College of Arts and Architecture
School of Visual Arts
PORTFOLIO
REVIEW FOR CHANGE OF MAJOR
Penn State students seeking admission to the School of Visual Arts (www.sova.psu.edu) must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and must submit a portfolio that includes the following:
1. Submit a Portfolio Submission Form to Penn State School of Visual Arts.
Submit Portfolio Submission form to:
Portfolio Review Committee
Penn State School of Visual Arts
210 Patterson Building
University Park, PA 16802
Or email: tmk7@psu.edu
2. Submit a portfolio and written statement online at http://psu.slideroom.com.
In SlideRoom, applicants will be asked to select from the following four majors: Bachelor of Art in Art (BA), Bachelor of Fine Art in Art (BFA), Bachelor of Science in Art Education (BS), or Bachelor of Design in Interdisciplinary Digital Studio (B DES). All students are admitted into the School of Visual Arts with the common year designation code of AAART. To be admitted to an art major, students must meet all entrance-to-major criteria, including successful completion of foundation courses. Please refer to degree requirements at www.sova.psu.edu/degrees.html.
Technical assistance is available through Slide Room.
The portfolio is an integral part of your application to the Penn State School of Visual Arts. The Portfolio Review committee is interested in seeing work that represents both the breadth and depth development of your art and/or design work. Consider visual, conceptual, and technical proficiency in selecting your best and most recent work.
If you are able to prepare your portfolio in a digital format, we ask that you please upload and submit your images through www.psu.slideroom.com. However, if you are unable to supply digital images through SlideRoom.com, we ask that you please submit a slide portfolio to the above address.
If you are submitting a portfolio of slides, use a plastic slide sheet, clearly label it with your name and address, and write your name on each slide. The Penn State School of Visual Arts does not accept glass-mounted slides. Number each slide and indicate “TOP.” For professional presentation tips, review the information on how to document your artwork available on the Penn State School of Visual Arts Web site (http://www.sova.psu.edu/artdoc.html). Include images of ten (10) to twelve (12) artworks in your portfolio (additional artworks will not be reviewed). Videos may be submitted only to present performance artwork, other time-based artwork, or large-scale installation artwork. Do not videotape two and three-dimensional artworks. All materials must be labeled with your name and address.
Enclose a written list that identifies each artwork in your slide or video portfolio by number and indicate title, dimension, media, and date completed. If you are experiencing financial difficulties that would affect your ability to submit portfolio materials, please contact the Penn State School of Visual Arts. Students desiring to enter the Museum and Cultural Institutions option of the Art Education program may choose one of three options for their portfolio: (a) You may submit the portfolio as described above;
(b) You may submit a combination of slides of your artwork (maximum of 10) and examples of writing (up to a maximum of 5 pages) that demonstrates your ability to reflect upon and interpret artworks, and descriptions of experiences that demonstrate an interest in teaching;
(c) You may submit a critical and reflective writing sample (up to a maximum of 10 pages) about cultural artifacts, events, and experiences that reveal an interest in teaching in schools, museums, or other cultural agencies.
Portfolio Deadline
Portfolios must be postmarked according to the following deadlines:
Spring Admission - Between September 15 and November 1
Summer/Fall Admission - Between January 1 and March 30
To inquire about special reviews after these dates, or with any other questions, please contact the School of Visual Arts at 814.865.0725.
Portfolio Selection Process
Portfolios are evaluated by committees composed of faculty from the Penn State School of Visual Arts. Committee recommendations are sent to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Arts and Architecture. Penn State School of Visual Arts will notify you of the results. Successful portfolio review decisions are valid for a period of one year. Students who receive unsuccessful reviews may resubmit their portfolios at another time.
Additional Notes
For prospective students with limited or no background in art, who are interested in a major within SoVA, we suggest taking at least one of the following studio art courses to help create a portfolio:
ART 002 (GA) Interactive Learning and Web-Design
ART 003 (GA) Visual Images on the Web
ART 010 (GA) Introduction to Visual Studies
ART 020 (GA) Introduction to Drawing
ART 030 (GA) Introduction to Sculpture
ART 040 (GA) Introduction to Printmaking
ART 050 (GA) Introduction to Painting
ART 080 (GA) Introduction to Ceramics
ART 100 (GA) Concepts and Creation in the Visual Arts
PHOTO 100 (GA) Introduction to Photography
Those who are interested in Art Education may take:
A ED 101S Introduction to Art Education
A ED 201W History and Philosophy of Art Education in Schools and Cultural Institutions
A ED 225 (GA;US) Diversity, Pedagogy, and Visual Culture
These courses do not replace the portfolio process, but can help students develop their portfolios.
Applicants experiencing financial difficulties that would affect their ability to submit portfolio materials should contact the School of Visual Arts.