Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about coming to study design at SASD and UB.
Do I apply through UB or separately through SASD?
What are SASD’s admission requirements?
What are the portfolio requirements?
What should I show in my portfolio?
Are there scholarships available? Are they from UB or SASD?
Are there scholarships available for portfolios?
How long is a portfolio scholarship good for?
Can I get a tour of the design program?
How do I apply, get accepted, and register?
When should I apply for the next Fall semester?
What application documents are needed to apply to UB and SASD?
What if I am a US citizen or resident?
What if I am not a US citizen or resident?
How do I transfer to UB and SASD?
How many credits can I transfer to UB?
I came from a term college. How do my credits transfer?
How do my credits and courses transfer to UB?
Who evaluates my transfer credits for use in the SASD and UB curricula?
UB or SASD?
Applications must be made through the University of Bridgeport Admissions Department and see application documents that are needed, below).
SASD can interview and recommend your application but cannot initiate many of the procedures needed for full admission to the University.
However, you should also let us at SASD know that you will be coming (and see portfolio scholarships, below) so that we can work more closely with Admissions to smooth your entry and registration for classes.
SASD Requirements
Portfolio
SASD is looking for a passion for art and design in a portfolio. We recommend that students choose from the following for inclusion in their portfolio: drawings, paintings, posters, photography or video, sculpture, ceramics, fashion, or work for a school yearbook or class.
If a student does not have art or design work or attends a school that does not provide art or design classes, he or she may contact SASD for an assignment to complete at home.
In these cases, we encourage students to visit SASD so a faculty member can provide both examples and materials.
Showing Your Portfolio
Applicants may arrange a visit to SASD or submit a portfolio by disc (CD, DVD) or by a URL to an online portfolio site.
Portfolio Works
Submissions should contain 10-12 samples of your work. Portfolios may be emailed, mailed in on CD or DVD, posted to a personal website, or hand delivered in hard copy form. Discs should be sent to SASD directly:
SASD, Arnold Bernhard Center
University of Bridgeport
126 Park Avenue
Bridgeport CT 06604
Do not send originals of your work; send scans, printouts, photos, or CDs/DVDs!
Graphic Design
Sketches, typography, drawing, lettering, painting, photography, Web or screen work, layout, editorial, experimental, packaging, posters, logo and identity, etc.
Industrial Design
Sketches, ideation, rendering, models, photography, concept realization, working drawings, etc.
Interior Design
Sketches, plans, color studies, lighting plans, site studies, furniture designs, etc.
Scholarships
UB has Merit Scholarships that are based on grades in high school or previous colleges. Apply for them when you submit your FAFSA. SASD has a small portfolio scholarship fund that is allocated by portfolio review and on a first-come basis.
Portfolio Scholarships
SASD has a limited amount of funds for Portfolio Scholarships.
This requires a review of your work in either a personal visit (if you are nearby) or online or by CD or DVD. Discs should be sent to SASD directly:
SASD, Arnold Bernhard Center
University of Bridgeport
126 Park Avenue
Bridgeport CT 06604
Do not send originals of your work; send scans, printouts, photos, or CDs/DVDs!
Scholarship Duration
Design Scholarships are effective during all semesters the student is at UB as a design major.
Other UB scholarships such as Merit Scholarships require the student to maintain a GPA, usually at or above a B (3.0).
Tours of SASD at UB
You can make arrangements with SASD to have a tour of the design school building during school hours and see the school in operation, or attend one of the many UB open houses.
Call 1-203-576-4222
E-mail sasd@bridgeport.edu
Application, Acceptance, and Registration
Apply early to avoid the registration crunch!
Early acceptance means that new students will be more likely to have access to important design electives. Registration for Fall semester begins in April for new and current UB students.
Although UB has rolling admissions, applications that are received in the Fall previous to the one you will be attending are more likely to be able to take advantage of our portfolio scholarship fund as well as to have access to popular courses University-wide.
Your academic advisor, one of the faculty members of SASD, will help you select and register for correct courses for your semesters.
Official Application Documents
Transcripts
Have your official high school transcripts or official transfer transcripts sent directly to the UB Admissions department. They must have official transcripts in order to admit you into the University.
UB Admissions requires high school transcripts for all new first year freshmen.
For transfer students coming from other colleges or universities, UB Admissions requires proof of HS graduation and official transcripts from all other colleges and universities attended.
Transfer Evaluations
Admissions will make a transfer evaluation of the official higher-ed transcript(s) and send the “eval” to us for verification or correction.
We in SASD can look at your unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions of higher learning to get an idea of how your transfer credits will fit the SASD curriculum.
FAFSA
Your FAFSA form is used to determine eligibility for financial aid. This document can be filled in and then filed on-line.
Health Papers
To insure that your and other students’ health is secure, all institutions of higher learning require verification of immunizations.
If you were at a previous institution within one or two years, you can sometimes have your health records forwarded to UB Student Health Services.
If you do not have current, up-to-date papers, you need to get papers from your physician or clinic.
Here is a link to a PDF with further info on what you need to get for the health clearance.
Health PDF
Registration might be delayed or prevented if health papers are not provided.
Domestic Admissions (US citizens and most US residents)
Use the link at
the domestic UB Admissions page.
International Admissions (non-US citizens and non-US residents; I-20 visas)
Use the link at
the international UB Admissions page.
Be sure to apply before July of the year you will be attending UB.
Transfer Admissions
Admissions has a general page with essential information for transferring to UB at
the Transfer Admissions page.
Transferring from a Previous College
Transfer Credits
Students coming from 2-year colleges (junior, community, or associates) can bring in up to 66 credits to UB.
Students coming from 4-year colleges (baccalaureate or above) can bring in up to 90 credits to UB.
A student with 60 community college credits and 30 baccalaureate credits can bring all 90 credits to UB.
Counting Credits
UB is a semester-based institution: 16 weeks of courses in two semesters.
Credits from semester-based institutions are applied one-to-one for transfer purposes.
When students come from term-based institutions of 10 weeks of courses in three terms, the credit count is different; one credit from a term-based institution will probably count as 2/3 of a semester credit (10/15 = 2/3).
Applying Credits
Credits must be relevant to the UB curriculum and to the SASD curriculum.
Core academic courses must meet UB standards.
Design courses must meet SASD standards.
Electives can be applied with some flexibility — but courses outside the design fields might be difficult to apply to design degree requirements.
Here are some links to PDFs of the SASD curriculum worksheets:
Graphic Design New Media Worksheet PDF
Industrial Design Worksheet PDF
Thes PDF forms are subject to change due to curricular adjustments, scholastic directions, availability, and other circumstances. Every effort is made to ensure that any resulting changes are in accord with the mission of SASD, UB, NASAD, and the CT state charter.
Transfer Evaluations
Have your official transcripts sent directly to the UB Admissions department. They must have official transcripts in order to admit you into the University.
Admissions will make a transfer evaluation of the official higher-ed transcript(s) and send the “eval” to us for verification or correction.
We in SASD can look at your unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions of higher learning to get an idea of how your transfer credits will fit the SASD curriculum.