Coordinator: Evelyn Tickle, tickleec@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-6696
Students seeking official acceptance into the architectural design major must enroll in ARCD 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in ARCD 200 and ARCD 202. Students not admitted may reapply the following year.
All prospective freshmen, transfer and change of major students intending to major in architectural design, graphic design, industrial design or studio art must meet JMU admission requirements. In addition to meeting JMU admission requirements, all students are required to submit a portfolio to the school’s SlideRoom account. There is a $10 charge for this submission. Additionally, transfer and change of major students will need to upload unofficial transcripts and a statement of intent to the school’s SlideRoom account that explains their educational and artistic goals, articulating the reasons for choosing this area of study. The submission of a portfolio is seen as evidence of a student’s interest and potential for future success in art. Students must attend an on-campus Portfolio Review day or schedule a Skype interview to be considered for a scholarship. All scholarship awards are based on merit and vary in amount, up to the full cost of tuition. The School of Art, Design and Art History (SADAH) offers students the opportunity for feedback on their portfolio, prior to the digital submission, through several on-campus and offcampus portfolio review days. This portfolio review event will provide an opportunity for feedback on actual artwork, as well as an opportunity to meet with faculty from the school. Tours of facilities and program info sessions will take place at on-campus events. All prospective freshman, transfer and change of major students are strongly encouraged to attend a portfolio review day prior to submitting their portfolio. For these in-person feedback sessions, it is highly recommended that students show actual works of art; however, a portfolio that consists of printed images is acceptable. If time-based media examples are included (video and animation), students will need to bring their own digital device for presentation purposes. Refer to the SADAH website for the dates of the upcoming portfolio feedback days and for additional portfolio requirements. Students seeking official acceptance into the graphic design major must enroll in GRPH 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in GRPH 200, Design Methodology; GRPH 202, Computer Graphics; and GRPH 206, Introduction to Typography. Students not admitted may reapply the following semester. Students seeking official acceptance into the architectural design major must enroll in ARCD 208 and submit a portfolio representing work completed in ARCD 200. Architectural Design Studio I and ARCD 202. Architectural Design Studio II. Students not admitted may reapply the following year.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architectural Design
The B.F.A. in architectural design educates future design leaders. It is an intensive program focused on rigorous design processes. Architectural design is approached holistically– emphasizing investigations into the nature of materials and objects, interior space, ergonomics, history and theory, programmatic invention, functional poetics, and collaboration across disciplines. The curriculum instills purpose, craft, technological competencies and versatile thinking.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the B.F.A. in architectural design is selective and competitive for a limited number of reserved seats in upperdivision (300-400 level) architectural design courses. Declaration of architectural design as a major and completion of lower-division (100-200) prerequisite art courses does not guarantee admission into the program. Admission to upper-division ARCD courses is based on completion of all prerequisite art courses and merit as determined by faculty review of portfolios submitted in satisfaction of the course ARCD 208. Portfolio Review. ARCD 208 is a 0 credit, pass/fail course that functions as a prerequisite to enrollment in 300-400 level architectural design courses. Students should enroll in ARCD 208 during the semester in which they are enrolled in ARCD 202. ARCD 208 portfolios are reviewed during the spring semester (February) prior to pre-registration. Students should contact the area coordinator of architectural design to determine the exact time and location for the ARCD 208 portfolio review. Any art major may take ARCD 200 and ARCD 202, but is restricted from taking any 300-400 level architectural design course until ARCD 208 has been taken and passed. Accepted students who receive a passing grade for ARCD 208 will be able to register for ARCD upper division courses for the following semester. Students not accepted will have one opportunity to reapply the following spring semester or may choose to continue in another major within the SADAH.
Return to: