Graphic Design Portfolio

1. First-Time-In-College (FTIC) students must submit a portfolio no later than the spring semester of the second year. Transfer students must submit a portfolio no later than the spring semester of their first year.
2. All courses listed below must be completed or in progress at the time of portfolio submission.
   • ARH 2051 – History of Western Art II
   • ART 2201C – Design Fundamentals 2D
   • ART 2203C – Design Fundamentals 3D
   • ART 2300C – Drawing Fundamentals I
   • ART 2301C – Drawing Fundamentals II
   • DIG 2000 – Introduction to Digital Media
     (Minimum grade of "B" required)
   • DIG 2030 – Digital Video Fundamentals
   • DIG 2109 – Digital Imaging Fundamentals
   • DIG 2500 – Fundamentals of Interactive Design
   • GRA 2101C – Introduction to Computer Art
   • MAC 1105C – College Algebra

   Note: ARH 2050 and CGS 2100C are required for all tracks for degree completion but are not required for portfolio submission.

3. To be considered for portfolio review, applicants must earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in each required course except DIG 2000, which requires a ‘B’ (3.0) or higher. Students must earn a GPA of 3.0 in the courses listed above to be admitted into the Emerging Media BFA.
4. Students seeking to transfer courses taken at other institutions should check tes.collegesource.com to confirm equivalency or speak with your Academic Success Coach.
5. Emerging Media BFA is a portfolio restricted program. Admission into the Emerging Media BFA is not guaranteed.  In alignment with UCF’s “Timely Academic Progress Toward a Degree Policy,” SVAD has established a policy to ensure students make consistent progress toward graduation. You may reference details of the full policy here: SVAD Emerging Media Admission, Continuation & Progression Policy.

As part of your application to the Emerging Media BFA: Graphic Design track, you are required to submit a professional portfolio as a single, multi-page PDF document.

The portfolio should showcase your best creative achievements, demonstrating both technical skill and conceptual thinking. All work must be presented clearly, professionally, and in a way that reflects your ability to communicate visually as a designer.

Failure to follow the instructions below, or to present your work clearly and professionally, may result in your application being denied.

Format

Title Page

• Include your name, UCF ID, and contact information.

Statement of Interest

• Include a brief written statement indicating why you are interested in pursuing a degree in Graphic Design.
• No more than one page of text
• Professional tone, double-spaced, 12-point font

Five Best Projects

Submit five individual projects you consider your strongest creative work. These may come from coursework, personal projects, or client-based work. Your best work should demonstrate:

• Proficiency in:
  • Typography — effective and expressive use of type
  • Color — purposeful choices to convey meaning and create contrast
  • Visual Hierarchy — clear organization of information to prioritize content
• Strong craft and attention to detail
• Originality, creativity, and clear communication
• Clear and professional presentation of all work
• Suggested areas include (but are not limited to):
  • Studio Class Work
  • Design Class Work
  • Client or personal-based work

You are not required to submit work from each category, but avoid submitting too many samples from a single category, pick works that demonstrate proficiency in the above categories.

Design Prompt

Complete the restaurant campaign design prompt. This project demonstrates your ability to apply conceptual thinking and design a cohesive visual identity across multiple deliverables, presented clearly and professionally.

Choose one (1) of the five restaurant concepts below and develop a complete design campaign. Each name is intentionally evocative yet open to interpretation — your job is to bring the brand to life through creative design choices.

Restaurant Names (choose ONE from the following list):

1. Midnight Slice
2. Slow Dawn Coffee
3. Daily Crumb & Co.
4. Flip Side Burger Co.
5. Sweet Soul Tacos

Your campaign must include the following deliverables:

• Logo Design
• Business Card
• Single Page Menu Design
• Promotional poster or flyer
• One creative application of your choice (signage, merchandise)

Review Criteria

• Only digital portfolios are acceptable and must be submitted online.
• Digital work must be presented as a consolidated PDF (this means one PDF document containing multiple pages).
• Resolution should be set at 150 ppi.
• Submit portfolio by clicking on the button at the bottom of this page during the specified application period.

If submitted work does not meet this criteria, it will not be accepted for evaluation. All application materials and portfolios must be received by the deadline.