Oswego seeks men and women of ability and promise who have the capacity for intellectual growth and the motivation to achieve.
Admission to Oswego is based upon the applicant’s academic and personal qualifications, and is made without regard to sex, race, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation or physical disability. Freshmen and transfer students who seek information on admission to the college or wish to schedule a visit to the SUNY Oswego should call the Admissions Office at 315-312-2250.
Admission to the BFA programs
If you are interested in applying to one of our BFA programs—Graphic Design, Fine Art, Illustration, or Interaction Design— you are encouraged to do so prior to your admission at SUNY Oswego.
To apply or transfer into a BFA degree program, students must submit:
- A portfolio for review by the faculty of the Department of Art and Design
- A written statement of intent
- An annotated work list
- An application form
- Copies of your transcripts
Portfolio Requirements
The portfolio serves as a visual summary of your experience with art and/or graphic design. The Department of Art Faculty Review Committee will evaluate your portfolio. The committee will examine your portfolio based on the following criteria:
- Perceptual Skills — ability to draw from direct observation.
- Composition — definition of space regarding foreground, middle ground, background, color, shape, etc.
- Craft — technical knowledge and skills in media as well as presentation.
- Concept — use of the formal elements of design to express your ideas.
- Critical Analysis — ability to reflect on the quality of the work and speak to its strengths, weaknesses, and intentions.
Your portfolio is submitted in a digital format. The portfolio must contain fifteen (15) examples of your best original artwork that reflects your development in the following areas:
- Design
- Digital Media
- Drawing
- Graphic Design
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Photography
- Sculpture
Studio Art Portfolios
If you are applying to the Studio Art program, include at least (6) pieces based on direct observation such as still life, landscape, interior spaces, portraits, and figures. We discourage work produced using magazine photo montage, stipple, airbrush, and scratchboard. Additionally, we discourage “heavy metal,” science fiction, and fantasy imagery, as well as T-shirt art.
Illustration Portfolios
If you are applying to the Studio Art, Illustration Track, include at least (6) pieces based on direct observation such as still life, landscape, interior spaces, portraits, and figures. Work produced in collage, pen & ink, colored pencil, scratchboard, or paint mediums are acceptable.
Graphic Design Portfolios
If you are applying to the Graphic Design program, include examples of design studies that illustrate your skill in positive/negative space, two-dimensional design studies, color, and drawing. When including graphic design pieces, be sure to note the source of all imagery (is it stock art or clip art?) or written content (name of author) in your annotated worklist. You should also include at least four (4) pieces based on direct observation, such as still life images, landscape, interior spaces, portraits, and figures. We discourage work that has a preponderance of computer-generated filters or step-by-step tutorials. Instead, we look for work that shows how well you can design and plan a composition with as much original imagery as possible.
Interaction Design Portfolios
If you are applying to the Interaction Design program, include examples of design studies that illustrate your skill in positive/negative space, two-dimensional design studies, color, and drawing. When including graphic or interaction design pieces, be sure to note the source of all imagery (is it stock art or clip art?) or written content (name of author) in your annotated worklist. We discourage work that has a preponderance of computer-generated filters or step-by-step tutorials. Instead, we look for work that shows how well you can design and plan a composition with as much original imagery as possible.
Written Statement of Intent
Submit a 500-1000 word written statement describing your art/design work, interest in art, and future career plans. As a professional artist, designer or educator, you will be required to write about your work, and you must be able to describe your work to a diverse clientele. Therefore, writing statements are carefully examined; grammatical and spelling mistakes are not acceptable.
- Describe one or more of your artworks in terms of its visual formal elements, including:
- line
- space
- light
- color
- texture
- design
- other elements of composition
- Carefully analyze the content of one or more of your pieces. What meaning is communicated to the viewer, and how is this achieved?
- Compare one of your pieces to that of a well-known artist or graphic designer. When discussing your plans at Oswego, be sure to address your previous experiences in art and your long-term career goals. Such as the qualities you possess that would ensure your success.
Annotated Work List
The annotated work list is where you prove you have done the work and understand what that means. Submit an annotated work list that includes for each piece:
- name of the piece
- dimensions
- medium
- date of creation
- a brief statement about the purpose of the work, such as why it was made and the intended audience
Be thorough in describing the work. Indicate whether or not the project was done for a class and whether or not it depicts your solutions to the problem. Explain why you made the choices that you made. Remember, we are looking for evidence you create your own imagery and proof that you have the fortitude to discipline yourself and build skills and hand-eye coordination. We want to see a balance of original work and the studies all artists do to gain skill and ability.
Application Submission
Apply by submitting the BFA application form. You must be signed into an email account to access the form. This email account will be collected and used to contact you.
