At Tyler, the M.Ed in Art Education is more than a degree—it’s a launchpad for visionaries, makers, and future leaders. This graduate program is built for those ready to challenge convention within creative learning contexts, expand their creative practice, and shape what’s next in impactful educational settings.
Join us November 10 at 3:30pm for a virtual information session. Discover how Tyler’s MEd in Art Education prepares teachers and teaching artists to inspire the next generation. Learn about certification and non-certification tracks, research opportunities, and the ways our graduates become leaders in classrooms, and community settings.
An M.Ed in Art Education is a place where making, teaching, and research are equally valued and intertwined. Like an ecosystem, each of these practices informs the others.
An M.Ed in Art Education is for creative people who want to become certified art teachers, or certified art teachers who want to enrich their making/teaching/research practices. This includes people with advanced degrees such as MFAs, artists, and teaching artists who desire pedagogical skill development.
Tyler’s M.Ed in Art Education empowers current and aspiring educators to deepen their artistic practice, expand their teaching strategies, and earn certification in a program that bridges studio, research, and community engagement. With access to the resources of a world-class art and architecture school and a major research university, students gain hands-on experience in Philadelphia’s vibrant schools, museums, and art spaces. Tyler’s faculty are committed to urban art education and the power of collaborating with communities, and prepare graduates to teach, lead, and make a lasting impact through the arts.
You will build your leadership skills where the arts, education and community intersect.
You will engage in transformative arts practices in which students and faculty collaborate within and beyond formal educational institutions.
You will have the freedom to explore new ideas and create new knowledge.
By embracing multiple abilities and backgrounds, you will shape arts-based democratic experiences to increase capacities for self-determination and civic justice.
The Tyler School of Art and Architecture features its own admissions team, who can provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your educational and career goals.
The Master of Education (MEd) with a Major in Art Education at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture is a NASAD-accredited program with an option for students to pursue Pennsylvania certification in art, grades Kindergarten through 12. The program offers a pathway for K-12 teachers who want to hone a specialization in art or anyone who wants to add art teaching credentials.
Our graduates understand that access to the arts is vital for all, and they leave our program equipped to advocate for and deliver meaningful arts programing in classrooms, institutions, and community settings.
Our students are artists and teachers, working in classrooms or as teaching artists, museum educators, curriculum and program developers, policy makers, principals, arts administrators, educational researchers, and business owners. They work in various formal and informal contexts both for profit and not-for-profit.
As an M.Ed student, you will have access to all studio courses and facilities at Tyler.
Our departmental suite is a community hub where students from art therapy and art education convene, exhibit artwork, research, and host events and experimental workshops.
Our award-winning faculty are here to challenge, mentor, and push you toward your full potential and encourage a wide spectrum of student inquiry including:
M.Ed ’22
Ali Rufrano-Ruffner works as a teaching artist at the Brooklyn Museum and as an artist member at Vox Populi. They hold an M.Ed in Art Education from Tyler, a BFA in Sculpture and a BA in Gender Studies with a concentration in Violence Prevention from University of Delaware.
As part of their art practice, Ali creates sculptures and art installations with the goal of creating equitable public art. In their work, Rufrano-Ruffner seeks to manifest what they call “radically imagined worlds” that embody a culture of empathy and care. Two notable projects include The Climate Justice in Lenapehoking mural and Otherworld, an immersive sculpture experience was recognized by USA Today’s as one of the ‘10 Best New Attractions’ in 2023.
“At Tyler, I gained a life-long community of artists and educators. The facilities are top-notch, but more importantly I learned from professors that truly cared about students and challenged us. To this day I feel I can reach out to them for support.”
“The most inspiring or unexpected part of my time at Tyler - the people! I never expected to be a part of such a community, and the further into the program I went the deeper those relationships became... I have always felt like the Art Education and Community Arts Practices department is the backbone of Tyler. We get the opportunity to have such a multi-disciplinary experience, which we then get the privilege of moving forward in the world with, sharing our passion for the arts, inspiring minds, and embracing our passion for humanity.”
“The most profound impact on me came from the relationships I built with my professors and peers. Through their support, I gained the confidence to own my story and art practice. I feel I have formed genuine friendships and a network of support that will last a lifetime. Everyone I encountered was truly brilliant and continues to inspire me.”
As artists, educators, researchers, M. Ed candidates engage in art practices in and out of the studio. Their making, teaching, and research are integral components of their practice.
M.Ed '25
M.Ed '23
M.Ed ’26
M.Ed ‘25
