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Exam Overview
An Overview of the Exam
Test facts, content categories, and scoring
The Praxis® Art: Content Knowledge (5134) test is developed and administered by ETS. States and licensing agencies that use it set their own qualifying scores, so the test is one requirement for an art teaching license or endorsement, alongside the state's degree, preparation-program, and other testing requirements.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Test name and code | Art: Content Knowledge (5134) |
| Number of questions | 120 selected-response questions |
| Testing time | 2 hours |
| Question format | Multiple choice with four answer choices and one correct answer; some questions include an image of an artwork that you can enlarge on screen |
| Unscored questions | Some questions are being tried out and do not count toward your score; they are not identified |
| Delivery | Computer delivered, at a test center or at home with online proctoring |
| Test fee | $130 (confirm the current fee when you register) |
| Score scale | 100–200 scaled score |
| Qualifying score | Set by each state or licensing agency that uses the test |
| Intended candidates | Students completing an art education program and holders of a bachelor's degree in art or art education |
Content Categories
| Content category | Approx. questions | Approx. % of test |
|---|---|---|
| I. Art Making | 76 | 64% |
| A. General | 15 | 13% |
| B. Media and Processes | 61 | 51% |
| II. Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Art | 44 | 36% |
| A. Materials and Processes in Historical Context | 6–7 | 5% |
| B. The Western Tradition in Art History | 17–18 | 15% |
| C. Art Beyond the Western Tradition | 9 | 7% |
| D. Responding to Art | 11 | 9% |
Approximate number of questions by subcategory
I-A. General
Identifying the elements of art and principles of design in visual stimuli, how elements relate to principles, how they are used in two- and three-dimensional art, and historical and contemporary methods of making art.
I-B. Media and Processes
Safety, health, storage, and disposal; drawing, painting, and printmaking; digital photography and imaging; video, film, and installation; sculpture; fiber arts and jewelry; mounting, matting, and displaying artwork.
II-A. Materials and Processes in Historical Context
How materials, processes, and techniques in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, architecture, photography, fiber, and crafts developed over time.
II-B. The Western Tradition
Styles, major works, and artists from prehistory to contemporary art; the purposes and contexts of art; the impact of innovations such as linear perspective, the camera, and oil and acrylic paint.
II-C. Art Beyond the Western Tradition
Art and architecture of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the South Pacific: visual characteristics, major works, purposes, and relationships with Western art.
II-D. Responding to Art
Theories of art (formalism, expressionism, representationalism, deconstructivism), critical reactions to well-known works, multiple viewpoints, and how meaning is created through symbols and form.
Scoring
Your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly; there is no penalty for wrong answers, so answer every question. The raw score is converted to a scaled score from 100 to 200, which adjusts for small differences in difficulty between test editions. Your score report shows whether you met the qualifying score for the state you designated and your performance in each content category.
Passing the Test
There is no single national passing score. Check your state's requirement on the ETS state-requirements pages or with your state education agency before you test, and aim well above it on your practice tests.Registration and Test Day
1
Create an ETS Praxis account
Register online, choose a test center or the at-home option, and select the score recipients your state requires; four score recipients are included with registration.
2
Request accommodations early
Testing accommodations and health-related needs must be approved by ETS before you register for a test date.
3
Prepare your ID and space
Bring acceptable, current photo identification. For at-home testing, check the equipment, room, and system requirements in advance.
4
Receive your scores
Scores are posted to your ETS account on the published score-reporting date for your test date and sent to the recipients you selected.
5
Retake if needed
If you need to retest, you may take the test again after a 28-day waiting period.
Always Confirm Current Details
Fees, testing policies, qualifying scores, and score-reporting dates are set by ETS and by each state and can change. Verify them on the official Praxis website before you register.Finished reading?
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