Applicants are not required to submit an admissions portfolio. Instead, graphic design, studio art and photography concentrators submit portfolios for review and evaluation after completing 21 credits in the major — this creates greater equity in the admissions process. Only students applying for the Harold T. and Alice M. McCarthy Scholarship must submit a portfolio. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is March 1, 2024.
A portfolio submitted for admission to the art major at Salem State must include 10-15 pieces of original art and design work that use various media and demonstrate a range of skills.
Written descriptions for each portfolio piece should include the title, date, medium, dimensions, and a short explanation of the project's purpose.
The following information may be useful in preparing a portfolio:
You should choose pieces that summarize what you have learned in past art + design classes and what you have explored on your own.
You should include projects of different media and approaches, such as documentary photography, commercial photography, drawing from life, drawing from imagination, painting, sculpture, web design, print design, collage, mixed media, animation, illustration, etc.
