The Department of Art Education was established in 1951 when Mr. Abul Kalam laid the foundation of the Arts Institute at the Jamia Millia Islamia. The objective was to impart training to art and craft teachers in the modern concept and methods of art education.

The Department of Art Education is an academy for liberal training in visual art and in teaching attitude and aptitude leading to the master and bachelor degrees in art education.

Concept

The Department of Art Education believes that creativity pursue a forecasting pattern, it appears early in life and gradually develop perfection. The offered course is focused on methods of discovering potential creativity so that it can be given an opportunity to develop. The concept of this course is to impart comprehensive understanding and knowledge about different aspects of teaching art to children at all age and educational levels. Having such specific objectives students are trained to explore themselves as an art teacher and as well as professional practicing artist.

Department of Art Education courses

The bachelor’s as well as the master’s course is designed with full awareness of the necessity of an art teacher to be familiar and well trained in the understanding to the art process that they will impart to students as art teachers/educators/artist. though one can instantly notice overlaps between Fine Arts & Art Education courses offered to students at the Master’s and Bachelor’s level, on close look, the focus and purpose of both these streams vary and take somewhat a different path. While the art education courses apart from practicing art, will focus heavily on the pedagogy of teaching art for instance, on how to teach art, what constitutes art, what are the evaluative criteria in art and how ‘art exercises’ and ‘art teaching’ can be made more engaging and relevant at the school/college level.

M.F.A. in Art Education

The Master of Fine Art is a two year integrated professional degree program in Art Education, introduced in 1980-81. The objective of the learning program and training is to achieve complete development of the student’s perception along with the enhancement in skill as specialists it also cultivate the innovative kind of intellect and creative sensibilities. M.F.A. in Art Education is designed for the practical studio work, teaching assistantship, prescribed theory subjects and dissertation. Where, studio work is consist of the painting as its main subject and applied art*, graphic art* or sculpture* as its one optional subject.

M.F.A. in Art Education

The Bachelor of Fine Art is a four year integrated professional degree program in Art Education, introduced in 1980-81. The objective of the learning program and training is to achieve complete development of the student’s perception along with the enhancement in skill as specialists it also cultivate the innovative kind of intellect and creative sensibilities. B.F.A. in Art Education is designed for the practical studio work, teaching practice, prescribed theory subjects and dissertation. Where, studio work is consist of composition, life study, portrait study, nature study, drawing, sketching, geometrical drawing and two year specialization in craft subject i.e., wood craft, batik craft, metal craft, and terracotta craft and one optional subject from applied art*, graphic art* and sculpture*. The course also emphasis on Teaching Practice in second year (nursery to eight standard ) and third year (ninth to twelfth standard) which is a rigorous educational experience with a commitment to become teachers of children, rather than view it as a means to a ‘job’. Varied theory subjects as History of Art and Aesthetics, Theory of Art Education and Methods and Materials.

*The curriculum is equivalent to the designed syllabus of respective field.

Placements

This course would enable students to secure placement in agencies/institution facilitating universalization of art education and those which run teacher preparation courses for govt. as well as private institutes like, D.I.E.T.s, SCERT, and NCERT, polytechnic. Those who graduate may become teachers, freelance artist, designers, visualizers, and administrators of art program i.e., councilors, supervisors, curator, art critic & historian.

Admission

The admission to all the programs in the Department is through a practical test (life, composition & theory) followed by an interview as per the following distribution of marks.

B.F.A

Life: 25marks Composition: 25marks Theory: 35mark Interview: 15marks.

M.F.A

Composition: 50marks Theory: 35marks Interview: 15marks. *For Practical test only the drawing sheet will be provided by the department. The Department of Art Education also organizes multiple extra-curricular activities in order to enrich the academic culture. The department regularly organizes invited talks and workshops by eminent art personalities from universities /research institutes within India and abroad.