Portfolio + Supporting Material | Graduate Admissions

As an applicant to Master of Design (Interdisciplinary) or Master of Design (Interaction), you are required to submit:

Portfolio

Submit five to seven (5-7) examples of your studio projects to help us evaluate your readiness to pursue a graduate education at Emily Carr University. Two (2) of the submitted projects must show the design process.

Upload multi-page files of documentation of your design projects, in 2D, 3D or time-based media. Time-based media should not exceed three minutes in length.

Be selective. Curate and edit your portfolio to present your strongest, most imaginative and recent work.

Written Prompt

Submit your written response to the prompt below to help us gain a sense of your direction and development as a designer. Your written response should not exceed 500 words.

Select one design project you’ve been involved with in the past. This could be something you worked on independently, within a professional setting, as part of your degree program, individually, or as part of a group. Share what made this project significant to you - how it challenged you, what you discovered through the experience, and why it continues to stand out in your journey as a designer thus far.

Video Response

Submit a pre-recorded video of yourself answering the prompt below. Upload the video to the Portfolio section via ECU's application portal. The video should not exceed two (2) minutes in length.

Briefly tell us what interests you about design, what are your ambitions and what constitutes successful study for you?

Keywords Exercise

Submit a list of five to ten (5-10) keywords to contextualize and describe your creative practice, process and research.

Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Submit a list of relevant professional and academic experiences. Include publications, volunteer and community work, awards and honours or other achievements.

Recommendation Forms

Submit the contact information of three (3) recommenders. Recommenders will then be asked to fill out a recommendation form on your behalf.

Your recommenders should be familiar with your art or design practice and research.

Submit their contact information early to allow them sufficient time to complete the form. Recommendation Forms are filled in electronically, directly by the recommenders. Recommenders must use an official email address associated with an academic institution, or company.

Once an applicant enters an email address of a recommender, the recommender will automatically receive a message with instructions. The applicant will receive a confirmation once the recommendation form is filled successfully.

As an applicant to Master of Fine Arts (Full-residency) or Master of Fine Arts (Low-residency), you are required to submit:

Portfolio

Submit exactly ten (10) examples of your studio work to help us evaluate your readiness to pursue a graduate education at Emily Carr University.

Upload single-page files of documentation of your artwork, in 2D, 3D or time-based media. Time-based media should not exceed three minutes in length.

Be selective. Curate and edit your portfolio to present your strongest, most imaginative and recent work.

Written Prompts

Submit your written responses to the prompts below to demonstrate your critical thinking, articulation, level of interpersonal skills and more. Please provide an answer to all questions below. Your written responses should not exceed 250 words each.

• Research often involves a synthesis of existing scholarship and the development of new insights or arguments. Describe a research gap or question within your field that you believe is worth exploring in your thesis. How would your research contribute to filling this gap?
• A fellow student expresses a different cultural or ideological perspective during a class discussion that is met with resistance or misunderstanding from others. How would you demonstrate empathy, contribute to a constructive dialogue, and promote an environment of mutual respect and cultural understanding?
• At Emily Carr University, we understand artistic research as a dialogue with contemporary art. Can you name and discuss the influence of two contemporary artists that inspire your practice?
• How do you engage with historical, cultural or societal influences in your artwork? Describe specific instances where you have incorporated or responded to these influences in your creative process.
• What specific skills, knowledge, or areas of expertise do you hope to develop further through the MFA program? Be as detailed as possible.

Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Submit a list of relevant professional and academic experiences. Include publications, volunteer and community work, awards and honours or other achievements.

Recommendation Forms

Submit the contact information of three (3) recommenders. Recommenders will then be asked to fill out a recommendation form on your behalf.

Your recommenders should be familiar with your art or design practice and research.

Submit their contact information early to allow them sufficient time to complete the form. Recommendation Forms are filled in electronically, directly by the recommenders. Recommenders must use an official email address associated with an academic institution, or company.

Once an applicant enters an email address of a recommender, the recommender will automatically receive a message with instructions. The applicant will receive a confirmation once the recommendation form is filled successfully.