Admissions

Admissions

All studio Art and Graphic Design courses are open to Art (BA or BFA) or Graphic Design (BFA) majors only. The department requires an entrance portfolio and accepts new students into the Art and Graphic Design majors for Fall semesters only. Not sure which major you should apply to? Check out some work from upper-level students in the Art Major (with concentrations in 3D Interdisciplinary Studies, Digital Media, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Print Media, and Art Ed) and Graphic Design Major. 

9:1

student to teacher ratio in the College of Arts + Architecture

4 degrees

BA/BFA. 5 concentrations. 1 minor.

431

students enrolled in the Department of Art & Art History

To become an Art or Graphic Design major, incoming First Year and Transfer students must:

  1. Be admitted to UNC Charlotte
  2. Submit an Entrance Portfolio (digital portfolio of work using Entrance Portfolio Guidelines for intended major below) by posted yearly deadlines. You will be sent a link to submit your portfolio in SlideRoom once you have been admitted to UNC Charlotte.
  3. Be accepted into the Art or Graphic Design major pending a review of the Entrance Portfolio submission.

Current UNC Charlotte students who wish to change their major to Art or Graphic Design must:

  1. Submit an Entrance Portfolio (digital portfolio of work using Entrance Portfolio Guidelines for intended major below) via SlideRoom by posted yearly deadlines. Please request the SlideRoom submission link by filling out this google form. (Please note, links will be emailed starting in September and continuing through the Entrance Portfolio submission deadlines posted below.)
  2. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 if currently enrolled at UNC Charlotte 
  3. Be accepted into the Art or Graphic Design major pending a review of the Entrance Portfolio submission.

Please also read FAQs regarding the Change of Major process for Current UNC Charlotte Students.

Entrance Portfolio deadlines for the academic year 2024-2025 have passed. Our Entrance Portfolio Guidelines are currently being updated for students interested in Fall 2025 admissions. Please check back here for full details about the required application materials.

Entrance Portfolio Deadline: Wednesday, February 19, 2025

  • In order to make this deadline, incoming First-Year and Transfer students need to apply to the University no later than Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
  • This year, there is only ONE review deadline. Since admission to the program is highly competitive, all eligible students need to submit their entrance portfolio by this deadline.

Art Major Entrance Portfolio Guidelines and Portfolio Work Examples

Graphic Design Entrance Portfolio Guidelines and Portfolio Work Examples

BFA in Art with an Art Education Concentration

Students pursuing the BFA in Art with a concentration in Art Education must begin in the BA in Art program—students cannot initially apply to the BFA in Art with an Art Education Concentration. For instructions on applying to the BA in Art, please see above.  Students should contact Arts Advisor Hannah Harrell for complete admissions requirements for the Art Education concentration.

BA in Art History

New First Year and Transfer students should indicate interest in the Art History major on the application to the university. After acceptance to the university, students will be considered Art History majors and will need to register and attend a New Student Orientation date for advising and registration.

Current UNC Charlotte Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be accepted into the Art History major. Interested students should make an appointment with the Academic Advisor, Megan Garner, and upon confirmation of student’s cumulative GPA, a change of major form will be completed.

Further questions regarding the admissions processes may be directed to: aahadmissions@charlotte.edu