What degree is needed to teach art in high school?

Would a bachelor's degree in animation or game art be okay? Or would it need to be something like fine art/art and design?

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

As always this will vary depending what country you want to teach in.

Assuming you want to teach in the UK to secondary school students, I think they're fairly flexible in what creative degree you do first, although check PGCE in Art requirements (you might be able to do an SKE if you don't fully meet the requirements though) to see what they are looking for (as you will need to do a PGCE normally to teach secondary students).

One of my IB Visual Arts teachers (who also taught A-level/GCSE Art) did his first degree in model-making though (although at the time he was teaching us his personal artwork was mainly oil painting and digital art) so, it takes all sorts!

@04MR17 or @PQ may know some more about either secondary teaching generally or art generally (and perhaps either or both may know about secondary teaching of art!).

Reply 2

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by SvanetianRose

Would a bachelor's degree in animation or game art be okay? Or would it need to be something like fine art/art and design?

A quick scan of art teacher vacancies at the moment tells me that they're not being very picky about your degree subject at all. Phrases like "A good degree"; or "Graduate with QTS" get thrown up on vacancy adverts.

Accepting you onto a Teacher Training course is different to getting a job though, and as @artful_lounger points out TT providers may not take you. I honestly don't know with this one, and we've had a few queries of this nature recently with other subjects, so you're best option is probably to email some training providers that you have in mind and ask if this degree is suitable. :smile:

Reply 3

bwilliams

You will be able to do a PGCE with any art and design related degree. As above, the majority of teacher person specifications will simply state "graduate with QTS".
To answer your question, yes a degree in animation would be acceptable. Art teachers who I have met in the past have had degrees in graphic design, photography, 3D design and even fashion. In the majority of schools teachers will teach art to KS3 and then may lead on their specialism at GCSE or A-Level. With an animation degree you may lead on Graphic Design A-Level in the art department, for example. You definitely do not need a degree in art.