B .

Complete one course:

ARTH 70A - Art History, Prehistoric to Medieval 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
ARTH 70B - Art History, Renaissance to Modern 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
ARTH 70C - Arts of Asia 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)

Aesthetics and Art Theory (3 units)

Complete one course:

ARTH 101 - Introduction to Practice of Art History 3 unit(s)
PHIL 66 - Introduction to Aesthetics 3 unit(s) (GE Area 3A / Formerly Area C1)
PHIL 106 - Philosophy of Art 3 unit(s)

Specialized Art History (3 units)

Complete one course:

ARTH 185 - Art of the Classical World 3 unit(s)
ARTH 187A - Art of the Italian Renaissance, Fifteenth Century 3 unit(s)
ARTH 190B - Early Modernist Art 3 unit(s)
ARTH 191A - Issues in Contemporary Art 3 unit(s)
ARTH 160 - Modern Architecture 3 unit(s)
ARTH 161 - Contemporary Architecture 3 unit(s)

5. Major Requirements (34 units)

Core Requirements (22 units)

Art Fundamentals (13 units)

ART 1 - Professional Preparation in Art 1 unit(s)
ART 2 - The Artist in Contemporary Culture 3 unit(s)
ART 3 - Medium and Message 3 unit(s)
ART 61 - Beginning Painting 3 unit(s)
ART 100W - Writing Workshop: Fine Arts 3 unit(s) (WID)

Teaching Fundamentals (6 units)

ART 138 - Elementary Art Methods 3 unit(s)
ART 139 - Teaching Diversity through Art 3 unit(s)

Upper Division Art History (3 units)

Complete one course:

ARTH 193A - Worlds of Art and Culture 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)
ARTH 193B - East Meets West in Art 3 unit(s) (GE UD Area 3 / Formerly Area V)

Capstone (3 units)

ARED 150 - Field Experience in the Arts 3 unit(s)

Area Focus (9 units)

Complete three (3) courses in one of the following areas:

Courses can not be taken again if taken in another requirement area.

6. University Electives (13-15 units)

Talk with your advisor from the Department of Art and Art History about a list of recommended minors.

About

Art, Studio Practice Concentration (Preparation for Teaching), BA

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Summary of Degree Units

2. Lower Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (3 units):

3. Upper Division College of Humanities & the Arts Requirement (2-4 units):

4. Major Preparation (27 units)

General Art History Survey (3 units)

Aesthetics and Art Theory (3 units)

Specialized Art History (3 units)

5. Major Requirements (34 units)

Core Requirements (22 units)

Art Fundamentals (13 units)

Teaching Fundamentals (6 units)

Upper Division Art History (3 units)

Capstone (3 units)

Area Focus (9 units)

Ceramics

Craft

Digital Media Art

Drawing/Painting

Photography

Printmaking

Sculpture

6. University Electives (13-15 units)

Total Units Required (120 units)