Portfolio Review Tips, Guidelines and Requirements
What is Portfolio Review?
A committee of fulltime and adjunct faculty from all studio areas - ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture- will come together and review portfolios of student work. The committee will determine if the student has a body of work that displays the craft, composition, and conceptual foundation needed to succeed in the advanced studio courses. All BA Studio candidates are required to pass portfolio review before declaring a concentration and taking any 300 ART/PHO level classes, except ART 315 . Reviews typically take place at the end of the Fall and Spring semester.
When should I submit work for review?
Work should be submitted immediately after a student has completed the 100-200 level art core: ARH 105 /ARH 106 , ART 112 , ART 113 , ART 115 , and ART 215 . A student may apply if their core will be completed at the end of that semester (Ex: If you are enrolled in Drawing II and ARH 106 in the Spring, you may submit for the Spring review). Your portfolio will not be reviewed if you have not completed or are currently enrolled in these courses. Transfer students with the equivalent of these courses should submit after their first semester at UMA.
What should I do before I submit?
All students are strongly encouraged to meet with both an advisor and an additional art faculty member to discuss their work and edit their portfolio before the review. Selecting quality work is a very important part of the process. Remember that many students will want to meet with faculty, so plan ahead and utilize office hours effectively.
What are the requirements?
- A check sheet indicating the completion of the 100/200 level portion of the art core.
- 5 monochromatic drawings, approximately 18” x 24”, that effectively address craft and composition. One of these drawings must be either figurative or a self-portrait.
- 5 additional works in any media that effectively address craft, composition, and concept. Students are encouraged, but not required, to submit works from their proposed concentration. 3D work should be photographed from several points of view that show form and detail; dimensions should be listed in inches in the format of LxWxH. These images can be mounted on board or digitally submitted on disc as either clearly labeled JPEG or PowerPoint files.
*Note to transfer/returning students. At least 3 works must be completed within the last 3 years.
How should the work be submitted?
All portfolios must be submitted in a suitable container that can be easily packed and unpacked. Discs should be labeled and in a jewel case. Portfolios must be clearly labeled with student’s name, address and telephone number. Portfolios must be delivered to the Arts and Humanities office, Jewett Hall Room 152, according to the posted dates and picked up within one week of the review.
How will I know if my portfolio was approved? What happens if I don’t pass?
All students who submit work for review will receive a letter from either the coordinator of the art department or the coordinator of the photography concentration. The letter will contain an overview of the portfolio assessment. If the portfolio is passed, the student may declare an area concentration. If the portfolio did not pass, areas that need improvement will be addressed in the letter. Students that do not pass should meet with a faculty representative who teaches in an area of suggested improvement. Together they can develop a strategy for improvement. Students may submit work for review up to three times
