Portfolio Requirements

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare a sequence of 15 to 25 images that best communicate your visual thinking. Include work that best demonstrates your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Sketches and conceptual work may also be included. Please do not include URLs in your portfolio submission, and submit work as either JPEG images or one comprehensive PDF.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction, maximum of three minutes, addressing this question: What do you see as the major challenge facing your generation? How is it manifested where you live? 

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in architecture or design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design, digital media, or other forms. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, or sound are also accepted. 

For further guidance, please review this program-specific portfolio recommendations video from the Architecture faculty.

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare a sequence of 15 to 25 images that best communicate your visual thinking. Include work that best demonstrates your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Sketches and conceptual work can also be included. Where appropriate, include descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role (if the project involved a team), and/or a thoughtful description of the context of the project.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction, maximum of three minutes, addressing these questions: What do you see as the major challenge of your generation? How is it manifested where you live? In your opinion, how can architecture/lighting design/built environments help to address this challenge?

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in architecture or design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design, digital media, or work in other forms. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, or sound are also accepted.

For further guidance, please review the portfolio recommendations videos from the Architecture and Lighting Design programs.

We request that applicants submit the following two items. Both items below should be submitted through the Portfolio section of the online application. 

1. A video introduction, maximum of one minute: The MPS-CD program is a nine-month program with an emphasis on UI/UX design and methodology. In a one-minute video, briefly explain: What design skills, technical capabilities, or methodologies do you hope to gain through the program? How will these skills, capabilities, or methodologies help you achieve your professional goals?
   
   
2. Portfolio: Your portfolio should contain up to 20 images that best represent your design work and process and should serve as a visual and narrative reflection of the work listed and described in your résumé and statement of purpose.

Your images may include two- and three-dimensional graphic design, sketches, scenarios, research outcomes, photography, websites, prototypes, or work in other formats that you feel best convey your work and skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Choose works that showcase your understanding of communication design fundamentals (typography, composition, hierarchy and scale, visual rhythm, color, and sequencing), so that the committee can assess your acumen as a visual designer. 

Where possible, please include descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role in the project (if it is team based), or a thoughtful description of the context of the project. If you have dynamic media or other time-based work, you can also upload it here.

Images should be submitted in JPEG format with a pixel dimension of 1920 wide by 1080 tall. Do not include PDF files in your submission.

MPS Communication Design applicants are encouraged to submit a personal URL that contains links to functional prototypes, if applicable, in addition to a portfolio. Please note that a URL link alone will not satisfy the portfolio requirements for this program. 

Answer the following questions in a video introduction (maximum two minutes) uploaded to the portfolio section of the application: Why are you applying to the data visualization program? What do you hope to achieve using the skills, capabilities, and methodologies you will master during your time here? 

In addition to the introduction video, applicants are asked to submit one or more of the following items: a portfolio, a programming sample, and/or a writing sample.

Data visualization is a multidisciplinary practice that incorporates design, statistics and research, computer science and technology, and related fields. Applicants are expected to demonstrate professional and/or academic strength in one or possibly two of these areas, but applicants should not feel compelled to try and demonstrate strength in all three areas. Submit at least one or more of the following items.

Digital Portfolio: You can submit a visual portfolio of up to 20 visual items to support your application. Submission of a visual portfolio is optional, and the items should reflect your motivation for study in the program. Sample visuals may include digital work that best demonstrates your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience; sketches and conceptual work can also be included. If you do not have prior training, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, product design, digital media, or other materials. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, and sound are also accepted. Applicants may submit this item as a URL.

Programming Sample: You can submit your GitHub account name and up to three URLs for public GitHub repositories that you maintain to showcase your programming abilities. Please submit a document that contains your GitHub information (or any alternative repository or revision control system) to be uploaded within the Digital Portfolio tab of your online application.

Academic Writing Sample: The writing sample can be an academic paper, professional report, blog entry, nonfiction essay, or combination of writing samples that you feel reflect your strengths for the program. Please submit a single document no longer than 20 pages in length. Please note that this must be uploaded within your online application.

We request that applicants submit the following two items. Both items below should be submitted through the Portfolio section of the online application. 

1. A video introduction, maximum of three minutes. At the start of your video, please introduce yourself, including your gender pronouns. We would then like you to select one of your previous projects to share in this video. You can narrate a screen recording of yourself describing a work while contextualizing your concept and methods, for example. What did you create? What were your goals for the project? What did you learn from the project? Note that applications lacking a video will be considered incomplete.

2. Portfolio: Submit up to 20 items. Your portfolio should be a visual and narrative reflection of the work listed and described on your résumé and in your statement of purpose. Your projects and portfolio pieces should tell a story about you and what is important to you. Your application’s narrative should make the case for why you are a good fit for the Design and Technology program. We are not looking for a particular type of work, nor do we require examples of digital works. It is up to you to decide which work is most representative of your thinking. Be honest—submit the work you think is your best. Any and all media are acceptable, whether in the commercial design, fine art, or non-design realms. You are welcome to submit a personal URL in addition to the portfolio. Please note that a URL link alone will not satisfy the portfolio requirements for this program. 

The Design and Urban Ecologies program welcomes applications from designers, researchers, professionals, and academics.

Submit a dossier of up to 20 items that you believe best represent your background, interests in urbanization, activism, work process, and writings.

Your dossier may include research outcomes, design strategies, articles, publications, photography, interviews, presentations, video clips, websites, blog URLs, essays, or other media.

Where appropriate, include descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role (if the project involved a team), and/or a thoughtful description of the context of the project.

Submit a minimum 25 to maximum 50 pages that provide a clear representation of your concepts and skills as a designer, with an emphasis on process-driven work—giving insight into how the work is developed from concept to final outcome. The portfolio should include a minimum of three projects, including your most recent project.

Applicants should submit pages of the following:

Images from their physical portfolio, showcasing in-depth research, both 2D and 3D design developments, textile/material developments, knitwear (if applicable), final illustrations/visualizations, toiling/fitting images, technical drawings (if applicable), final photography visualization (e.g., a look book of clothing collections that you have developed). The portfolio can be supplemented with artwork from various design or art projects and practices. You are welcome to submit moving images such as installation, performance, or live fashion show work.

The preferred format for uploading work is PDF. URLs and websites are not accepted and will not be viewed for admission.

The portfolio is optional for the MPS in Fashion Management.

Applicants may submit a portfolio that is limited to five slides showing examples of design or management work. The items must be directly related to your motivation for studies in the program and must be integrated with the topics of your program essay.

The visuals should contain enough of an explanation to allow the reviewers to identify your understanding of the design principles, methods, processes, and projects that you chose to represent.

Fashion Studies applicants are not asked to submit a traditional portfolio. Rather, applicants are asked to provide a program essay (250-500 words) or a video recording (five minutes maximum). Essays should be submitted in the Program Questions section of the online application. Videos should be uploaded in the Portfolio section of the online application. In your essay or video, please address the following prompt:

Tell us about yourself. You can mention your education, your family, particular intellectual influences, people you have met, work you’ve done that has shaped the person you have become, or significant places or events in your life, especially as they relate to your field of study. It is also important for you to tell us why you want to join the MA Fashion Studies program. You can also speak about any of your strengths or weaknesses (e.g., low GPA, lack of experience, significant interruption in work or studies, unique skills and achievements as they relate to the program, or any other information you want to share).

Submit 20 images of finished artwork, which may include painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, video, installation, or performance. You can also submit up to four three-minute clips of time-based work in any medium. Be sure to include title, medium, dimensions (height first), date, and description for each upload. 

Please provide image files in JPEG format, and do not submit PDF files. Do not submit collaged multiple images into one slide. Portfolio materials must be uploaded directly to the online application. We will not accept portfolios provided via URL link. 

For further guidance, please review this program-specific portfolio recommendations video from the Fine Arts faculty.

A visual art portfolio is not required for the MA in History of Design and Curatorial Studies.

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare one PDF document of 15 to 25 images that best communicate your visual thinking. The purpose of the portfolio is to show your individual perspective and creative skills. Include work that best demonstrates your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Sketches and conceptual work can also be included. Please do not upload multiple PDF documents to the application.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction, maximum of three minutes, addressing this prompt: Please record and upload a video of yourself in which you discuss the ways you wish to engage with the program and your thoughts on how you can contribute to the world as an industrial designer.

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in industrial design or other design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design, digital media, or work in other forms. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, and sound are also accepted.

For further guidance, please review this program-specific portfolio recommendations video from the Industrial Design faculty.

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare a portfolio sequence of 15 to 25 images that best communicate your creative skills, thinking, and experience. The purpose of the portfolio is to show your individual perspective and creative skills. Include work that best demonstrates the breadth of your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Including design process work such as sketches and photographs is encouraged. Sketches and conceptual work can also be included.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction of no more than three minutes addressing these questions: What do you see as the major challenge facing your generation? How is it manifested where you live? In your opinion, how can interior design, lighting design, and built environments address this challenge?

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in interior or lighting design or other design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design or digital media, or other kinds of work. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation or sound are also accepted. You may include short text descriptions of your work in the portfolio that explain why, where, and how you created it, as well as what you learned or questioned through the creative process.  

For further guidance, please review the portfolio recommendations videos from the Lighting Design and Interior Design programs.

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare a portfolio sequence of 10 to 15 images that best communicate your creative skills, thinking, and experience. The purpose of the portfolio is to show your individual perspective and creative skills. Include work that best demonstrates the breadth of your skills and creative process from previous educational and/or professional experience.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction, maximum of three minutes, addressing this prompt: Please record and upload a video of yourself including the ways in which you wish to engage with the Parsons MFA Interior Design program and your research interests. 

A strong portfolio includes process work such as iterative studies, sketches, and photographs that show how you arrived at a particular design solution. Your process work should demonstrate iterative development of the work. It is recommended that you include short text descriptions of your work within the portfolio that explain why, where, and how you created it, as well as what you learned or questioned through the creative process. All work must be your own. If a project was created collaboratively, please list your contribution and the members of your team. The admission committee strongly prefers to review legible portfolios in PDF format; illegible content will not be reviewed.  

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in interior design or design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design or digital media, creative writing or other kinds of work. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, or sound are also accepted. 

For further guidance, please review this program-specific portfolio recommendations video from the Interior Design faculty. 

Required: Applicants must submit a portfolio through the Portfolio section of the online application. Prepare a portfolio sequence of 15 to 25 images that best communicate your visual thinking. The purpose of the portfolio is to show your individual perspective and creative skills. Include work that best demonstrates your skills from previous educational and/or professional experience. Where appropriate, include descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role (if the project involved a team), and/or a thoughtful description of the context of the project.

Optional: Applicants may submit a video introduction of no more than three minutes, addressing these questions: What do you see as the major challenge facing your generation? How is it manifested where you live? In your opinion, how can lighting design and built environments address this challenge?

We welcome students from a wide variety of disciplines. If you are an applicant without previous training in interior design or other design-related fields, you can demonstrate your aptitude by submitting examples of freehand drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, three-dimensional work, furniture, product design, digital media, or work in other forms. Time-based works such as film, video, performance, installation, and sound are also accepted.

For further guidance, please review this program-specific portfolio recommendations video from the Lighting Design faculty.

Submit 20 images of fine art work, which may include photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, video, installation, or performance.

You can also submit up to four three-minute clips of time-based work in any medium. Please provide image files in JPEG format. Do not submit PDF files. Be prepared to provide title, medium, dimensions (height first), date, and description for each image.  

We request that applicants submit the following two items. Both items should be submitted through the Portfolio section of the online application.

1. A portfolio of no more than 20 discrete items is optional but welcome, even from those who do not have a design background. In addition to design projects, the optional portfolio may include dynamic media such as film or video, as well as articles, presentations, interviews, research reports, or other written work. Where appropriate, include brief descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role (if the project involved a team), and/or the context of the project. Students with no design background can still upload a portfolio about their management, organizational, or other kind of experience and social science or humanities background.

2. To help us learn about you, we request that applicants submit a video recording (five minutes' maximum). This should be submitted in the Portfolio section of the online application. Students may choose from one of the two prompts below: 

   • Describe a situation in which you combined analysis and creativity to address a problem. The problem could be personal, social, political, environmental, or something quite different. 
     
     OR
     
     
   • Describe a complex or challenging problem you wish to address in the future, perhaps in conjunction with your studies in our program. The problem could be personal, social, political, environmental, or something quite different. 

Applicants are asked to submit two components through the online portfolio. The video submission is required and the portfolio is optional. Details appear below.

1. Video Submission: Please record and include an introductory video of five minutes or less in which you discuss your motivation for joining the Executive Master of Science in Strategic Design for Global Leadership. This video should connect with your personal statement and other parts of your application, such as your CV and any portfolio elements that you have included. Please share with us why you are applying and what you hope to achieve by being part of the next Global Executive cohort.

2. Portfolio: Although the portfolio is optional for the Executive MS in Strategic Design for Global Leadership, we encourage you to submit it to demonstrate the scope and breadth of your professional work. You may submit up to ten pages of your work, which can be on any business or management topic, whether directly related to design or not. The items must be directly related to your motivation for studies in the program and must be integrated with the topics of your program essay. Any visuals included should contain enough of an explanation to allow the reviewers to assess your understanding of the design principles, methods, processes, and projects that you choose to represent. All submitted examples should be in PDF format and/or with URL links if necessary. Submissions will be kept confidential and will not be shared outside of the application system.

The purpose of the portfolio is to communicate your perspectives on textile design and your singular creative talent.

Create a compelling portfolio with up to 50 items that illustrate your conceptual skills, your taste in textiles, your making talent, and more.

The portfolio should represent an original view of your creative character as a thinker and your making skills as a designer. Include work that best demonstrates your creative vision.

You can include images of the concept work you have established, photos of your textile designs, yarns and color studies, and fiber applications.

You are welcome to submit short films such as installation, performance, or live work and process.

Please include a brief description of each item that you upload. The admission committee strongly prefers to review legible portfolios in which the work is not crowded on slides. Applicants may submit their portfolio in the following formats: PowerPoint, a single PDF file, or a URL. 

We request that applicants submit the following two items. Both items below should be submitted through the Portfolio section of the online application.

1. A video introduction of three minutes or less. Please record and upload a video of yourself that includes discussion of the ways in which you wish to engage with the MFA Transdisciplinary Design program.
   
   
2. A portfolio of work that best documents your practice. This may include image artifacts, artworks, design drawings, scenarios, research outcomes, photography, video clips, websites, blog URLs, essays, or other formats that you feel best convey your approach and process in these projects and experiences. Where possible, please include descriptions of the projects, explanations of your role in the project (if it is team-based), or a thoughtful description of the context of the project. You may also upload dynamic media or other time-based work.

For further guidance, please review the Transdisciplinary faculty's considerations for compiling a portfolio as part of the application process.