Admission

Undergraduate Admission

Admission to Herron School of Art and Design is based on the student's previous school record and may also require a visual portfolio.  All Herron applicants must first be fully admitted to IUPUI. Students may be admitted to Herron based upon outstanding academic achievements. Other students who qualify for admission to IUPUI may be admitted to Herron through a visual portfolio.

Students enrolled at other schools or divisions of IUPUI may apply for Herron admission the semester before beginning Herron courses. To transfer, they must have at least 12 credit hours that apply toward a Herron degree and a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA). IUPUI students must file an application for priority admission by October 1 for spring admission and March 1 for summer or fall admission. Please contact the Herron Student Services Office at (317) 278-9400 for more information.

All students are admitted into Herron as pre-fine art, art history, or pre-art education majors. To be admitted to a fine art or art education major, a student must go through the portfolio review process, which occurs after students complete the freshman Foundation Program courses and 9 credit hours of sophomore-level studio work. Students interested in art history may be directly admitted into that program and do not have to go through the portfolio review process.

Admission with Transfer Credit

Students with transfer credits from other colleges or universities may be considered for admission to Herron. Transfer students may receive credit for successfully completing academic courses (grade of C or higher) of equivalent content from other regionally accredited institutions.  Transfer credit for studio art courses, however, is granted only from institutions with National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation. Credits for studio art courses from institutions not accredited by NASAD may be eligible for evaluation toward a Herron degree program. Transfer students ready to register for 300-level studio courses must submit a portfolio for review. Students who are eligible for advancement will be notified by the Herron Student Services Office after admission to the university. Review dates and guidelines will be determined by the individual degree programs.

Readmission of Former Students

Former students in good standing who withdraw in accordance with the regulations of the school and who desire to return within two years of their departure should notify the Herron Student Services Office. Students who have been gone for two or more calendar years must follow the current bulletin requirements and meet all departmental curriculum requirements offered at the time of their return. All BFA students who interrupt their major course of study for more than five calendar years are required to pass a portfolio review prior to enrollment in 300- or 400-level studio courses. BAE students who interrupt their art education program for more than five years must re-apply to the program and complete the requirements in place at the time of return. For visual communication students, no major course completed more than five years previously will be accepted toward the visual communication graduation requirements.

Former students whose standing was not satisfactory at the time of withdrawal, former students who withdrew without compliance with the regulations of the school, and former students who were terminated on the basis of performance, must apply in writing to the Herron Student Services Office, 735 West New York Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, for consideration by the Student Affairs Committee. See section on ‘‘Petition for Readmission.'' Petitions are due to Herron Student Services Office by October 15 for spring admission and April 15 for fall admission.

Academic Sequencing

The studies at the Herron School of Art and Design are sequential, in that a student moves through definite programs of prescribed and optional studies on a year-to-year basis until all the requirements for a particular degree are fulfilled. Students who fall behind in fulfilling degree requirements at a particular year's level will be expected to fulfill those requirements in sequence, either in conjunction with or in place of courses offered at the next level. Conflicts in scheduling may occur when students try to make up requirements, and they may find that their enrollment must be extended beyond the original graduation date. Students are therefore strongly advised to carefully plan their academic schedule.

Herron Expenses

A Herron student will spend approximately $1,300 on books and supplies during a school year. Modest lab fees are charged for materials used in certain studio classes. A Herron program fee is assessed to all Herron students based on the number of credit hours taken each semester. The lab and program fees are subject to change. Please request current information from the Bursar's Web site at www.bursar.iupui.edu.

Review for Advancement

In order for students to be admitted into degree programs at Herron School of Art and Design, they are required to pass a portfolio review for advancement. (This requirement does not apply to art history majors.)

To be admitted to the degree programs, students must pass the portfolio review; therefore, completion of portfolio review requirements does not guarantee admission into the degree program. The decision of the faculty review is final. For students interested in a fine arts degree, the portfolio review typically occurs during the sophomore year after the student completes all of the foundation requirements, including two semesters of art history, one semester each of English composition and English literature, and 9 credit hours of 200-level studio courses. The student must also have a 2.5 cumulative studio GPA and a 2.0 overall cumulative GPA. A student may not take any 300-level or higher level studio classes until advancement has been approved. Students interested in art education must complete their foundation year prior to the review process. They must also have a 2.8 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 studio GPA. They will not be able to advance in art education until they pass the review and Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) and are accepted into the IUPUI School of Education.

Transfer students ready to register for 300-level courses must submit a portfolio for review.

Students are responsible for tracking their own progress and eligibility for advancement. Assistance is available through the Herron Student Services Office. Review dates and guidelines will be determined according to the individual degree programs.