Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education
Arts Integration
Reimagine teaching! Use the arts to engage all learners across the curriculum
Why Choose the MA in Education: Arts Integration at USJ?
- Fully Online Cohort
Study from anywhere while staying connected to a supportive peer group.
- Live Virtual Classes
Just one evening per week—built for working educators.
- 8-Week Courses
Focused, fast-paced, and designed for immediate classroom application.
- Integrate Technology Tools
Learn how to use emerging technologies to help support students in the classroom.
- Innovate Your Practice
Deepen impact with inclusive, research-informed strategies.
- Designed for Balance
Finish in 2 years—without stepping away from your classroom.
Save on tuition! This program is eligible for our Values and Vision Scholarship, awarding up to $2,000 annually for up to two consecutive years (up to $4,000 total).
Transformative Learning for Today’s Classrooms
Advance your teaching practice with the Master of Arts in Education: Arts Integration at the University of Saint Joseph. This flexible program empowers educators to engage students of all backgrounds and abilities by blending visual arts, music, theater, and creative writing into daily instruction. Drawing on recent research and varied theoretical models, participants learn practical strategies for creativity and differentiation—key to unlocking cognitive growth and engagement across age levels, grades, and content areas.
Through live, fully-online synchronous courses interspersed with in-person learning experiences on the USJ campus you’ll develop a toolkit for inclusive, arts-based teaching that fosters achievement for every learner and supports true instructional innovation. Integration of the arts in inclusive classrooms builds a sense of belonging, encourages diverse voices, and enhances learning outcomes for all students.
Program Design
Built for working educators, this hybrid program combines the flexibility of asynchronous learning with the richness of live weekly in-person and online sessions that promote collaboration and real-time engagement.
- Follows a cohort model for peer support and community
- Courses are offered in eight-week blocks, one at a time
- Live class sessions meet one evening per week from 4:45 PM – 8:45 PM
- Program can be completed in approximately two years
Prerequisites
To apply, students must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (minimum GPA of 2.5)
- Have access to a classroom and students to support ongoing fieldwork and instructional application
What You’ll Learn
- Apply Multiple Intelligences Theory in instructional planning
- Integrate visual arts, music, theater, and creative writing across the curriculum
- Use arts-based approaches to observe learners and differentiate instruction
- Collaborate with arts professionals and community organizations
- Conduct classroom-based educational research and reflection
Degree Requirements and Career Outcomes
To earn the M.A. in Education: Arts Integration, students must successfully complete all coursework and a course-embedded capstone project.
This program does not lead to a certification, licensure, or endorsement.
Graduates are prepared to:
- Integrate the arts into core subject instruction
- Increase student engagement through creativity
- Differentiate instruction for learners with diverse needs
- Lead innovative classroom practice grounded in student strengths
Plan of Study
| Course | Title | Hours | ||
EDUC 565 | Multiple Intelligences Theory and the Arts (Online) Participants will apply MIT theory in their classroom and reflect on student engagement and learning when these strategies are employed. An action research project and field experience is required. | 3 | ||
EDUC 563 | Visual Arts for Educators (Hybrid – USJ Campus) A foundation course in visual literacy, studying the elements and principles of the visual arts and their context in art history and contemporary popular cultures. | 3 | ||
| EDUC 562 | Music for Educators (Hybrid – USJ Campus) | 3 | ||
| EDUC 568 | Creativity, Writing and Nature (Online) | 3 | ||
| EDUC 564 | Art Museum for Teachers (Hybrid – USJ Campus) | 3 | ||
| EDUC 513 | Curricular Applications of Multiple Intelligences Theory (In-Person USJ Campus) This course is a rich mix of dance, theater, music and educational pedagogy. Graduate students will learn Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, constructivism and differentiation as they apply arts standards in the planning and implementation of instructional strategies. | 6 | ||
| EDUC 566 | Theatre Education (Hybrid – USJ Campus) This course is designed to provide opportunities for elementary, middle or high school teachers to gain a theoretical foundation of theater education as well as practical experience for integrating theatre standards in teaching core content. | 3 | ||
| EDUC 515 | Educational Research (Online) Students will examine both qualitative and quantitative research and work together as a community of practice. The course requires an extensive literature review and research proposal of an educational topic. | 3 | ||
| EDUC 537 | Reflective Practitioner * (Online) A systematic and critical self-evaluation of the elements of teaching: instructional goals and objectives, unit and lesson planning, teaching strategies and models, adaptations for special needs leaners, classroom management and student assessment. Field study (action research) required. | 3 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: | 30 | |||
Please Note:
*Master’s Capstone Project Included
The courses for this program may be offered in a different order. This list should not be considered the finalized course sequence.
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