Undergraduate Program - Application Process | School of Art

Undergraduate Program - Application Process

Welcome to the School of Art! Students can apply online through The University of Montana Admissions web page or through paper application available upon request. We recommend that applying students visit our beautiful campus and tour the School of Art's fantastic facilities.

All students accepted into the School of Art enter as a BA (Bachelor of Art) student. A portfolio is not required for acceptance into the BA program. A student can apply to the BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) program after they have finished their initional requirements, generally the end of their sophomore year. In addition to the BA or BFA degrees, students can minor in Art History/Criticism or Studio Arts. Choosing a BA or BFA degree, or a minor is a big decision and we recommend that you meet with your advisor to assist you through this process.

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Advanced Placement Policy

All students, including those who have taken AP examinations, must submit a portfolio to challenge art classes. Undergraduate students may challenge foundations courses only (Art 101A, Visual Language: Drawing; 102A, Visual Language: 2-D Design; and 103A, Visual Language: 3-D Design).

Portfolios are reviewed at the beginning of each semester. The challenge process waives the requirement to take a specific class, but does not provide any credits. The process of portfolio reviews is as follows: students submit a portfolio of ten .jpeg files or pieces of actual work to the school office two weeks before the semester begins. If challenging more than one course, students submit examples of work for each course, for example: ten drawing samples for 101A, ten color works for 102A, and/or ten 3-D pieces for 103A.

Transfer Students

Evaluation of transfer credits is determined by Enrollment Services-Admissions at the time of admission. The evaluation is included in the acceptance packet and in the advising materials distributed during orientation. All college-level credits from regionally accredited colleges and universities will be accepted for transfer. Credits from colleges or universities that are candidates for regional accreditation will be accepted only after the student has successfully completed twenty semester credits at UM. Course work from unaccredited schools is not accepted or evaluated unless an individual exception is requested by the student and approved by a committee composed of the Academic Vice President, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment and the Registrar.

Enrollment Services-Admissions determines whether or not courses are college-level, the appropriate grading and credit conversion and the applicability of the transfer courses to UM's general education requirements. Transfer courses graded C- or above will count toward general education and major, minor, option or certificate requirements. Transfer courses with grades of D or D- transfer as elective credit. The student's major department may further evaluate the applicability of transfer courses to the student's selected program of study. College-level courses which do not have an equivalent at UM will be accepted as elective credits.

Students with transfer credits from another institution must contact the School of Art office for review of transfer transcripts to assess course equivalents.