Department of Architecture and Interior Design

Special Admission Requirements

The admission process for architecture and interior design includes a submission of a portfolio of recent work for review by faculty members.

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of work that demonstrates something about you that your quantitative ratings (grade point average, rank in class, test scores) cannot reveal: your potential for creative studio work. We believe that we can make a better judgment about your talent and ability by looking at art projects and other evidence in a portfolio than by relying on your academic record alone.

What should be in a portfolio?

A portfolio may be comprised of many kinds of work and should include reproductions of drawings, prints, traditional or electronic graphic design, painting, sculpture, ceramics, or photography. It may also include examples of architectural designs and models, stage design, fashion or costume design, or anything else that you have made in an art class, summer exploration program, or on your own. One or two samples of mechanical or digital drawing may also be included, but this kind of work is less important to us than open-ended creative work.

We suggest that you consult with an art teacher whom you trust in order to decide which works to reproduce for your portfolio. Although we are interested in students with experience in a variety of media and creative problem-solving situations, it is better to submit a few works of high quality than many works of varying qualities. If, for instance, your freehand drawing and watercolor painting are excellent but your graphic design work is mediocre or poor, we suggest that you submit only the drawing and the watercolor items.

What is the portfolio format?              

All work must be reproduced in a digital print format. These pages should be 8 ½" x 11" printed at the highest resolution possible. Please provide a short description of the work, including title, medium, size and any comments you may wish to make about the work. Images may be organized using Adobe Photoshop or similar page layout software. You may also include a sample of good expository or creative writing in your portfolio, and/or letters of reference supporting your aptitude in the visual arts.The portfolio should be flat, neatly organized, and compact for convenient storage.

Where to send your portfolio:

Miami University
Department of Architecture + Interior Design
101 Alumni Hall
Oxford, OH 45056

Due to the number of applicants, portfolio reviews will not be scheduled during informational sessions with the department. We ask that you send portfolios to the department or drop them off.

For additional information, please contact the Department of Artchitecture and Interior Design at (513) 529-7210 or arcid@muohio.edu.