I Studied Two Postgraduate Degrees at Once — Here’s How That Helps You Get Into Art School

How Ruth Pringle’s education Can Help Get You into Art School

There’s a misconception that one English teacher is much like another, but language teachers bring their backgrounds into every class and every conversation.

We are a diverse, skilled bunch: AND we also know how to help you get strong in English.

This blog tells part of my story and shares why my two postgraduate degrees can help you get into art school.

As an international art school candidate, you need mentoring, guidance and support around building your portfolio.

And you may need English language coaching.

The decision you make now about who you trust with your portfolio is life-changing.

A Double Post-Grad Degree

Before starting True Voice English, I spent years in higher art education teaching both Studio Practice, English and Art History

This blog tells the story of how I came to complete a Master of Fine Arts Degree and a postgraduate Art History qualification at the same time.

As you’ll see, it wasn’t planned that way. It happened because I kept being invited into deeper and more challenging academic work, and I kept saying yes.

If you are an international student applying to art school, what this means for you is simple:

You’re learning English with someone who understands the language of art, the demands of art school, and the intellectual level your tutors expect.

Below is the story behind that: and why it matters for your portfolio and interview.

“You’re learning English with someone who understands the language of art, the demands of art school, and the intellectual level your tutors expect”.

Ruth Pringle, 2025

An International Assistantship* in the USA

I began higher education teaching at Southern Illinois University as a graduate student.

Unknown to me, there was always a rush to teach Drawing (the most ‘useful’ for applying for studio-based teaching positions on graduation).

However, when I was sitting in Scotland reading the prospectus, I liked the sound of An Introduction to the Built Environment, which I put as my first choice: not fully considering the implications of selecting an Art History subject, not a studio art subject.

It meant I would be a TA (Teaching Assistant), not Instructor of Record (less prestigious).

Not to mention not being a subject I had any expertise in. 

When I got to the US, I learned that it was in fact a lot of people’s last choice as a student job (we were all on an assistantship program that paid our tuition in exchange for working for the university).

Most people, I discovered, would rather work in the slide library or clean the studio storerooms, but I wanted to teach.

*Assistantship = very common, formal term
Refers to funded graduate teaching/research positions standard for American universities

A Thorough Education in Art History

An Introduction to the Built Environment got me researching Architecture, Land Art, Public Art,  Urban Planning – and so much more besides: all topics I’m naturally curious about.

It was a huge amount of work to deliver seminars on a subject I was learning alongside my students (way more than cleaning out an art supplies cupboard) but as a result I was invited to be TA on the Introduction to Art History courses: dense, chronological Art History courses for first and second year Art History students that worked their way through three periods: Prehistoric to classical Greek & Roman; Medieval, Byzantine and 18th & 19th Century Art, then the final semester was 20th Century Art.

For the remainder of my time as a graduate student, I taught for the Art History Department, and on a second, Visual Arts course for the Fine Art Department (Drawing or 2D Design).

Holding weekly seminars based on all this course material gave me hours of teaching experience, and meant I had the knowledge equivalent of an Art History degree. 

Even More Art History

Despite being a studio degree, my MFA required 9 Credits (the American system) of Art History studies per year (one course per semester).

These were specialist dips into aspects of Art History: Greek Art, 19th Century Art, Art Criticism and were taught by a small, excellent team of art historians who made the subject come alive.

I’d liked Art History as an undergraduate, but I’d not realised the layers: remove one way of looking and find five more.

It was the most intellectually stimulating time of my life.

An Invitation to do an MA in Art History

I was selected to apply to be a candidate for the university’s Art History Certificate – a rubbish name for something with academic merit: the academic equivalent of an MA in Art History (but without the final dissertation).

It meant a lot of extra work whilst I was already working 50% on my assistantship and 50% of my time on my MFA, but I signed up for it.

One of the essential credits in the course was the Teaching Practicum which, although a part of the Art History Certificate, is an independent qualification in its own right.

It qualifies me to teach Art History at university level in the USA.

I passed this, then got invited to be a mentor to a deaf Art History MFA student who was struggling with the soft teaching skills needed to hold engaging Art History seminars.

I was now teaching on a postgraduate level course before I gained my own MA!

“The Teaching Practicum qualifies me to teach Art History at university level in the USA”.

Ruth Pringle, 2025

A 4.0 Student

I graduated with my MFA and Art History Certificate with a 4.0 Grade Point Average (G.P.A.)

If you know the US system, you will know that’s the best result possible.

I was a straight-A student in my MFA and my Art History: quite remarkable as I was essentially taking two postgraduate degrees simultaneously, while working for the university with 50% of my time.

How My Art School Training Shapes My Teaching

Art school is not just doing what you want all the time; you are pushed through a series of exercises that break down bad habits and assumptions and help you look differently.

I bring this touch to all my language teaching, but when helping portfolio candidates, more than anything, I use my Art History background.

It is an unusually rich background to lead from, for a foundation-level art course. 

Why This Makes a Difference for You

Here’s what studying two postgraduate degrees at once taught me — the parts that matter for your journey as an art school candidate:

• how to communicate complex visual ideas clearly

• how to talk about art in a way that shows depth

• how to support someone learning at the edge of their confidence

• how to express creative thinking through precise, powerful English

• how to prepare you for critique culture — not just conversation

None of this is standard English teaching.
All of it comes directly from my academic training.

What This Means for Your Portfolio or Interview

You need to be able to talk about your work like an artist, not like a language student.

My unusual academic path means I understand both:

• the artistic content of what you’re saying

• the English structures that help you say it confidently

That’s why working with True Voice English feels different from any other kind of English lessons.

It’s closer to a studio conversation, but with the language support built in.

If You’re Planning to Apply to Art School

You don’t need perfect English.
What you need is support that helps you present your work clearly, confidently, and professionally: the way admissions tutors expect.

Our Portfolio Stars programme is not an English course.
It is practical portfolio preparation, with language support built in where it helps you speak about your ideas, decisions, and process.

You’ll get guidance shaped by real art-school training, real teaching experience, and real understanding of what tutors listen for.

Further Information

Find out about American Graduate Assistantships 

Southern Illinois University

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