Teacher Programs
AP Summer Institute
APSI Registration is Open!
SAIC’s AP Summer Institute in Art & Design is offered to AP* high school teachers in the subject of art and design from around the world. Developed for any level AP* teacher, participants earn one graduate credit from SAIC after receiving 30 hours of AP* Summer Institute instruction. You’ll leave the program equipped with new teaching strategies, instructional materials, and strong connections within a supportive teacher community.
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The cost of tuition for the AP Summer Institute is $1,420. This includes one graduate credit and all AP course materials which are provided digitally by SAIC.
AP participant grants are available!
To qualify, you must:- Teach an AP course in the upcoming school year
- Teach at a school in the United States, a DoDEA school, or a school located in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Not have attended an APSI or received an APSI scholarship in the past 3 years in the same AP subject
- Not receive professional learning funding from your state, district, or school
Participant grants are not renewable or transferable and only cover tuition for the APSI you select in the year awarded.
You can learn more about the grants and access the application links here, or email the College Board at appl@collegeboard.org.
*Advanced Placement, AP, College Board, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission. -
- Workshops are led by a current AP* Art and Design teacher who was on the AP* Art and Design Development Committee during development of the updated portfolio requirements and rubrics. The consultant is joined by an SAIC faculty member with over 30 years experience teaching in post-secondary education, who has held leadership positions associated with the AP* Art and Design program for several years.
- Access to resources from the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago and its encyclopedic collection of classical, modern, and contemporary art.
- Small class sizes utilize group learning and collaboration, enhancing instructor availability for each participant.
- Presentations by visiting artists and arts educators investigating the latest concepts and trends in art and design education.
- Individual and collaborative activities that focus on building meaningful relationships with ideas, materials, and environments.
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Session 1: July 27–31
Program Fee: $1,420—Includes one graduate credit and all AP course materials. (Please note: SAIC will be emailing digital APSI materials directly to attendees.)“[The class] was extremely informative. The instructors were engaged and willing to address any student needs. They walked us through the AP College Board process, which gave us initial steps to begin our AP instructor journeys.”
— APSI Art and Design participant, 2024
Our AP* Summer Institutes go beyond professional development to provide a unique combination of seminar sessions and hands-on collaborative studio activities that revitalize teachers and focus on the importance of contemporary art practice in the high school art room. More than simply explaining the AP* Art and Design program requirements and portfolio scoring methods, experienced arts educators and skillful consultants facilitate meaningful opportunities for peer dialogue, discussion of new media affects on AP*, up-to-date information on digital upload, and inspiration for developing curricula specific to the three portfolios: drawing, 2D design, and 3D design.
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M. Colleen Harrigan (she/her) is a dedicated visual art professional committed to teaching and learning. She serves in various capacities, including Educator, Mentor, Question Leader for the AP Art and Design Portfolio, Lead Faculty Consultant for AP Art and Design, and AP Art and Design Online Community Moderator.
While her academic foundation is firmly grounded in the visual arts, Colleen's true passion is teaching. Currently, she teaches at the Page School, guiding students on their creative journeys and offering support to fellow educators through professional development initiatives.
As a lifelong learner, Colleen is deeply committed to personal growth and exploration. She is enthusiastic about collaborating with others in both artistic and educational pursuits. If you're seeking a dedicated colleague for your creative and educational endeavors, Colleen welcomes the opportunity to work and learn alongside you.
Michael x. Ryan (he/him) is a visual artist and educator that has taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) for the last 30 years. As a faculty member in Arts Administration + Policy and the department of Contemporary Practices, Ryan has developed many undergraduate and foundations courses over the years. As an administrator and faculty member at SAIC, the meeting of different generations of artists/designers is a daily inspiration to the studio. Ryan has worked with the AP* Studio Art program for over 20 years, is currently a question leader at the AP* Studio Art Portfolio Reading, and for five years was co-chair of the College Board AP Studio Art Development Committee.
In his studio practice, Ryan attempts to record the fleeting residue of the human presence by realizing the interconnectedness of bodies and places while magnifying the minutia of a life lived. Ryan’s work has been exhibited widely in the United States. His work has been acquired by a number of collections, such as The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Everson Museum in Syracuse, NY, along with many others.
*Advanced Placement, AP, College Board, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission. -
Materials
SAIC will be emailing APSI materials directly to attendees.
Electronic Materials Contain:
- The Course and Exam Description (CED)
- There is no time limit on access to the electronic materials once they have been downloaded and saved.
- Purchase orders should be made out to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Please send a purchase order and invoice inquiries to Scott Whitlock.
Refunds
APSI Art and Design drop requests must be submitted in writing to cs@saic.edu and include the student's name, seven-digit ID number, and course information.
Refund Policy: A 100 percent tuition refund will be issued one week prior to the session start date. No refunds will be granted after the dates below. Refunds take four to six weeks to process.
APSI Art and Design Session 1: July 20
Additional Programs for Art Educators
Post-Baccalaureate Program & Certificates
The desire to grow and develop does not necessarily subside upon receiving your bachelor’s degree. In fact, for many the desire becomes stronger. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers a Post-Baccalaureate (Post-Bacc) Certificate in Studio in eight academic departments, plus a Certificate in Historic Preservation. Each of these programs draws on the unique strengths of SAIC’s highly regarded studio and academic departments and will give you the opportunity to pursue your studies in a large professional art-and-design-school setting.
Continuing Studies Certificates
Students enroll in SAIC’s noncredit certificates to explore a field of interest, to prepare for further study in art and design, to attain a credential for career opportunities, or to achieve their personal or professional goals.
Certificate students take a combination of six Adult Continuing Education noncredit courses unique to each subject, including electives of their choice. Students pay the same tuition for ACE courses as noncertificate students, and are charged a one-time application fee.
Contact Us
Continuing Studies staff members are available Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. CT at 312.629.6170 or cs@saic.edu to answer your questions.