The art class is considered as an introduction to the creative process. Students often find art class as an instrument for their ingenious and imaginative minds to wander off and aspire to make wonderful pieces of art. Those wanting to become art teachers need not only the knowledge of the art itself but also knowledge of different techniques like painting, drawing and sculpting, as well as the various teaching methods to suit for students of different ages and skill levels. But how does a student become a teacher him or herself? What are the Requirements to become an Art Teacher in the U.S?Most states require Art Teachers to hold a degree in Fine Arts, Art Education or equivalent. Teaching Art is not a joke nor it is an easy task. A degree in Fine Arts can hone an aspiring teacher to develop a variety of artistic skills and techniques. There a lot of universities and colleges that offer a degree in fine arts, as well as Art education programs that bridge a bachelor’s degree intro teacher training. An Art education degree usually includes courses like Theatre Arts, Visual Arts Programming, Painting, Sculpting and other creative skill courses. Teaching subjects include Teaching Art Pre K-8 and K5-12, Contemporary Issues in Art Education, Child Growth and Development, Practicum and Seminars.An Art degree is usually a four-year degree program, but there are also new five-year integrated bachelor-masters in Fine Arts available nowadays. Though five-year accelerated programs do not generally entail a teacher license, these programs include student teaching workshops and education courses which can patch a teaching career. Plus some states require their teachers to get a Master’s degree within the few years of their teaching career, and having one right always saves time, money and worry. The last step before getting an official teaching license is always an assessment test from the state education board.Some states also offer accelerated teacher certificates through compressed preparation courses that allow one to get a probationary teaching certificate. Usually, a bachelor degree is required, at least 2.5 GPA from the Art courses, completion of specific number of hours of Preparation Courses and advance hours, plus a paid teaching internship. The probationary certificate allows one to get paid while working as a teacher assistant or intern. Usually it takes 2 semesters, plus an observed teaching class. Board or district education members are usually part of the observation panel that assess one’s capability to handle a teaching class alone. If one can get passing marks on all these accelerated training requirements, an official teacher certificate can be granted without taking a graduate degree. However, this is not the usual case, requirements and processes may differ from state to state. So, always check with the state education board for the correct process and alternative pathways that can lead to Art teacher license.