To define is to limit

The way that the art education major is currently set up at Grand Valley allows students to obtain a Bachelor of Arts with their K-12 certification. This is all well and good and will allow graduates to obtain a job teaching art at any grade level, which is a welcome freedom when jobs are scarce.
However, a BA degree does not reflect the extensive amount of work that students do in their actual studio classes. As art ed majors we are actually required to take many more studio classes than those students who are getting a studio degree. The requirements for art ed include a wide breadth of classes, including several introductory level classes, a handful of intermediate and advanced levels, as well as many drawing classes.

The lack of recognition for this effort is a little frustrating. So, after a little bit of research and investigation, I discovered that I would only be four classes away from a Bachelor of Fine Art degree. With the amount of classes I have taken to obtain my BA, there would only be one extra semester needed in order for me to graduate with two whole degrees.

This news was an excellent surprise to me, and I have since jumped on the opportunity to add on a BFA degree. I will not only graduate with the recognition I think I deserve for my efforts, but I will be able to go farther in my professional work. Many graduate programs will only accept BFA degrees for those hoping to eventually get their masters in a studio, such as sculpture.

With only one extra semester at Grand Valley, I will be able to go on to graduate school, get my masters, and eventually get a job teaching sculpture at a university level. This is a win-win situation that will allow me to fulfill some pretty major goals.

Cheers.