If you intend to join the B.F.A. program you must apply for admission once you complete or transfer a minimum of five foundation courses. One additional portfolio review is required at the end of Junior year before you can enroll in the B.F.A. Senior Exhibition.
Admission Process
The admission application is an online form that you need to complete during the last three weeks of the spring semester. The application requires you to select an emphasis area, write a 250-word artist statement, and put together a digital portfolio of at least 10 artworks. As part of the Studio 2 course, all students learn how to create a digital portfolio. You will start to develop your artist statement as part of the Art Criticism course. Transfer students should consult their advisor and consider attending the digital portfolio and statement workshops offered and advertised every April.
Art faculty review all of the portfolios on Monday (known on campus as study day) during the spring semester finals week. You will receive a letter at the end of finals week either as an invitation to join the program or to resubmit your work the following spring. Students may resubmit work once. Students who do not pass the B.F.A. admission review continue their studies as part of the Bachelor of Art (B.A.) studio program.
Keys for a Successful Application
- Speak to an art faculty member about your intention to join the B.F.A. program, preferably the faculty member who oversees the emphasis area you are most interested in joining. Ask them if they would mind reviewing your artist statement.
- Read the Application Guidelines thoroughly and email your advisor when you have questions.
- Follow the recommended foundation course degree map.
- Find out your GPA. While there is not a GPA requirement to join the program, successful applicants have earned a GPA of at least 2.5 or higher.
- It is a good practice to keep thorough documentation of every project you make in all of your classes. Keep your projects organized in a secure place so that they are easily accessible for this review.
- Stick to the review timeline and be proactive about scheduling meetings with your advisor. Don’t wait for your advisor to reach out to you.
- Pay close attention to the criteria listed for both the portfolio and the statement. Look over the rubric for the review that faculty use to evaluate your presentation. Grade yourself using this rubric and make sure you meet all the evaluation criteria. The rubric is available to download through the link below.
ALL JUNIORS PLEASE READ – COMING THIS SPRING:
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Junior Portfolio Review
In the spring of Junior year (approximately 75 completed credit hours for Transfer students), B.F.A. students must pass a final portfolio review before registering for the B.F.A Senior Exhibition year. The Junior review is evaluated from actual work rather than digital images. Students must also submit an extended artist statement that includes a proposal for their B.F.A Senior Exhibition. All B.F.A. students are required to take Art Theory (AR 305) the fall semester of senior year, where you will conduct research projects that will help in writing this statement and proposal.
Review Portfolio Requirements
Students will select an area of the Visual Arts Building to set up their artwork for review. Consult with your advisor on a space that will be appropriate to present your work. You may be asked to share space with another student if necessary.
For review, you should present 10 artworks:
- 3-5 of the 10 pieces should demonstrate conceptual and/or stylistic cohesiveness. These artworks should also be professionally presented. This means you should frame and/or matt work where appropriate and secure pedestals for the display of 3D works. Part of the purpose of the in-person portfolio review, rather than a digital portfolio review, is to demonstrate how you might present your work in the final exhibition.
- The remaining works (5-7) should demonstrate your progress and development over the past two
Statement and Proposal Requirements
The artist’s statement must be a minimum of 2 pages and discuss your current and proposed work in relation to the following:
1. Interpretation & Identification of Key Concepts – Specify artistic or philosophical theories and ideas that are important to your work. This can include influences outside the realm of art. Discuss the following in relation to your work:
- What is the main idea behind your work? (This refers to the “why” behind your work, not the “what.”
- What ideas are important influences in your work? (e.g. aesthetic philosophies; ideologies such as feminism, Marxism or Existentialism; psychological ideas, etc.).
2. Description of Influences – Identify the artistic and historical influences on the proposed exhibition work. It should identify the following:
- Any stylistic influences or approaches to media use (e.g. cubism, expressionism).
- Any specific artists who have influenced you and your work.
- Other influences (could include film, TV, books, games, music, experiences, etc.)
- How all these influences are seen in your work.
3. BFA Exhibition Proposal – What do you plan to make for your senior project?
- What is the concept of your project?
- What will it look like?
- How does your proposed project connect to the other ideas in this paper?
4. Statement of Technical Choices – Discuss the decisions you made in regards to media and how they relate to your concepts.
- Identify the medium/media used.
Explain why those media were chosen in relation to your concept.
Identify any unique approaches to media in your work.
5. Description of Major Challenges – Discuss any challenges you have overcome, or expect to face, in developing your work conceptually or technically over the next year.
Review Terms
All Art Faculty review your portfolio and artist statement/proposal using a common rubric. Each will be graded Pass/Fail. Students must pass BOTH the portfolio and statement in order to gain admittance into the B.F.A. Exhibition class. Students who receive a simple majority of pass grades from faculty will be considered a pass.
Students whose portfolio is given a marginal review of 40-50% pass grades will have the opportunity to resubmit once, by the end of the current spring semester. Such students will be notified of their eligibility to resubmit when they receive the notification letter. Students whose portfolio is given a pass rate of less than 40% may not resubmit and will graduate as part of the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Senior class.
Keys to A Successful Application
- It is a good practice to keep thorough documentation of every project you make in all of your classes. Keep your projects organized in a secure place so that they are easily accessible for this review.
- Stick to the review timeline and be proactive about scheduling meetings with your advisor. Don’t wait for your advisor to reach out to you.
- Pay close attention to the criteria listed for both the portfolio and the statement. Look over the rubric for the review that faculty use to evaluate your presentation. Grade yourself using this rubric and make sure you meet all the evaluation criteria.
