AAS Applications

Graphic Design

New (and Improved!) Application Process

Please be advised that this page replaces the previous AAS application instructions. Please also note that the online application system this page links to replaces the previous method of emailing PDFs to a dedicated AAS email address.

All applications must now be submitted using this new system. Any applications submitted to the AAS email address will not be reviewed.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to apply for the AAS Graphic Design program, you must have completed the following four (4) required courses with a grade of C- or better:

ART 1120 2D Design
ART 1400 Graphic Computer Applications
ART 1410 Typography I
ART 1420 Graphic Design I

You may verify your eligibility at any time during the year by reviewing the course and grade information on the first page of the online application system. This information is drawn directly from your UVU academic records. If you believe there are any discrepancies with the course and/or grade information, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

Portfolio Guidelines

Your Portfolio MUST include all six (6) of the following standardized assignments completed in ART 1410 Typography I and ART 1420 Graphic Design I:

Experimental Typography
Expressive Typography
Page Layout Design
Pictogram Series
Cover Design
Personal Poster

Transfer students may include work completed in other courses at their former school(s). Do NOT include personal, professional, or internship projects. Exclusion of any of the six standardized assignments or inclusion of personal, professional, or internship work in your portfolio may result in a score reduction. You may optionally choose to include work you deem as exceptional from other ART classes you’ve taken such as drawing, photography, and sculpture. If you decide to do so, please place those projects at the end of your portfolio.

Portfolio Tips

For each of your projects:

Consider using digital mockups to enhance the presentation of your work instead of submitting flat artwork exported directly from your layout files. This is not a requirement and may not apply to some of your projects, but it is recommended for most projects.
Consider uploading more than one image. This might include close-ups of certain aspects of the design.
Make sure the resolution of your images is sufficiently high to allow your work to appear clearly.
Acceptable file formats include .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .gif, and .pdf.

Please see example images below:

Pictogram Series

Ben Caldwell

Page Layout Design

Megan Barnum

Expressive Type

Sarah Utley

Deadline

Applications must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on March 1st in the spring semester or October 1st in the fall semester.

Review Process

After you have submitted your application:

An email will be sent to your UVU email address confirming receipt of your application.
You may return to your application and make changes at any time before the submission deadline.

After the application deadline has passed, the AAS Graphic Design Portfolio Review Committee will evaluate your portfolio based on the five criteria shown below:

Concept & Communication—Effective concept development and communication of information.
Typography—Effective typeface selection, typesetting, and creation of customized letterforms.
Image—Effective selection, creation, modification, and implementation of high-quality images.
Design—Effective use of hierarchy, space, pacing, and graphic elements such as line, shape, and color.
Presentation—Effective presentation of design work in high-quality images.

Within approximately 1–2 weeks, you will be notified whether or not you have been accepted into the AAS program. If you are accepted into the AAS program, registration blocks will be removed and you will be able to register for AAS-only courses. If you are not accepted into the AAS program, you may reapply once during a future spring or fall application period. Students are limited to applying to the AAS Graphic Design program a total of two (2) times. If you decide to reapply, we encourage you to make improvements to your portfolio within the framework of the original class assignments. If you decide not to reapply, we encourage you to meet with your academic advisor to discuss alternative degree options.

*The link to the application system has been temporarily disabled. We hope to restore it in late 2023 or early 2024. In the meantime, if you have any questions about how to submit an application, please contact Gareth Fry at gareth.fry@uvu.edu.