Department of Art

In Spring 2023, the faculty of the Department of Art voted to defer the portfolio requirement for incoming first-year students and internal transfers until the conclusion of the Foundation Year experience. This new policy applies to admissions in Fall 2024 and beyond.

Aligning with the SUNY New Paltz mission that states its commitment to “providing high quality, affordable education to students from all social and economic backgrounds,” the decision to defer the portfolio requirement until the completion of the Foundation Year provides access and fosters a community of inclusion for first-year students. School districts throughout New York State have significantly disproportionate resources, and arts-focused curriculum is inconsistent in its delivery across the state. Other factors considered include national trends among public institutions that have art programs within their liberal arts curriculum, many of which have eliminated the portfolio requirement for admission or made it optional.

During the Foundation Year, students focus on material exploration, research methods, conceptual development, and considerations of process in developing studio practices. The work created in these classes is assembled into a portfolio for review by a faculty committee. By that time, students will have worked in a variety of media, evolved their creativity, and refined perceptual and technical skills. The goal in delaying the review until the end of the first year is to provide an equitable baseline on which to evaluate artistic capability, creative potential, and overall commitment.

Portfolios are still required for incoming transfer students and current students who are applying to the Bachelor of Fine Arts and the Bachelor of Science in Arts Education majors.

The link to our department policy regarding admission can be found here.

Requirements for undergraduate applicants in Visual Arts and Visual Arts Education

Upon acceptance to the university, freshmen applicants interested in majoring in Visual Arts or Visual Arts Education may declare Art as their major without submitting an entrance portfolio¹. All applicants are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts plan of study. After completing the Department of Art’s Foundation program (typically one year), art majors will submit a portfolio of work for review by a faculty committee. In addition to evaluating artistic capabilities and the proficiency and promise of the work, students must meet departmental academic requirements² to continue in the program.

Transfer applicants must submit a portfolio and meet departmental academic requirements as part of the admission process. We strongly encourage early submission of transfer portfolios. Up to 12 credits for the equivalent of New Paltz freshman Foundation courses (Drawing: Visual Thinking I; Drawing: Visual Thinking II; Design: Color; Design: Form) will be accepted based on transcript alone. Credit for other studio courses beyond the Foundation sequence (and appropriate placement in our course sequences) shall be determined by portfolio review.

All accepted students enter as prospective candidates for the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Visual Art. Upon completion of the art foundation core and successful portfolio review by the department, students may elect to:

• continue in the BS in Visual Arts to focus on a broad exposure to art disciplines/media.
• apply to the Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts Education (BS) program.
• apply to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree program (Ceramics, Metal, Painting & Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture).
• change major to Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art (BA)

BS in Visual Arts Education and BFA application requirements are unique to each plan of study. Generally, students apply after completing a basic studio in their area of interest. Acceptance is by portfolio and interview; the student applies directly to the specific program of interest.

Deadlines

Applications for fall admission are due by May 1; applications for spring admission are due by December 1.

For more information about admission requirements, please contact the Department of Art at 845-257-3830.

_{1. Portfolios are required for freshman applicants to the Graphic Design program, now housed in the Department of Design.}

_{2. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 is required for admission to the art program; a minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for admission to the art education program.}