Apply & Portfolio
Ready to Apply?
There are no special requirements when applying to the Department of Design. However, we strongly encourage applicants to take advantage of the optional portfolio upload as part of the TCU general admission application process. The portfolio can help identify highly talented individuals ahead of time and can positively influence the admission offer.
For all application information, please visit the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
Do you have program questions? Reach out to our Department of Design team.
How to submit Your Portfolio
Portfolios may be submitted directly to our TCU BOX via email. Email your portfolio to Portfol.ern5yzu8tpm66ya4@u.box.com
Please include a page in the front of your portfolio with the following information:
Name
Email Address
High School Graduation Date
High School Attended
Desired Major (Graphic Design or Interior Design)
To ensure a quality portfolio submission, follow the instructions below:
How to Create a Digital Portfolio
- Create images of your samples
- Set up an InDesign file 1024 x 768. This is approximately 14.25 inches by 10.67 inches.
- Prepare each image according to these instructions:
- Samples created in Adobe Illustrator or single-page PDFs from Adobe InDesign: No preparation is necessary. You will simply place the file, as is, in the InDesign document.
- Samples created in, or finished in, Adobe Photoshop:
- Set the resolution to 144 ppi.
- Set the height to no more than 10 inches and the width to no more than 13 inches. Make the image as large as you can within those dimensions.
- Save the file as a .psd (native Photoshop file)
- Place each image in InDesign and position it on the page. Put only one image on each page.
- Annotate each image with a brief description.
- Export the PDF
- Go to File>Export and use the pull down menu to select “Interactive.”
- Give the File a name and click OK
- On the Export Interactive PDF dialog box, select “Compression”
- Choose “JPEG Lossy” and Maximum Quality. Set the Resolution to 144 ppi.
- Click Export
- Open each image in Adobe Photoshop.
- Set the resolution of each image to 144 ppi.
- Set the height to no more than 10 inches and the width to no more than 13 inches. Make the image as large as you can within those dimensions.
- Export each image, using “Save for Web,” as a .jpg file. Set the parameters to JPEG Maximum for best quality.
- Give each .jpg a unique, descriptive name.
- Create a Microsoft Word document and list the names of each .jpg and provide a brief description of each image.
- If possible, use software (such as Preview or Acrobat) to create a PDF of the .jpg images. Otherwise, you may add each individual .jpg file to your submission folder along with the Word document of the descriptions of each image.
How to Create a .zip Folder
- Select the folder you want to compress.
- Option-click on the folder.
- Select “Compress”
- Select the folder you want to compress.
- Right-click on the folder.
- Select “Send to>Compressed folder.”
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