Art and Design Portfolio Guidance
When applying to many of our Art and Design courses, you will be asked to provide a digital portfolio. This is an opportunity to show us who you are, your artistic ability and your potential.
This page provides a detailed insight into how to prepare the best possible portfolio for your course.
Portfolio submission deadlines
You will be asked to submit a digital portfolio to us within 28 days of receiving your invitation to submit a portfolio review. We know that you may be applying to us relatively early in the academic year, while you are still building an updated portfolio, so please note that we are happy for you to submit the following: GCSE work (for undergraduate programmes); work from the previous year; work in progress, such as sketches of ideas; and photos of your work.
Which courses require a portfolio?
You will be asked to submit a digital portfolio if you are applying to the following courses:
- BA Art and Design
- BA Art and Design with Creative Technologies
- BA Fine Art
- BA Graphic Design
- BA Illustration
- BA Product Design
- MA Arts and Education Practices
- MA Design: Active Practice
- MA Fine Art
- MA Visual Communication
Please note: If you are applying for a postgraduate course and you have an undergraduate degree from Birmingham City University in a closely related discipline, you may be exempt from providing a portfolio.
For detailed guidance, select your course from the dropdown below.
Please select the course you are applying for
Please wait...
BA Art and Design
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
This course is for students with a diverse range of interests, experiences and capabilities.
You might have previously studied art/design/media, but have not identified a pathway to industry yet or are excited about new possibilities in making wider creative connections, through incorporating music, maths, coding, digital technologies, new media, etc.
You might not have previously studied art/design/media, but are interested in science, maths or music, and the opportunity to explore design methodologies. Therefore, your portfolio may not be a typical art and design portfolio.
Format
- This could be a link to a self-shot video of you explaining your interests and why you want to do a creative degree, with evidence of a passion for creative practice in its broadest sense (no more than 5 minutes in length).
- Alternatively, this could be a PDF, PowerPoint or Word Document of experimentations you may have carried out, with links to video, animations and moving image work, etc. (no more than 10MB file size). Please test your links to make sure they work and are easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
The aim of the portfolio is to make sure this is the right course for you.
Tips for your portfolio: Content
- Tell us about your interests and why you want to do a creative degree.
- Evidence a passion and curiosity for creative practice in its broadest sense.
- Show us a range of ideas or work, which can be experiments, research or work in progress, using thinking skills, making skills or digital skills.
- We are interested in your thoughts and processes and how you develop your ideas and problem solve.
- You can include work you have made at School or College, or work you have made independently.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
BA Art and Design with Creative Technologies
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
This course is for students with a diverse range of interests, experiences and capabilities.
You might have previously studied art/design/media, but have not identified a pathway to industry yet or are excited about new possibilities in making wider creative connections, through incorporating music, maths, coding, digital technologies, new media, etc.
You might not have previously studied art/design/media, but are interested in science, maths or music, and the opportunity to explore design methodologies. Therefore, your portfolio may not be a typical art and design portfolio.
Format
- This could be a link to a self-shot video of you explaining your interests and why you want to do a creative degree, with evidence of a passion for creative practice in its broadest sense (no more than 5 minutes in length).
- Alternatively, this could be a PDF, PowerPoint or Word Document of experimentations you may have carried out, with links to video, animations and moving image work, etc. (no more than 10MB file size). Please test your links to make sure they work and are easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
The aim of the portfolio is to make sure this is the right course for you.
Tips for your portfolio: Content
- Tell us about your interests and why you want to do a creative degree.
- Evidence a passion and curiosity for creative practice in its broadest sense.
- Show us a range of ideas or work, which can be experiments, research or work in progress, using thinking skills, making skills or digital skills.
- We are interested in your thoughts and processes and how you develop your ideas and problem solve.
- You can include work you have made at School or College, or work you have made independently.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
BA Fine Art
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
This course is ideally suited for students who have previously or who are currently studying A-level Art subjects (Fine Art, Art and Design, Textiles, Photography, Media, etc.), students from BTEC Art and Design or Foundation Art and Design Diploma courses or for those who have developed an interest in art practice via an alternative route.
Alongside examples of completed works, we are also interested in quick experiments, sketches, ideas, notes and photographs that have been influenced by your environment, experiences, exhibitions you have seen, books you have read or research you have done to indicate ideas you have for work which you might not yet have had the resources to make.
We welcome applicants of all ages and from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio so even if you do not meet our typical offer criteria it can still be worth applying.
You have the option to attend an in person portfolio review or to submit your portfolio digitally for an online portfolio review.
What we would like to see in your portfolio
- Making and thinking skills
- The development of ideas
- Willingness to experiment using a range of media, materials and processes
- Creativity and visual curiosity
- Self-motivation, individuality and a sense of your interests, passion and personality
- Commitment to art practice
Format
- Please submit your work as one PDF, PowerPoint or Word Document.
- Aim to include approximately 20 pieces of work.
- Your digital portfolio should be no more than 10MB. Please compress your file if it exceeds the limit.
- Add any links to video, animations, and moving image work to your PDF, PowerPoint or Word Document. (Please check that these links work before you submit your portfolio and that they can be easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password).
Tips for your portfolio: Content
- A range of work which can be experiments, research or work in progress (unfinished pieces). Examples of the type of work that you can include are drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, animations, films, sculptures, installations, multimedia outcomes, digital artwork and textiles (photographs of larger or 3D works can be included as representations in physical portfolios; for digital portfolios please indicate scale and medium in the documentation of work).
- We are interested in your processes; the way you develop your ideas and approaches to making. As such we are keen to see tests and some sketchbook works.
- You can include work you have made at School, College or University and/or work you have made independently or outside of an educational curriculum.
- Include your most recent work and present it in a coherent order. Remember the order you present it in is the order it will be viewed in.
- Demonstrate your interest and awareness of contemporary art practice by providing evidence of exhibitions you’ve visited and artists whose work you have looked at.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
BA (Hons) Graphic Design
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
Content
- Please open your portfolio with a short statement introducing yourself, your inspirations, your aspirations, what we can expect to see in your portfolio and if there are certain parts that you would like us to focus on and why. When preparing for your statement consider the following questions:
- Who are three of your favourite graphic designers?
- What is the last film you saw at the cinema?
- Where do you draw inspiration from?
- What are your career aspirations?
- Why have you chosen to apply to BA (Hons) Graphic Design at Birmingham City University?
- We would like to see a good range of ideas
- You are free to include as much work as you would like to in your portfolio.
- Try to include any work that you think is relevant to graphic design. This can include examples of advertising, packaging design, design for print, illustration, communication graphics, branding, multimedia, design for film and television, multimedia and interactive media (web, app and game design). We welcome applications from applicants from a variety of disciplines so it important to note that you are not limited to these, nor are you expected to provide everything listed.
- It is essential to include photographs or scanned pages from your sketchbooks that support the work presented in your portfolio. This is because they show us the research behind the work, your thought process and how your ideas develop.
- You should include at least one project from start to finish, as this allows us to see your thought processes and design-processes in action.
- If you would like to include any 3D pieces please include a single photograph of each piece in your portfolio. Ensure any photographs of 3D work show a sense of scale, texture, material, colour and context.
- We are happy to watch any video/ animated work, but please consider including an edited version, or include specific timecodes that you would like us to watch for work that is particularly lengthy.
- If you are including work that has been created as part of a collaborative project please explicitly state what your role in the project was the specific elements you produced.
- Work outside of prescribed school/college work is always welcome. For example, if you’ve been making relevant work through your job, or a specialised class, include this.
- In terms of the structure of your portfolio, we would prefer that you present your work in a chronological order with your most recent first.
- Annotations and labelling is a must. Please add project titles so we can see where they start and end, label items and annotate pieces that need context.
Skills we would like to see
- Standard of presentation
- Organisation
- Evidence of creative thinking
- Use of a visible design process for idea development.
- Willingness to experiment using a range of media, materials and technologies.
- Problem-solving
- Evidence that you’re passionate about the subject.
Format
- Submit your work as one PDF file.
- Your digital portfolio should be no more than 10MB. Please compress your file if it exceeds the limit.
- Ensure your work has a good screen resolution.
- Add any links to video, animations, and moving image work in your PDF. Please check that these links work before you submit your portfolio and that they can be easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
BA (Hons) Illustration
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
Content
- Please open your portfolio with a short statement introducing yourself, your inspirations, your aspirations, what we can expect to see in your portfolio and if there are certain parts that you would like us to focus on and why. When preparing for your statement consider the following questions:
- Why do you want to study BA (Hons) Illustration at Birmingham City University? What interests you about the course?
- What do you think your strongest project is?
- What and/or who are you inspired by?
- What are your aspirations?
- We would like to see a variety of work using a variety of techniques. This does not have to be directly related to illustration.
- It is advisable to include no less than 10 pieces of work and no more than 20.
- Include any work you think would be relevant to the course. Examples of the type of work you can include are: drawing, print-making, 3D modelling, graphics based work and typography, moving image work, animations and film. You will need to scan or photograph any physical work. It important to note that you are not limited to these, nor are you expected to provide everything listed.
- It is essential to add photographs or scanned pages from your sketchbook/s. This is because they show us the research behind the work, your thought process and how your ideas develop.
- We would like to see at least one project from start to finish. It would be nice to see a mixture of short projects and long projects if you have them.
- If you would like to include any 3D pieces please include photographs of them that show a sense of scale, texture, material, colour and context. We are happy to watch any video/ animated work, but please consider including an edited version, or include specific timecodes that you would like us to watch for work that is particularly lengthy.
- Remember, the order you present it in is the order we will view it in so structure your work in a clear and organised way. For example, you may find it useful to cluster your portfolio into projects, or put it in a chronological order, or start and finish with your best pieces.
- Annotations and labelling is a must. Please add project titles so we can see where they start and end, label items and annotate pieces that need context.
Skills we would like to see
- Drawing
- Composition
- How you use colour
- Use of a visible design process for idea development
- Willingness to experiment using a range of media, materials and technologies.
Format
- Submit your work as one PDF file.
- Your digital portfolio should be no more than 10MB. Please compress your file if it exceeds the limit.
- Ensure your work has a good screen resolution.
- Add any links to video, animations, and moving image work in your PDF, PowerPoint or Keynote file. Please check that these links work before you submit your portfolio and that they can be easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
BA Product Design
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
The following guidelines will help you to create your portfolio, but it is important to note that you aren’t restricted to these. Whatever you choose to include, the most important thing to show is that you’re interested and passionate about product and furniture design.
Content
- Use a front cover, 1st page, with name and course applied for
- You can use a website, video, or a PDF format. For PDF, please ensure your portfolio is between A3-A2 page size, try to keep below a 20mb file. For video, please either host your work on a platform such as YouTube or upload the original file.
- Tailor your portfolio towards your audience (the reviewer) by starting with your best piece of work.
- Provide brief notes (annotations), which explain your work. Try to summarise why, where, and how you did it: we are interested in the details!
- Show us a diverse range of work, perhaps including: technical drawings, observational sketches, renderings, design process, three-dimensional work, CAD work, graphic designs, or photos of made objects.
- We suggest between 10-20 pages of work.
- If you don’t have much work of your own, research contemporary product/furniture examples and explain why you like them, or how they’ve inspired you.
- If you're coming from a traditional route such as A Level or BTEC training try to include evidence of a 3D design process.
- If you come from a more specific Product/Furniture background it would be useful to include: research, technical drawings (use of 3D modelling if appropriate), testing models, design development sequence e.g. full projects to completion.
- Photograph large 3D work and consider the context where it would be used to give a sense of scale i.e. with users and in an appropriate environment.
- It is important to show final pieces, but it is perhaps even more important to show the development of them. We want to see the thinking behind your work and how your ideas develop. This can be demonstrated through sketchbooks and journals with notes.
Skills we would like to see
- Hand drawing.
- Creative thinking.
- Design Development.
- Evidence that you’re enthusiastic about the subject.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
MA Arts and Education Practices
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
This course is for students with a diverse range of interests, experiences and capabilities in creative fields and with an interest creative education.
You might have previously studied in the creative arts or have an interest in creative education, have experience in working in creative fields of education, and are excited about new possibilities in making wider creative connections, through incorporating social practice, projects, teaching, sculpture, print, coding, digital technologies, performance, painting and pedagogy.
You might not have previously studied art/design/media, but are interested in science, maths or music, and the opportunity to explore creative pedagogic methodologies. Therefore, your portfolio may not be a typical creative portfolio.
Format
- This could be a link to a self-shot video of you explaining your interests and why you want to do a creative postgraduate course, with evidence of a passion for creative educational practices in their broadest sense (no more than 5 minutes in length).
- Alternatively, this could be a PDF, PowerPoint or Word Document of experimentations you may have carried out, with links to work, projects, practices and work with learners and communities, etc. (no more than 10MB file size).
- If you are linking to video & web based work online please test your links to make sure they work and are easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
The aim of the portfolio is to make sure this is the right course for you.
Content
- Tell us about your interests and how they connect with MA Arts and Education Practices.
- Evidence a passion and curiosity for creative educational practice in its broadest sense.
- Show us a range of ideas or work, which can be experiments, research or work in progress, using thinking skills, making skills or digital skills.
- Show us how you work creatively with others, be that through teaching, collaboration or social practice.
- We are interested in your thoughts and processes and how you develop your ideas and problem solve.
- You can include work you have made at University, in the workplace or work you have made independently.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
MA Design: Active Practice
Content
- Introduction: Start with a concise statement about your interest in design and how your portfolio reflects this. Share specific themes, concepts, or topics you’re passionate about, and outline how you might explore or develop further during the course.
- Project Range: Include a variety of projects that demonstrate your ability to develop design ideas from concept to completion.
- Design Process: Showcase your process-led working methods by including examples of research, concept development, and technical execution.
- Technical Skills: Highlight your technical expertise, including the materials and processes you’ve worked with.
- Professional Experience: If applicable, include examples of industry collaborations, placements, competitions, or live projects.
Format
- PDF Submission: Submit your work as a single PDF file (maximum size: 10MB).
- Online Portfolio: Provide a link to a website or digital portfolio.
Ensure all links to digital media (e.g., videos, images, sound) are accessible and not password-protected.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
MA Fine Art
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
Alongside examples of completed works, we are also interested in your ideas as expressed through material experiments, draft sketches, notation and photographs that have been influenced by your context, including your environment, experiences, exhibitions you have seen, books you have read, or research you have done.
What we would like to see in your portfolio
- Creative making skills
- The development of conceptual and critical thinking
- Willingness to experiment using a range of media, material and processes
- Creativity and visual curiosity
- Self-motivation, individuality and a sense of your interests, passion and personality
- Commitment to art practice
Format
- Please submit your work as one PDF, PowerPoint or as a link to your website.
- Aim to include approximately 15 - 20 pieces of work.
- Your digital portfolio should be no more than 10MB. Please compress your file if it exceeds the limit.
- Add any links to video, animations, sound and moving image work to your PDF, PowerPoint or website. (Please check that these links work before you submit your portfolio and that they can be easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.)
Content
- A range of work which can be experiments, research or work in progress. Examples of the type of work that you can include are drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, performance, films, sculptures, installations, multimedia outcomes, digital artwork and so on. (Please indicate scale and medium in the documentation of work.)
- We are interested in your processes; the way you develop your ideas and approaches to making. As such we are keen to see examples of experimentation, research ideas and some sketchbook works.
- You can include work you have made at University and/or work you have made independently or outside of an educational curriculum.
- Include your most recent work and present it in a coherent order.
- Demonstrate your interest and awareness of contemporary art practice by providing evidence of exhibitions you’ve visited, artists whose work you have looked at and relevant books to your area of interest.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.
MA Visual Communication
The content of your digital portfolio and the skills it demonstrates should be the same as if you were creating a physical portfolio. The only difference is that you will need to submit your portfolio through your applicant portal rather than physically bring it in for us to see.
We recommend that you start by watching our video guidance on creating a digital portfolio, and then take a look at the course-specific guidance below.
Content
- Please open your portfolio with a short statement introducing yourself, your inspirations, your aspirations, what we can expect to see in your portfolio and if there are certain parts that you would like us to focus on and why. When preparing your statement, please answer the following questions:
- Why have you chosen to apply for MA Visual Communication at Birmingham City University?
- What can you bring to the course?
- What do you want from the course?
- What interests you about the course?
- We would like to see a good range of ideas and concepts. You should include at least one project from start to finish – showing all iterations for concept, technical ability, and research processes.
- It is useful to include any live projects, competitions or industry work, as this can help illuminate your potentials.
- We would like to see a variety of work using a variety of techniques. This does not have to be directly related to all areas of Visual Communication, but should illuminate your interests in your specialist area to the selection panel.
- The order you present your work in is the order we will view it in so structure your work in a clear and organised way. For example, you may find it useful to cluster your portfolio into projects, or put it in a chronological order, or start and finish with your best pieces.
- If you are including work that has been created as part of a collaborative project please explicitly state what your role in the project was and the specific elements you produced.
Skills we would like to see
- Evidence of creative thinking
- Use of a visible design processes for idea development, related to contemporary or historical theories.
- Willingness to experiment using a range of media, materials and technologies.
- Problem-solving abilities, and rationale(s).
- Evidence that you’re passionate about the subject.
Format
- Submit your digital portfolio as one PDF file.
- Your digital portfolio should be no more than around 10MB. Please compress your file if it exceeds the limit.
- Add any links to video, animations, and moving image work in your PDF. Please check that these links work before you submit your portfolio and that they can be easily accessed. We will not be able to view links that require a password.
Once we receive your portfolio, our tutors will review your work and we will provide feedback at the earliest opportunity.