Prospective Students

If you’re looking for small class sizes, flexible scheduling, personal attention, and a close-knit community, you’ve come to the right place.

The Department of Art and Music at Framingham State University has all of this, and more, including a stellar faculty and motivated students. Let us
help you build a successful path to your career in Art and Design.

We offer a collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary environment where creativity thrives. Small classes allow us to get to know our students. This personalized experience, combined with a pursuit of academic excellence, is why students choose our program. 

The wonderful faculty, inspiring courses, and healthy environment at Framingham State allowed for my passions to flourish and my drive to become an artist was realized. Enrolling at FSU for my undergraduate degree was the best decision I could have made to fuel my creative mind."

Elaine Rubenoff

BA in Studio Art (Painting), 2014; MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2017

  • Application to the Major
    All prospective students for the Studio Art major regardless of concentration are required to submit a portfolio, which will be reviewed by the faculty. Applicants for admission into the major should submit their portfolio digitally through Slideroom - framingham.slideroom.com

    Students enrolling in the BA in Studio Art program have the option to select from the following concentrations: Art Education, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture.

    What to Include in the Portfolio

    The Portfolio should contain 10-15 examples of the strongest and most recent artwork made by the applicant including works that:

    • Showcase your skills and abilities with a focus on work created from Direct Observation (minimum one self-portrait drawing and one still-life drawing) 
    • Use a variety of media, techniques, subject matter, and scale; Photography, Digital Media, Graphic Design, and other more experimental pieces are also encouraged*
    • Demonstrate your  dedication, sustained interest, and artistic development over time
    • Document your thought process through sketchbooks, preparatory drawings, and/or concept mapping

    *Note: Students who wish to focus in Graphic Design and/or Photography are still required to include drawings or other two-dimensional works that demonstrate your level of observational skills, understanding of color, and thoughtful use of composition.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage

    We embrace the ethical use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the creative process. However, it is important for the faculty and Office of Admissions to understand to what extent, how, and when these tools have been used in your portfolio. Any work supported or created by AI should include a full description of your process as well as the applications and/or AI systems you employed on Slideroom.

    Application Deadline(s): Fall Semester - November 15 (Early Action), February 15, March 15 (Transfers); Spring Semester -  December 1 


    *Current FSU Students may apply for the Studio Art major on a rolling basis by submitting their work through Slideroom.

  • On-Campus Visit Days + Portfolio Reviews
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    The On-Campus Portfolio Review is an opportunity for potential students to tour the studios and meet individually with representatives of the faculty and discuss their work, ambitions and interest in the major. It is intended to be primarily informational and to help the student prepare their portfolio for admission to the Studio Art major. High School Juniors, Seniors and Transfer Students are welcome and encouraged to attend.


Please note that all completed applications to the Studio Art program will be acted upon as undeclared majors by the Admissions Committee at the end of March if they have not yet completed the Portfolio Review Requirement, current FSU students who want to declare the Studio Art major must complete the Portfolio Review before you can enroll in certain Studio Art courses.

 

 

Framingham State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)