Teach Theatre & Dance in Maine’s K-12 Schools
We are excited to announce that, starting in the 2026-2027 academic year, Theatre Majors and Dance Minors can enroll in the K-12 Education Pathway!
The Performing Arts Education (PAE) pathway will prepare USM students to teach dance and theatre in schools serving grades K-12. Students completing this pathway will be recommended for Maine DOE Certification.
How Does it Work?
Theatre students pursuing the PAE pathway will take courses to complete their Theatre major or minor (minors take at least 24 credits in theatre and theatre history/theory). Dance minor students will take at least 24 credits in dance and dance history/theory. In addition, all students must complete the following courses:
EDU 305 Foundations of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
SED 235 Students with Exceptionalities in General Education
EDU 225 Multicultural Human Development
AED 221 Introduction to Teaching Visual and Performing Arts (FALL)
AED 222 Artlab (FALL) 1 credit lab
AED 321 Methods of Teaching Visual and Performing Arts (SPRING)
AED 324 Student Teaching in Visual and Performing Arts: 15 weeks (FALL)
AED 421 Seminar in Visual and Performing Arts (FALL)
And, students must take one of the following courses:
EDU/AED 230 Teaching Through the Arts or
THE 271 Creative Drama or
SBS 364 Introduction to Creative Modalities
What to learn more?
If you’re a prospective student who is not currently enrolled at USM, contact Janice Gardner, USM Department of Theatre Outreach Coordinator at janice.gardner@maine.edu.
If you’re currently enrolled at USM, Contact Rachel Price Cooper, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Chair of Theatre: rachel.cooper@maine.edu