Art Transfer Students

Misty Marshall, ccri Transfer, sculptures

^{Misty Marshall, CCRI Transfer Student, BFA in Studio Art Program: Sculpture + Painting}

Welcome Transfer Students! You bring a variety of experiences and talents that enrich our educational community. If you are transferring to RIC to complete your studies as an art major or minor, this information will guide you.

Transfer Portfolio Reviews

Studio Art coursework completed at other institutions must be approved for Art Program credit via a portfolio review.

Because curricula and courses vary among colleges, the portfolio reviews determine optimal placement in RIC’s challenging studio art programs. Your plan of study will be determined by the abilities you demonstrate in the work submitted for your portfolio. Being prepared for more advance coursework is essential for successful completion of your degree program.

The Portfolio Review Process

Your art work will be evaluated by Art Department faculty to determine if it meets the standards of a corresponding RIC Studio Art course. Approved portfolios will be granted RIC Art Program credit. Courses that are not approved for program credit will remain in the elective category. Elective credits will accumulate toward your degree, but not fulfill specific Art Program requirements.

Transferring Courses

Students may view a list of corresponding studio art courses using RIC’s Transfer Evaluation System (TES). Students transferring from CCRI or URI are advised to visit the state transfer website for more information regarding transfer within the RI state system.

Courses Without RIC Equivalents on the RIC TES

If a 3-4 credit studio course is not listed on the RIC TES or is designated as “99999 Free Elective” or “XFER 999 Free Elective,” students may still submit a portfolio for these classes and may receive program or elective credit. Examples of such classes include Color, Watercolor, Digital Art, Web Design, etc.

Transferred courses may be approved for RIC Art Program Credit in 3 categories:

Full Art Program Credit — All Art Programs

The portfolio is approved for requirements in all Art Programs: BA Studio Art, BA Art History, BFA Studio Art, BS Art Education or the Minor in Studio Art. Minimum grade requirements apply.

Studio or Art Elective for the BA or BFA Studio Art Programs

The portfolio is approved as a Studio Elective or Art Elective for the BA in Studio Art or BFA in Studio Art Program. While the portfolio exhibits skills that will support your development as an artist or designer, it is missing some skills or content taught in the RIC Art Curriculum, and therefore cannot replace a RIC Foundations or Studio Concentration courses.

Art Elective for the BA Studio Art Program

The transferred course is approved as an Art Elective for the BA in Studio Art Program.

For Studio Art Courses: The portfolio includes some good examples but is missing a significant portion of skills or content taught within the RIC curriculum and therefore cannot replace a Foundations, Studio Concentration, or Studio Elective course.
For Non-Studio Art Courses: (Includes courses such as Art History courses not listed on the RIC TES). This course will support your studies as an Art Elective in the BA in Studio Art Program.

Courses Not Approved for RIC Art Program Credit

Portfolios/courses that do not meet the standards listed above will remain in the General Elective or General Education category per Admissions and accumulate as credits taken on your MyRIC Academic Record.

Portfolio Submission Guidelines

There must be a portfolio of work for each course submitted for Art Program credit.
Portfolios must be sorted by course.
For each course, the number of examples submitted must reflect the quality and scope of work completed.
Submitting too few examples may not provide enough evidence for the review committee.
For each course, please limit the number of examples to a maximum of 20 for each portfolio.

Digital Portfolios

While physical portfolios with original art may be submitted, the digital format is most often used.

Students with portfolios on cloud storage services (e.g. Google Drive) or websites may paste a link into the Transfer Portfolio Form.
Portfolios created with Adobe Publish Online may be included as a link on the Transfer Form.
Current RIC students may use their Microsoft OneDrive account to share their portfolios.
There must be a portfolio of work for each course submitted for Art Program credit.
Digital portfolios must also be sorted by course.
The images for each course should be in a folder, PDF, PowerPoint, etc. named for each course.
For each course, the number of examples submitted must reflect the quality and scope of work completed.
Submitting too few examples may not provide enough evidence for the review committee.
For each course, please limit the number of image files to a maximum of 20 for each portfolio.
The dimension for each image file should be no larger than 1000 pixels in height or width at 72 ppi.
File size of each static image should be no larger than 1 MB (Megabyte)
File formats for images may be JPEG, PNG, SVG or GIF.
Video/Animation examples may be MPEG4, MOV or GIF format and no longer than 1 minute each.
Portfolios published as PDF files or those created with PowerPoint may be uploaded to Google Drive, OneDrive, etc. and should be no larger than 1 to 2 MB each.
For PowerPoint or PDF portfolios, we recommend no background colors or the inclusion of graphics not related to the artwork.
To avoid delays in your review decision, please follow the guidelines.
If you have any questions feel free to contact Nancy Bockbrader, Chair of the Portfolio Review Committee.

Google Drive Directions

If using Google Drive, you must allow General Access:

On your computer, go to Google Drive.
On the folder you want to share, click the Action Menu and select “Share.”
Under “General access,” click the Down arrow and select “Anyone with the link.”
For “Role,” select "Viewer."
Click the “Copy link” button.
Paste the link into the Portfolio Link field on the Transfer Form.

For full details regarding submissions, please review "How to Submit Portfolios"

Art Transfer Student FAQs

Studio art course credits transferred to RIC with a minimum grade of C are listed on the student’s transfer report in the elective category. (The code “XFER 999” will be entered into the equivalent course column.) Elective credits accumulate towards the degree, but do not fulfill specific program requirements unless approved by the Art Department via a portfolio review.

Students who have been accepted to the college should submit their transfer portfolios for review the semester before they intend to begin their studies at RIC. It will be essential to have your portfolio/s reviewed as early as possible so you know which courses you are eligible for.

Portfolios submitted after the Fall or Spring Semesters end, or during Summer Session will be reviewed as soon as possible.

Students requesting RIC Art Program credit for transferred courses will be required to select a major and, if applicable, studio concentration on the Transfer Form. Our Registrar's Officers will need this information in order to update your Transcript, Transfer Report and Academic Advisement Report (AAR).

Not Sure Which Art Major to Choose?

Select the art major and (if applicable) studio concentration and/or minor you are most interested in at the moment. You may update your choices later through the Art Department’s Administration Office if you change your mind.

Preparedness for the next level in your degree program is the main criteria. Because curricula and courses vary among colleges, the portfolio reviews determine optimal placement in RIC’s challenging studio art programs.

The Art Department will provide review results via email as soon as possible — usually within two weeks. To avoid delays, please include your email address, along with other important information, on the Transfer Form.

Please contact the Chair of the Portfolio Review Committee if you have questions.

New B.S. Art Education Intended Majors (IM) and B.A. Studio Art majors who have NOT received transfer portfolio review results should enroll in ART 101: Drawing I AND ART 104: Design I to insure they have a place in each class.

In the event a portfolio is approved just before or at the beginning of a semester, it may be possible to enroll in the next level course.* Deadlines for adding/dropping courses are published on the RIC Academic Calendar.

*Please Note: Foundations courses are often filled to maximum capacity by the end of the previous semester's registration period. Please submit your portfolios as early as possible.

If a portfolio is not approved, the transferred studio art course credits will remain in the elective category and accumulate towards graduation. If the course is a degree requirement, it must be completed at RIC. Discuss your plan of study with an art faculty adviser.

It is important for students to complete their degree in as few semesters as possible.

In the event that transferred courses are not approved for program credit, students are encouraged to discuss their plans of study with an art faculty adviser. Although customized plans of study may expedite the degree, transfer students often need more time to complete their program of study.

Any decisions regarding the plan of study are contingent on the student’s academic goals, grades, overall GPA, final Admissions Office decisions regarding course transfers and Department of Art approvals.

The number of examples submitted may depend on how many projects were completed in the course. Generally, it is assumed there will be several studies/gesture drawings and approximately 5 finished drawings in drawing courses, and a selection of exercises/studies and approximately 5 projects in 2-D and 3-D design courses, and approximately 5 – 7 projects in courses such as Foundations in Digital Media.

For studio concentration courses (Ceramics, Digital Media, Graphic Design, Metals/Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking or Sculpture) it is recommended that you submit the projects completed in the course.

Please limit the number of submissions to 20 image files for each course. Up to three multiple views of a 3-D project or project with pages will be considered one submission.

Please include up to 20 examples of your best work from each course, presented in an organized manner.

Website Portfolios or Portfolios Uploaded to Cloud Storage

You will be able to paste the link/s directly into the Transfer Portfolio Form. Images of your art and design course work must show sufficient detail in order to assess concept and design. Items that fold, booklets or 3-D artwork and design examples should include multiple views. Pixel dimension should be no larger than 1000 in height or width at 72 dpi, and image size should not exceed 20 MB (Megabytes). File formats may be JPEG, PNG, GIF, MPEG4, OR MOV.

Please do not include PDF files or excessively large files to Google Drive or other Cloud Storage service.

If using Adobe Publish Online or Share For Review, the link should be included on the Transfer Form.

Digital Portfolios on USB

Students may submit digital portfolios, sorted by course, on a USB flash drive. Images should be no larger than 1000 pixels in height or width at 72 dpi. File formats may be JPEG, PNG, GIF, MPEG4, OR MOV. PDF files can be included on a USB flash drive.

Original Artwork

Original artworks may be delivered in a portfolio or protective container. Please be sure that items are secure and can be easily taken out for review and replaced. Large works of art should be photographed for submission.

Printed Photographs of Artwork

Photographs of artwork must be good quality. Multiple views of folded works, booklets and 3-D artworks are recommended. Please label with dimension, medium and course name.

Photography Portfolios

A portion of photography portfolios may be submitted in digital form; however, a selection of prints and proof sheets must also be included if you are seeking credit for ART 217: Introduction to Photography.

Because the majority of transfer requests are for foundations courses, additional information describing specific criteria used in the review is included here:

Examples of RIC Student Foundations Artwork

Foundations in Art provides examples of Foundations art work completed by RIC students.

ART 101: Drawing I: Basic Drawing

The portfolio must demonstrate adequate abilities in the use of art elements and compositional strategies. Competent use of line, shape, value, proportion, organization of space, perspective, and composition are essential considerations.

ART 104: Design I: Two-Dimensional Design

The portfolio must demonstrate adequate abilities in the use of art elements, including color theory, and principles of organization. Competent use of visual structure, color, organization of space, problem-solving skills, and quality of execution are essential considerations.

ART 105: Drawing II: Figure Drawing

The portfolio must demonstrate the use of the basic visual language to effectively design coherent and unified compositions based on the analysis and interpretation of visual perception, as well as skills in two-point perspective, foreshortening, shape, line, tone, composition, expression, media and anatomy. Competence in the use of structural and gestural lines, linear variation and tone are essential considerations.

ART 107: Foundations in Digital Media

In order to receive credit for Foundations in Digital Media, students must prove basic proficiency in digital image capture. Portfolios must demonstrate basic abilities of organizing visual elements, composition, form and space, light and color, and combine fundamental artistic knowledge with pixel-based and vector-based digital imagery.

ART 114: Design II: Three-Dimensional Design

Portfolios must demonstrate adequate skills in visual structuring, basic problem-solving, process and media as it relates to the development of form and basic materials construction and manipulation skills. Competence in visual structuring strategies, sequencing, dimensional evolution, understanding and use of both planar and volumetric form, sophistication of concepts and craft are essential considerations.

ART 204: Synthesis/Three-Dimensional Emphasis

If submitting a portfolio to request program credit for ART 204: Synthesis/Three-Dimensional Emphasis, the portfolio must adequately demonstrate abilities more advanced than the first five Foundations courses. Typically, students at this level of study are simultaneously enrolled in a level-one Studio Concentration course. A series of works that demonstrate a consistent personal investigation and a high level of technical proficiency must be present in the portfolio for a positive review

ART 205: Synthesis/Two-Dimensional Emphasis

If submitting a portfolio to request program credit for ART 205: Synthesis/Two-Dimensional Emphasis, the portfolio must adequately demonstrate abilities more advanced than the first five foundations courses. Typically, students at this level of study are simultaneously enrolled in a level-one Studio Concentration course. A series of works that demonstrate a consistent personal investigation and a high level of technical proficiency must be present in the portfolio for a positive review.

Download the Art Department Transfer Form
To complete the form, we recommend Adobe Acrobat® or Preview®.
Submission: Forms are to be completed and submitted as an email attachment.
For cloud storage (e.g. Google Drive), URLs, Adobe Publish Online or Share For Review links: Paste the link/s into the Transfer Portfolio Form. Test your links to ensure access.
If you plan to deliver a USB drive or Physical Portfolio to the Art Department please indicate the drop off date on the Transfer Portfolio Form. The form should be completed and submitted via email attachment.
Physical Portfolios and/or Digital Portfolios on USB may be delivered to:
The Department of Art Administration Office, ALEX AND ANI Hall #143
Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, RI 02908
For office hours please call 401-456-8054 or email the Art Department Administrative Assistant, Armande Aways.
Save the Transfer Form and Rename as "Your_Name_Transfer_Portfolio_Form.pdf"
Email the completed form as an attachment to:
Nancy Bockbrader, Portfolio Review Committee Chair: nbockbrader@ric.edu
Subject: Transfer Portfolio Submission
(Please do not attach images to this email.)

Google Drive Directions

If using links to your Google Drive account, you must allow General Access:

On your computer, go to Google Drive.
On the folder/s you want to share, click the Action Menu and select “Share.”
Under “General access,” click the Down arrow and select “Anyone with the link.”
For “Role,” select "Viewer."
Click the “Copy link” button.
Paste the link into the Portfolio Links field on the Transfer Form.

Program Details

Admission Requirements

A portfolio review is not required for admission to Rhode Island College.

Studio Art coursework completed at other institutions must be approved for Art Program credit via a portfolio review. Because curricula and courses vary among colleges, the portfolio reviews determine optimal placement in RIC’s challenging studio art programs. Your plan of study will be determined by the abilities you demonstrate in the work submitted for your portfolio. Being prepared for more advance coursework is essential for successful completion of your degree program.

Transfer students may also refer to the Rhode Island College Office of Undergraduate Admissions transfer requirements.

Portfolio Guidelines

Please Submit a Portfolio for Each Studio Art Course Being Transferred.

Each portfolio should include up to 20 examples of your best work, presented in an organized manner and sorted by course.

Acceptable Forms of Artwork

Digital portfolios and/or original artworks in a protective portfolio or container may be submitted.

Digital Portfolios

While physical portfolios with original art may be submitted, the digital format is most often used. Students with portfolios on cloud storage services (e.g. Google Drive) or websites may paste the links into the Transfer Portfolio Form. To avoid delays in your review decision, please follow the guidelines.

Digital portfolios must be sorted by course.
Please limit the number of image files to a maximum of 20 for each portfolio.
Up to three different views of a 3-D project or project with multiple pages will be considered a single submission.
The dimension for each image file should be no larger than 1000 pixels in height or width at 72 ppi.
File size of each image should be no larger than 3 MB (Megabytes)
File formats may be JPEG, PNG, or GIF. Video files should be MPEG4 or MOV format.
Do not upload PDF files or excessively large files to cloud storage services (e.g. Google Drive).
Portfolios created with Adobe Publish Online or Share For Review should be added as links on the Transfer Form.

Portfolios for Digital Media Courses

Students have the option of including any combination of images, video links, etc. on video hosting sites, such as Vimeo or YouTube. Static images should be in jpeg format. Video files or animation should be gif, mpeg4 or mov format. Please note the committee will not view video samples that exceed five minutes, so please edit your materials accordingly. Any other projects, such as applications or video games, should be compatible with Mac computers.

Portfolios for Studio Concentration Courses

Students may submit portfolios for ceramics, digital media, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, metalsmithing and jewelry design and sculpture. If a 3-4 credit studio course is not listed on the RIC TES or is designated as “99999 Free Elective” or “XFER 999 Free Elective,” students may still submit a portfolio for these classes and may receive program or elective credit. Examples of such classes include Color, Watercolor, Digital Art, Web Design, etc.

Portfolios for Photography

A portion of photography portfolios may be submitted in digital form; however, a selection of prints and proof sheets must also be included for ART 217: Introduction to Photography credit. (This course includes darkroom techniques)

Portfolios for Foundations Courses

Because the majority of transfer portfolios are for foundations courses, the following foundation courses offered at RIC will describe the specific criteria used in the review:

ART 101: Drawing I: Basic Drawing

ART 104: Design I: Two-Dimensional Design

The portfolio must demonstrate adequate abilities in the use of art elements, including color theory and principles of organization. Competent use of visual structure, color, organization of space, problem-solving skills and quality of execution are essential considerations. 

ART 105: Drawing II: Figure Drawing

he portfolio must demonstrate the use of the basic visual language to effectively design coherent and unified compositions based on the analysis and interpretation of visual perception, as well as skills in two-point perspective, foreshortening, shape, line, tone, composition, expression, media and anatomy. Competence in the use of structural and gestural lines, linear variation and tone are essential considerations.

ART 107: Foundations in Digital Media

In order to receive credit for Foundations in Digital Media, students must prove proficiency in basic pixel-based, vector-based, and time-based art. Portfolios must demonstrate basic abilities of organizing visual elements, composition, form and space, light and color and combine fundamental artistic knowledge in the digital form.

ART 114: Design II: Three-Dimensional Design

ART 204: Synthesis/Three-Dimensional Emphasis

If submitting a portfolio to request program credit for ART 204: Synthesis/Three-Dimensional Emphasis, the portfolio must adequately demonstrate abilities more advanced than the first five foundations courses. Typically, students at this level of study are simultaneously enrolled in a level-one studio concentration course. A series of works that demonstrate a consistent personal investigation and a high level of technical proficiency must be present in the portfolio for a positive review.

ART 205: Synthesis/Two-Dimensional Emphasis

If submitting a portfolio to request program credit for ART 205: Synthesis/Two-Dimensional Emphasis, the portfolio must adequately demonstrate abilities more advanced than the first five foundations courses. Typically, students at this level of study are simultaneously enrolled in a level-one studio concentration course. A series of works that demonstrate a consistent personal investigation and a high level of technical proficiency must be present in the portfolio for a positive review.

How to Submit Portfolios

Download the Transfer Form.
To complete the form, we recommend Adobe Acrobat® or Preview®.
Submission: Forms are to be completed and submitted as an email attachment.
For cloud storage (e.g. Google Drive)* or URL links: Paste the link/s into the Transfer Portfolio Form. Test your links to ensure access.
If you plan to deliver a USB drive or Physical Portfolio to the Art Department please indicate the drop off date on the Transfer Portfolio Form. The form should be completed and submitted via email attachment.
Physical Portfolios and/or Digital Portfolios on USB may be delivered to:
The Department of Art Administration Office, ALEX AND ANI Hall #143
Rhode Island College, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, RI 02908
For office hours please call 401-456-8054 or email the Art Department Administrative Assistant, Armande Aways.
Save the Transfer Form and Rename as "Your_Name_Transfer_Portfolio_Form.pdf"
Email the completed form as an attachment to:
Nancy Bockbrader, Portfolio Review Committee Chair: nbockbrader@ric.edu
Subject: Transfer Portfolio Submission
(Please do not attach images to this email.)

Google Drive Directions

If using links to your Google Drive account, you must allow General Access:

On your computer, go to Google Drive.
On the folder/s you want to share, click the Action Menu and select “Share.”
Under “General access,” click the Down arrow and select “Anyone with the link.”
For “Role,” select Viewer.
Click the “Copy link” button.
Paste the link into the Portfolio Links field on the Transfer Form.