Application deadline

A set of complete application materials must be received at Herron on or before January 15. Applicants will receive admission notification by March 1.

When is the deadline for application?

A set of complete application materials must be received at Herron on or before January 15.

Please keep in mind that if you are applying for financial aid, the deadline for the receipt of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is March 10. You do not have to be accepted to the M.F.A. program prior to submitting the FAFSA. You may complete a FAFSA application at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Please click the link to Financial Assistance for more information about financial aid.

Final deadline applicants will receive admission notification on March 1.

Do all materials need to arrive at IUPUI by the deadline?

Yes. All application materials and supporting documents must be received by Herron’s Student Services Offices on or before the appropriate application deadline. Be sure to give your recommenders plenty of advance notice.

Do you allow fall and spring admissions for the MFA program in Visual Communication?

Students pursuing the MFA degree in Visual Communication enter the program in the fall semester only.

Do I need to apply on-line?

Yes, the graduate application is only available on-line. Access the online application from the Herron website. Alternatively, the online application is directly accessed at https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=iu-ina

Do I need to submit transcripts?

Yes. Students applying to the MFA degree in Visual Communication must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Please submit all official transcripts that document your prior education. The mailing address for transcripts is:

Graduate Admissions, c/o Student Services Office
Indiana University Herron School of Art and Design
735 West New York Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5222

Do I need to write an application letter or essay?

Yes. Students applying to the MFA degree in Visual Communication Design are required to submit an application statement. The online application system allows you to upload a 750-word statement. Please describe why you have decided to pursue an MFA degree and why you have decided to pursue an MFA in Visual Communication at Indiana University Herron School of Art and Design. Describe how your professional and personal goals are aligned with the educational goals of Herron’s graduate program in Visual Communication. Please demonstrate that you are aware that all MFA programs are not directed with the same goals and objectives.

When thinking about your goals, consider this advice from the admission website of Loyola College: "As for your goals and ambitions, you should try to be as specific as possible. When candidates are asked: why do you want to go to graduate school or what are you interested in doing in this program? A common reply is "I just want to learn--I’m open minded--I want to study a bit of everything--and then I’ll decide on my career."

This can be taken to mean that you don’t know why you want to go to graduate school and that you have no idea what you are interested in studying. You should try to be more specific, while at the same time showing openness to learning new things."

Apply to schools that fit with your interests. Do your homework. Decide what you want to study based on your career and personal goals. Then find the best schools that will help you meet your goals. Some grad programs in design are research-oriented, requiring a written master’s thesis in order to graduate. Others focus on individual creative expressions and the arts. Still others are business-oriented with a focus on professional practice. Some emphasize solitary exploration while others pursue collaborative inquiry.

Your grad school success depends upon identifying the program where you can find harmony between your goals and the objectives of the program & institution.

Do I need to submit a portfolio?

Yes. Students applying to the MFA degree in Visual Communication are required to submit a portfolio. The nature of your portfolio depends on the nature of your experiences. If you are a recent graduate from an undergraduate program in design, your portfolio will most likely represent the best of your undergraduate studio experiences. If you have been working professionally in a professional field of design, your portfolio will most likely represent client work. In either case, focus as much communication as possible on showing your processes for designing. Do not create a portfolio that contains only designed products. Your portfolio should demonstrate how you think and how you make. Include design "briefs" that define problem / opportunity statements, communication objectives, as well as the audience and context for each project so that your work can be evaluated meaningfully.

If your academic or professional experience is not in design, please submit 3 to 5 professional projects that reflect your academic and past professional interests. Include one-page descriptions of each project, clearly articulating the importance and results of the projects.

Collaborative work should be identified as such and your role in the project defined.

You may submit a portfolio that contains physical artifacts, digital files or a combination of both. Approach the portfolio as a design project. Consider what projects are included in the portfolio but also consider how the entire body of work is constructed. Use these design criteria to make decisions when creating your portfolio:
1. The portfolio should represent your abilities as a design thinker and design maker.
2. The portfolio should represent your abilities as an information organizer and communication designer.
3. The portfolio should represent your abilities to structure communications appropriately for an audience and context.

If you are submitting digital files, please conform to these technical specifications: Computer generated pieces may be submitted on CD-ROM or DVD (compatible with Macintosh). Applicants may submit digital portfolios created in Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint, Director, Flash or HTML. Digital portfolios should be checked to assure that links work properly and all necessary files are included. Applicants are asked to indicate whether special instructions are necessary for the viewing of digital portfolios. An inventory sheet must be attached, including the applicant’s name, title of the piece, medium or programs used, dimensions and date of completion.

Use basic common sense when designing and packaging your portfolio. Many people will handle all of your materials during the entire application process. Design your portfolio so that it will withstand being handled by admissions reviewers as well as postal service employees. Your portfolio packaging doesn’t need to be tricky to be impressive. Consider that you can make an effective, elegant presentation in a three-ring binder. Please submit no portfolio that measures larger than 24" x 36" x 6".

IMPORTANT: Your portfolio will be returned ONLY if you include return postage and return packaging. Do not include anything in your portfolio that is irreplaceable if lost or damaged. Make sure you remember to include on all of the materials your name, address, and the program to which you are applying.

Portfolios should be sent to:
Graduate Admissions, c/o Student Services Office
Indiana University Herron School of Art and Design
735 West New York Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-5222

Do I need to provide letters of reference?

Yes. Students applying to the MFA degree in Visual Communication must provide contact information so that we may solicit two letters of reference that address aspects of your academic or professional performance, knowledge, skills and abilities.

When completing your online application, provide contact information (including names and email addresses) of two people who will write your letters of professional recommendation. The online application system will then send a request to your references asking for their letters of recommendation.

If you have been out of school for some time, letters from employers or clients attesting to your professional skills are desirable. It is better to send letters from employers, clients and coworkers who have recently observed your most valuable skills than professors who may not remember you from three or more years ago.

Do I need to take the GRE?

Yes. Students applying to the MFA degree in Visual Communication must submit GRE scores for admission. For more information on the GRE, consult www.gre.org/ttindex.html.

Take the test early so that your scores are available by the admission deadline. Many countries offer the GRE (or TOEFL) only in specific months. Planning can thus be very important.

Ensure that original scores from ETS are sent directly to the program. The IUPUI reporting code for GRE, GMAT and TOEFL is 1325.

When should I take the GRE?

GRE scores must be received by the Herron Student Services Office on or before the deadline for the program to which you are applying. Please allow sufficient time for scores to reach us. Results of the computer-based examinations are mailed to IUPUI approximately 10-15 days after testing; results of paper-based examinations take a minimum of eight weeks to reach IUPUI.

Can I submit GMAT scores instead?

Yes, Herron will accept GMAT scores in lieu of the GRE. No other substitutions are permissible. Ensure that original scores from ETS are sent directly to the program. The IUPUI reporting code for GRE, GMAT and TOEFL is 1325.

May I submit GRE or GMAT scores for a test that I took in a prior year?

Yes. GRE or GMAT scores must be no older than four years. Ensure that original scores from ETS are sent directly to the program. The IUPUI reporting code for GRE and GMAT is 1325.

Do I need to take the TOEFL test?

TOFEL scores are required for international students unless the applicant’s undergraduate degree is from a university in an English-speaking country. Applicants must request that an official copy of their test results be sent directly to IUPUI by the Educational Testing Service. Ensure that original scores from ETS are sent directly to the program. The IUPUI reporting code for GRE, GMAT and TOEFL is 1325.

May I submit TOEFL scores for a test that I took in a prior year?

Yes. TOEFL scores must be no older than two years. Ensure that original scores from ETS are sent directly to the program. The IUPUI reporting code for TOEFL is 1325.

Do I need to submit a current resume?

Yes. Please include a current professional resume in your application. Include this document in the package with your transcripts and portfolio.

When will I receive an admission decision about my application?

Final deadline applicants will receive admission notification on March 1.