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Design Department

Apply: Illustration BFA

High School Prep
For the Pre-Major
For the Pre-BFA
For the BFA

HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION

While still in high school, you can do the following things to prepare for the Illustration program at BYU:

  • Take any art courses offered at your high school- AP Art, Figure Drawing, Art Foundations, etc. While these courses will not be counted as a pre-requisite to the Illustration program, faculty members recommend prospective students to take advantage of any courses offered prior to high school graduation as they provide excellent practice.
  • Apply for a Design Dept Talent Award Scholarship in November. These applications are available 30 days prior to the deadline, Dec 1st, and are available to prospective BYU students. In addition, if you are granted a talent award, you automatically bypass the first application process. This means you would be recognized as a pre-BFA students and you would simply take DESIL 101, DES 150, DESIL 130, and DESIL 140 before applying to the BFA program in June. For more information about Talent Awards and Department Scholarships, please visit our Financial Aid page.
  • Start carrying around a sketchbook at all times, drawing from life rather than from cartoons or computer images. One of the most important aspects of a portfolio is the ability to draw proportions accurately (especially of human figures), so practice drawing realistically.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Admissions
Prospective BYU students wishing to be admitted into the Illustration BFA program for Fall semester must first apply to BYU through BYU Admissions. Admission to BYU does not guarantee admission into the Department of Design degree Programs.

Faculty
Our program has excellent experienced faculty who will work personally with you as you progress through the program. Professors will be mentors, offering advice and direction. Our faculty are all award-winning, established illustrators with years of teaching professional experience. Visit our faculty page to see individual bios, contact information, or work they have completed.

Software/Hardware
Incoming BYU design students are asked to purchase a computer for their own convenience and to maximize their academic experience. Pre-major courses can be completed with the use of university labs, however most students prefer having their own computer. Certain advanced illustration workflows will require specialized software and hardware that is provided in department labs and classrooms.

The Department recommends the following configurations for illustration students: Apple MacBook Pro (or equivalent Windows PC) with sufficient capacity to support Adobe Creative Cloud (including Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, and Adobe Fonts, formerly known as Typekit). An iPad Pro with an Apple pencil or a tablet and stylus is a wonderful tool in addition to a computer. The BYU Store carries a full line of discounted computers, accessories and discounted software subscriptions.

PRE-MAJOR

As a new student to BYU and prospective Illustration major, you must declare your major as Pre-Illustration. This status does not guarantee admission into the program and can be changed at any time, but gives you access to the first pre-requisite course, DESIL 101. To declare as a Pre-Illustration student, please visit MyMAP or contact the Advisement Center at (801) 422-3777.

After declaring yourself as a Pre-Major, register for the pre-requisite, DESIL 101. Keep in mind that it takes a couple hours and sometimes days to register your Pre-Major status, so do it well in advance to the day you hope to register for courses.

During DESIL 101, your professor will give you more information on what the Pre-BFA application will require. These applications will be open 3 times a year and you will have the opportunity to apply one additional time if unaccepted during your first review.

If your portfolio review is successful, you will then be granted to Pre-BFA status.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Software/Hardware
The Department recommends the following configurations for illustration students: Apple MacBook Pro (or equivalent Windows PC) with sufficient capacity to support Adobe Creative Cloud (including Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, and Adobe Fonts, formerly known as Typekit). An iPad Pro with an Apple pencil or a tablet and stylus is a wonderful tool in addition to a computer. The BYU Store carries a full line of discounted computers, accessories and discounted software subscriptions.

Admissions
Prospective BYU students wishing to be admitted into the Illustration program for Fall semester must first apply to BYU through BYU Admissions. Admission to BYU does not guarantee admission into the Department of Design degree Programs.

Transfer Students
Transfer students applying for admittance to the Department of Design are asked to submit a portfolio on the department's application portal, which are reviewed year round. To find out more information, please visit our transfer student page or contact our office.

Faculty
Our program has excellent experienced faculty who will work personally with you as you progress through the program. Professors will be mentors, offering advice and direction. Our faculty are all award-winning, established animators with years of teaching professional experience. Visit our faculty page to see individual bios, contact information, or work they have completed.

PRE-BFA APPLICATION

PRE-BFA APPLICATION DEADLINES: 2025: April 15, June TBD, December 9

Application information will be available 30 days prior to the application deadline.

Apply here: https://designdept.slideroom.com/#/Login

If you are not accepted into the program after your first application, you have another opportunity to submit your portfolio the next portfolio review. If unaccepted the second time, faculty members will then recommend you to pursue another major.

IF YOU GET INTO THE PRE-BFA

After being promoted to Pre-BFA status, you will then have access to the next 3 pre-requisite courses: DES 150, DESIL 130, and DESIL 140. Complete these three courses in any order prior to applying for the Illustration BFA program.

BFA portfolio reviews and applications are reviewed once a year in June, and more information on the application process will be available as the deadline approaches. You may review the current requirements for the BFA application, but keep in mind that it is subject to change.

BFA APPLICATION

June 2025 (actual date TBD)

BFA application information will be available 30 days prior to the deadline date.

https://designdept.slideroom.com/#/Login

Students may apply for the Illustration BFA degree program only after first obtaining Illustration Pre-BFA status.

BFA portfolio reviews and applications are reviewed once a year in June, and more information on the application process will be available as the deadline approaches. You may review the current requirements for the BFA application, but keep in mind that it is subject to change.

If you are not accepted into the program after your first application, you have another opportunity to submit your portfolio the next portfolio review in June. If you are unaccepted after applying a second time, faculty members will then recommend you pursue another major.

    BFA PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

    The portfolio should consist of 10-15 best, most current examples of artwork. This artwork should be a curated sampling of projects and assignments from classes DES 150, DESIL 130, and DESIL 140, and some personal work (optional).

    Refer to the Portfolio Guidelines for ideas about how to select, photograph, organize, and present work in the portfolio.

    In addition to a portfolio, a digital sketchbook will be submitted. The sketchbook is supplementary to the work in the main portfolio.

    IF YOU ARE ADMITTED TO THE BFA

    During your time in the Illustration program at BYU, you will have the opportunity to take courses on life drawing, digital illustration, art history, alternative illustration mediums, narrative, motion illustration, and others. Students in the Illustration program not are required to complete an internship, but can receive course credit if chosen. For more information about the Illustration Major Academic Plan, please visit the Illustration Undergraduate Catalog.