The Art Education (Low-Residency/Online M.A.) program is designed for experienced artists-educators who are currently working in a variety of professional settings including K-12 public and private schools, museum education programs, and community arts programs. This program is primarily designed for artist-educators who wish to achieve a higher level of integration between their practice as an artist and as an art educator.

Please note that this is a professional development masters program and does not grant state licensure for teaching in K-12 public school settings. Students interested in attaining teaching licensure should consider an application to MICA's Teaching (M.A.T.).

Application Requirements & Procedures for the Art Education Online Low-Residency M.A.

1. Graduate Admission Application Form: completed and submitted online via 

2. Curriculum Vitae/Resume

3. Art Education Online / Low-Residency M.A. Reflective Essays

In lieu of the Statement of Purpose/Artist Statement, submit two short reflective essays with your application. In the first essay, address your preparation and experience as an artist; for the second essay, tell us about your preparation and experience as an artist-educator. Follow the guidelines below for writing the two essays, noting the requested content, headings, and recommended length of response.

ESSAY #1: YOUR PREPARATION AND EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTIST

Please address each of the following topics below. Note the length of response after each bulleted topic. Use the wording of the bolded topics below as a heading for each section of your essay.

• Strongest Aspects of My Art Making Process. Describe what you believe to be the strongest aspect of your art-making process. Refer to specific uploaded images of your work that support your response. [One paragraph.]
• Questions, Issues, and Art Processes I Would Like to Investigate. If you had unlimited time in your own studio, what kinds of questions, issues, processes would you like to investigate? If relevant, refer to specific uploaded images of your work that support your response. [One paragraph.]
• This program's Ability to Contribute to My Development as an Artist. Describe the ways in which you imagine MICA's M.A. in Art Education program will support your personal/professional goals as a visual artist. [One paragraph.]

ESSAY #2: YOUR PREPARATION AND EXPERIENCE AS AN ARTIST-EDUCATOR

Please address each of the following topics below. Note the length of response after each bulleted topic. Use the wording of the bolded topics below as a heading for each section of your essay.

• Problems Or Issues I Have Personally Encountered In My Teaching. Describe a problem or issue you have personally encountered in your teaching practice and why it is important to you to "solve" this problem. [One paragraph.]
• Judging Students' Response to Art Assignments. What criteria do you use for judging the quality of student responses to art assignments? Refer to specific uploaded images of student work to support your response. [One paragraph.]
• This Program's Ability to Contribute to My Development as an Artist-Educator. Describe the ways in which you imagine MICA's MA in Art Education program will support your professional goals for development as an artist-educator. [One paragraph.]

4. Three (3) Letters of Reference

Recommendations are submitted online via .

5. Proof of Degree or Equivalent

Digital transcripts from the last degree-granting institution can be uploaded to SlideRoom. Official transcripts are not required for the initial review process, however, the Graduate Review Committee may request additional or official documentation before decision notification. 

6. Art Education Online/Low-Residency M.A. Portfolio of Artwork

• Slides of Personal Artwork: Please upload 15 images of your own artwork. Include descriptive text with each image that identifies title, date, medium, dimensions. Include work that you feel best represents the questions/ideas you are interested in investigating in your art or that demonstrates work you feel best represents your skills as an artist. Do not feel compelled to submit a "breath" portfolio that demonstrates every media/technique you have explored. Images from your sketchbook may also be included. Upload to mica.slideroom.com
• Slides of Student Artwork: Please upload 15 images of your student's artwork. Include descriptive text with each slide that identifies the grade level, title, date, medium, dimensions of the student's artwork. In the "note" section briefly note the kind of art assignment /art problem the student was solving. If selecting student work at the elementary level, include work that represents a range of grade levels. If selecting student artwork at the middle or secondary level, a narrower range of grade levels may be selected. Upload to
  • On SlideRoom, be sure to include the following information: title, date, medium, dimensions, and notes. Applicants to Art Education (Low-Residency/Online M.A.): please indicate in the notes field whether the piece is student artwork or personal artwork.
  • Applicants should submit their portfolio materials for review with their application via mica.slideroom.com. Specific technical guidelines addressing the submission of digital images, video files, sound files and text files are available in the SlideRoom system.

7. $75 Application Fee

Payable via credit card during the application submission stage online.

8. Additional Requirements for International Applicants

International candidates whose primary language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in both written and spoken English. Additionally, certified translations of all letters of reference, transcripts and school documentation must be provided. For additional information on international applicant requirements, please visit Information for International Graduate Applicants.