Submit Your Portfolio

Submitting a portfolio for admission

A portfolio is required for all Herron School of Art + Design degree programs.

For incoming students, you'll submit your portfolio through your student application portal once you've been admitted by IU Indianapolis. For currently enrolled IU students, fill out the major change application below.

Current IU Major Change- Art Application

Current IU Major Change- Music Technology Application

Current IU Major Change- Music Therapy Application

Visual Arts Portfolio requirements

Your portfolio should be a collection of 10 images of your most recent original works, which may include the following:

  • Two- and three-dimensional work
  • Video and time-based media
  • Animation and digital renderings
  • Sketches that demonstrate your creative process
  • Writing samples (no more than two)

The following labels are required for each uploaded media:

  • Title
  • Year of creation
  • Medium
  • Size (height, width, and depth)
  • Description

Acceptable media formats include:

  • Images (up to 5 MB each): .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, .bmp, .tga
  • Videos (up to 250 MB each): .m4v, .mov, .wmv, .flv, .asf, .mpeg, .mpg, .mkv, .wav
  • Documents (up to 10 MB each): .pdf

You may also link to media from Vimeo, YouTube, and Sketchfab.

Music Portfolio 

Your portfolio is an opportunity to show us who you are as a musician, creator, collaborator, and prospective student. We recognize that students come to music through many different paths. Your portfolio does not need to demonstrate professional-level performance or production skills. We are interested in your current abilities, your experiences with music, your creative interests, and your potential for growth.

After you receive your acceptance to the University, in the IU Indy Navigator Portal you'll see an option on the left for "Supplemental Applications" and then either "Music Technology Portfolio" or Music Therapy Portfolio"

 

Questions

You'll be asked a few questions so we can know more about your musical journey.  We'll ask about how you make music, your experience, and some short answer questions about why you are interested in being a Herron Music student (think 75-150 words per question).

Media Portfolio

We'll ask for 3 examples, approximately 1-3 minutes each.  These do not need to be professional recordings, cell phone or web capture is wonderful.  The key is just that things be audible and visible. 

For each example, we'll ask you to describe your role in creating or performing it.  Submitted work should represent your own performance or creative contribution.  We recognize that recordings may include collaborators or existing compositions; simply identify your contribution clearly.

Accepted file types: .wav, .mp3, .mov, .mp4

Your portfolio examples might include:

  • Solo or ensemble performance
  • Original composition/song
  • Beat or electronic production
  • Recording/engineering project
  • DAW-based composition
  • Sound design
  • Live electronic performance

Music Technology Applicants

  • Two portfolio examples should demonstrate your primary instrument/music-making practice.  If technology is your primary instrument, this can include more examples of your production/live performance work.
  • The third example can demonstrate any aspect of your musicianship or creative/technical work.
  • For DAW/music production work: We recommend submitting a 1-3 minute screen-recorded video showing your DAW session while the work plays. The video should allow reviewers to both hear the work and see relevant elements of the session (tracks, arrangement, effects, automation, etc.). In your written description, explain your role in creating the work.

Music Therapy Applicants

Please submit three short examples that help us understand your current musicianship. If possible, we encourage you to include examples of singing, guitar, and piano/keyboard. We understand that applicants have different musical backgrounds and may not yet have experience with all three instruments. Lack of access to a particular instrument will not prevent consideration of your application. 

 

Frequently asked questions

We're looking for your strongest works of art and design. Consider submitting media that demonstrates your creativity and problem solving abilities. We are looking for innovative ideas, conceptual development, interesting compositions, and a readiness to explore the visual arts and design in addition to technical skills and craftsmanship.

Ultimately, you decide what represents you as an artist or a designer. Use your portfolio to give us a sense of who you are, your interests, and how you interpret the world.

We're looking for your strongest works showcasing your musicality. We are looking for interesting compositions and a readiness to explore the world of music. Ultimately, you decide what best represents you as a musician. Use your portfolio to give us a sense of who you are, your interests, and how you interpret the world. Some students submit videos or audio files of them playing an instrument or singing. Others submit music they've composed through software like FL Studio; it's up to you!

Musical and technical artifacts may include, but are not limited to, musical compositions, recordings (please note your role in the recording process), performances, hardware and software development, digital musical instruments, audio code, acoustic designs, etc.

You will need to consider how best to can represent your work, whether it be photographs or three-dimensional sculptures, digital designs or scans, taking into account portfolio requirements and accepted media formats. Below are a few tips to get you started.

6 Portfolio Tips

  1. Choose a digital camera that can take images of high quality and resolution. (Even some iPhones can do this.)
  2. Take the glass out of framed works to eliminate visual distractions and use use a neutral background, such as a posterboard or blank piece of paper, to  put your artwork at the forefront.
  3. Try to take photos in natural light (without the flash) and when the sun isn't overhead, creating shadows. You have also light your artwork evenly if you have access to studio lighting.
  4. Alternate the way your work is documented. Use a scanner to scan smaller works or even sketchbook pages.
  5. Try playing with the exposure, contrast, or vibrancy if you have access to Adobe Photoshop or other image editors to make your work as precise as possible. Adjust for color accuracy and lens distortion.
  6. Take your time and take a lot of pictures if in doubt.

If you are accepted into IU Indianapolis but do not submit a portfolio, you cannot officially declare a Herron major or register for Herron courses.

The delay in submission of your portfolio may result in becoming off track in your degree timeline, meaning that it will take more than four years to complete your degree, with potential implications for financial aid and attendance costs.

Questions about submitting your portfolio?

We can provide you with coaching and share links to useful resources. If you have any questions, contact Herron's Office of Admissions and Student Services directly at 317-278-9400 or hadmit@iu.edu.