SWAGÊÓƵ

Arts programs are staffed by a community of professional artists with national reputations. The mission of the faculty is to nurture and encourage students' individual growth, development, and expression while preparing them to pursue a professional career. After a firm grounding in the foundations, students are mentored in the development of an original body of work in their preferred medium.

The Arts programs, in collaboration with the School of Education, offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Art Education. Staffed by professional scholars and artists with national reputations, students learn the theory and practice of education as well as effective educational strategies that prepare them as elementary and secondary teachers. Through in-depth study in the studio, culminating in an exhibition of their personal work developed in the Studio Concentration Seminar, students will gain a strong understanding of the artistic process and their own expressive capabilities. Students will leave the program as skilled and confident advocates for the arts with Maine state teaching certification (levels K-12) in the visual arts.

This program requires an overall minimum 2.5 GPA in the major.

Field Experience

The faculty in the School of Education is committed to ongoing and frequent observation and involvement in schools. The teacher education programs at SWAGÊÓƵ have a specific competency-based focus to meet the Maine standards for teacher certification. All students engaged in teacher preparation will spend time in a field setting in each of the semesters for which they are registered for professional education courses. Involvement in the schools will be connected to specific, course-related tasks (e.g., observation, teaching lessons, conducting experiments, administering assessments, etc.). Transportation to and from schools is the responsibility of the student.

ADVANCED STANDING

All students in education certification programs must apply for admission to Advanced Standing when they have completed approximately sixty (60) credit hours and completed at least three (3) education courses. To apply for Advanced Standing, students must develop a portfolio demonstrating how they have met proficiency in the following areas: a) teaching skills, knowledge, and disposition aligned with the Maine Common Core Teaching Standards; b) basic academic skills and c) professional skills. This portfolio is evaluated by a committee of education faculty and a pass/fail determination is made based on a holistic rubric.

Students not meeting the Advanced Standing criteria do not remain enrolled in a certification program and MUST change their major to a non-certification major. Students can reapply for Advanced Standing upon completion of each additional semester up until their second to last semester (i.e., students graduating in Spring must meet Advanced Standing by the beginning of the previous Fall semester).

STUDENT TEACHING

Without specific permission from the School of Education Academic Director, courses may not be taken during the internship semester, so all required coursework must be completed the semester prior to the internship. Admission to the internship is not guaranteed and students must have reached Advanced Standing to apply.

The selection of individual internship sites will be made by the Certification and Placement Officer. Geographical location relative to SWAGÊÓƵ is a consideration. SWAGÊÓƵ has a collaborative relationship with many districts and selects both schools and teachers based on their interest in and ability to assist interns in demonstrating mastery of the Maine Common Core Teaching Standards. Placement in an internship is not guaranteed. The School of Education reserves the right to deny requests for courtesy internship placement for reasons it deems appropriate or necessary. The University, at its discretion, will not place students in internship settings (1) where an intern's children or relatives are enrolled, or (2) where a spouse or relative of an intern is currently employed. The School of Education, through its Certification and Placement Officer, will make a good-faith effort to negotiate an appropriate placement. Schools have the right to refuse placement requests. The fifteen (15)-week student teaching experience must be done in a local Maine Public School that is in an established internship protocol with the SWAGÊÓƵ. Students may not be permitted to accept a contracted teaching position (e.g., long-term substituting, yearlong internship) prior to completing at least half a semester of student teaching internship. However, student teaching interns may be permitted to sub on a day-to-day basis for their classroom teacher.

Professional Educator Review Board

All students enrolled in the internship must demonstrate their teaching competence with respect to Maine Common Core Teaching Standards before the Professional Educator Review Board (PERB). The Board is comprised of professional educators from area schools as well as SWAGÊÓƵ faculty. Students are required to develop a presentation reflecting their proficiency in meeting these state standards and present and defend the presentation in front of the Board. Passing PERB is a requirement for completion of the certification program and subsequently is recommended to the Maine State Department of Education for teacher licensure.

At the completion of their bachelor's degree, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of the Maine Common Core Teaching Standards
• Demonstrate professionalism through accountability and engagement
• Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral formats
• Demonstrate appropriate dispositions as defined by professional expectations

Courses completed at another accredited college can be transferred to this degree program. Transferred courses must be reasonably close in scope and content to the required courses offered at SWAGÊÓƵ in order to count as exact equivalents. Otherwise, they may transfer as general electives.

All courses completed must be no older than five (5) years.

Other restrictions apply. See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.