Portfolio Requirements
Undergraduate Portfolio
To assist the department in evaluating the artistic potential and commitment of applicants, an admission portfolio is required of applicants to the BFA in Studio Art program, the BFA in Communication Design program, and the B.S. in Art Education program. A portfolio is not required for the B.A. in Studio Art program; however, one is required for those seeking eligibility for scholarships.
A designated number of students are recommended each year for admission to the art program and to the University as a result of the exceptional quality of work and potential shown in their portfolios. These students are called talent admissions. Although students must meet other admission standards, the portfolio evaluation can be given priority in determining acceptance.
Portfolio evaluations apply only to those individuals who have submitted a formal application for admission to Miami University with a declared major in Art.
The Office of Admission is responsible for determining acceptance to the University. The results of the Department of Art's portfolio evaluation are forwarded to the Admission Office and serve an integral part in determining acceptance as an Art major.
Note: A portfolio for a B.A. in Studio Art is not mandatory for admission. A portfolio is required for scholarship eligibility for this program.
The Portfolio should consist of 12 to 15 images of works that best document the depth and breadth of an applicant's experience and potential in art. There are two ways to submit your images:
Preferred Method:
Please visit the website Application Status Page to upload your work. Follow the instructions on the site.
Mailing Method:
Submit your portfolio to the Art Department on a CD, with your digital images as jpegs (preferably at 72 DPI, with the pixel dimension to be approximately 600 pixels in the longest direction, 24 bit "millions" color resolution).
- Include a media listing of the images in jpeg format as well.
- Because of version issues, PowerPoint format will not be accepted.
- The Department of Art reserves the right to see actual work if artistic integrity is questioned for any reason.
Mail portfolios to:
Miami University, Department of Art
400 S. Patterson Ave.
Art Building 124
Oxford OH 45056
Portfolios will not be returned unless a self-addressed and stamped package is included with your submission.
Presentation: concern for the care taken in preparing, submitting, and documenting work.
Creativity: demonstration of original thinking and imagination; examples that indicate the development of personal expression.
Design and Composition: consideration for the arrangement of visual elements within the parameters of space or form.
Self-Motivation: art work done outside of the school setting which reflects the applicant's interest and enthusiasm for the visual arts (e.g. sketchbook, drawings or paintings done at home).
Exploration of Media: concern for a flexible use of a range of materials.
Technical Proficiency: concern for the manner and skill with which tools and materials have been used to create art work.
Drawing Ability: subjects drawn from life (not photographs): still life, portraiture, landscape, anatomy, facility in both color and black and white media, line and full light and shade, controlled abstraction and realistic imagery.
Color: facility with wet media: ink, watercolor, oil, tempera, acrylic; facility with dry media: pastels. crayons. colored pencils, markers; varied applications including colored papers and collage, fibers, metals and ceramics.
Proficiency in at Least One Visual Arts Medium: concern for, or ability to work well in, one visual arts area or medium.
| Application Type | Admission Application Deadline | Portfolio Deadline* | Admission Decision Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | Nov. 1 | Nov. 15 | Dec. 1 |
| Early Action I | Nov. 1 | Nov. 15 | Dec. 15 |
| Early Action II | Dec. 1 | Dec. 15 | Feb. 1 |
| Regular Decision | Feb. 1 | Feb. 15 | March 15 |
*Portfolios will be accepted after posted deadlines, but the timing of final admission decisions may be affected.
Talent-Based Scholarships
Students who submit portfolios by Jan. 15 will automatically be considered for talent-based scholarships. Those who submit portfolios after Jan. 15 will be considered for talent-based scholarships if funds remain available.
Description of our process
The Department of Art at Miami University uses an entrance portfolio for direct admission to many of our creative programs, including the BFA in Studio Art, BFA in Communication Design, and B.S. in Art Education program. All these programs utilize image, text, composition, color, and other visual characteristics. The programs all require the creation of unique visual content. Those programs also share a core of foundation art and design courses, including Observational Drawing, Design and Composition, and Creative Technologies. Because all students in these programs will be creating original and unique visual content as a core component of their education, we use the portfolio as a measure of the student’s experience and capacity to build creative visual content. We also use the portfolio to aid us in the distribution of talent-based scholarships available to incoming first-year students majoring in Studio Art, Communication Design, or Art Education.
The B.A. in Studio Art does not require a portfolio for admission into the program, nor do our co-majors in Fashion and pre-Art Therapy. If a student currently enrolled in the Studio Art B.A. decides to transfer into the Studio Art BFA program, a review by the Department of Art of their portfolio of creative works will be required.
Starting Fall 2024, the Department of Art admission portfolio review is the only requirement to declare the BFA in Communication Design. Students will complete courses as advised in our roadmaps.
The Department of Art does offer a variety of pathways into all our programs. You do not need to submit a portfolio when you are applying to the university. If you would rather, you are welcome to enter the Department of Art as a B.A. Studio Art major or the College of Creative Arts as an undeclared major. If you then would like to transfer into one of our BFA programs or our Art Education program, you can create a portfolio of creative works from coursework taken during your first semester for review by the Department of Art. As an undeclared major, you would still have access to our priority registration for foundation classes, we can still pre-seat you into foundation courses, and you can still have academic advising with one of our first-year academic advisors.
If you decide to submit a portfolio with your university application, the Portfolio Review Committee will evaluate your portfolio for admission to our Studio Art (BFA) and Art Education programs. If we decide your portfolio does not yet demonstrate the proficiency to be admitted directly into one of those programs, you are not denied from the program, but rather we ask that you submit a portfolio through the transfer process once you have taken a few of our classes. We want to make sure you have the sensibilities to grow and prosper as an artist, designer, or art educator and that you have a strong likelihood of successfully completing your chosen program. View transfer guidelines for the Department of Art.
Students will sometimes create artworks specifically for the portfolio, but typically the portfolio is comprised of a collection of works created throughout one’s high school experience. View more information about our portfolio requirements.
Graduate Portfolio
To complete the second step of your application process, a portfolio of your artwork with 20 digital examples of your creative work, indicating depth in the area of proposed study, and some breadth of experimentation must be submitted to the Department of Art through the Application Status Page (GRADUATE MFA: Department of Art) after submitting your application to the Graduate School.
- Include title, date, medium, and dimension in the description.
- Email any questions to Dana Saulnier.
