Pre-BFA Experience

In this Section

The Pre-BFA program in the School of Art & Design (SOAD) is required of all first-year students who pursue one of UW-Stout's Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. While not a major, the Pre-BFA program is designed to help you discover if a BFA is right for you.

You can make that decision during your First-Year Experience (FYX). During FYX, you'll be welcomed you into the SOAD community, guided in your program and career paths, and walked through building your first-year portfolio. SOAD faculty and staff are here for you through FYX—to help you understand and meet acceptance requirements to be admitted into your desired BFA program.

B.F.A. Programs

We offer you a solid foundation in liberal arts, art history and fine arts with a balance of design, theory, conceptual and applied curriculum.

"Being a part of the SOAD community means growth – for my work and as a person. SOAD supports me when I want to excel in my art and design work or just want a peer to connect with. Professors and students have been there for me when I needed advice and feedback, and I’ve gained a variety of perspectives and insight from our conversations."
Mary Benetti
B.F.A. Game Design & Development

School of Art & Design Community

SOAD works hard. We spend a lot of time in the studios and labs. You’ll get to know other Pre-BFA students and join a community of creatives who are just as passionate about art and design as you. All Pre-BFA students take the same FYX classes. The classes transfer across all programs and include:

Drawing I and II
2D, 3D and Digital Design Foundations
Survey of Art History I and II

We play hard, too. There’s so much to experience with SOAD, including:

SOAD faculty and staff, campus partners, and professionals will also help guide you through FYX during virtual events held throughout the year. These required sessions provide mentorship in:

BFA Majors & Minors
Art & Design Careers
SOAD Student Organizations
Study Abroad Opportunities
Other Related Majors/Programs on Campus

"A portfolio is a great way to reflect on all of your projects in one space. It brings to light your strengths and shows areas which may need improvement. From day one, students should be thinking about their future portfolio. It is key to your upcoming career."
Payton Thesing
B.F.A. Graphic Design & Interactive Media

Acceptance Into the Pre-BFA & BFA Program

Your acceptance into UW-Stout automatically enters you into the Pre-BFA program that you chose on your application. Starting with incoming first-year students for fall 2026, you have two potential pathways into your BFA major.

We’re here to help guide you along the way.

Pathway 1: Submit a Portfolio Before Enrolling in Your First-Year Coursework.
Before the start of school, you may submit an independent portfolio for review. If successful, you will be approved for direct-entry into your BFA major and will not be required to apply for the major later. You will still complete the School of Art & Design’s First-Year Experience (FYX) regardless of that outcome. If your portfolio review is unsuccessful, or if you choose not to pursue this pathway, you will still enroll as a “Pre-BFA” in your chosen BFA major. Deadlines and requirements are below. Ready to apply or have questions? Email artdesign@uwstout.edu.

Pathway 2: Submit a Portfolio During or After Your First-Year Coursework.
You enroll as a “Pre-BFA” student and develop a portfolio from the School of Art & Design’s FYX to apply for formal acceptance into your BFA major. After enrolling at UW-Stout, you have two opportunities to apply for acceptance.

What do I need to get accepted into my BFA program?

Pathway 1: After Admission to Stout, Submit the Following by Feb. 1 (Priority Deadline) or April 1 (Regular Decision).

Your portfolio is the most important part of your application. It is evaluated on artistic and conceptual content, design, composition, technical skill, and creative potential. Your portfolio should contain 12 examples of your best and most recent work that showcases your technical skills and idea development. Select works that demonstrate the depth and breadth of your creative experiences and interests. Your portfolio may include works in a variety of media, including two-dimensional work, photography, three-dimensional work, design, architectural renderings, interactive media, websites, video and animation. Portfolio samples may come from formal assignments or outside of an art class.
Submit an essay, saved as one PDF, that includes responses of 150 words or less for each of the three prompts below. Incorporate terms and concepts learned to discuss your work.
- Please tell us about your pre-college background, including your experience with making art or design, your educational experience, and influences.
- Tell us about a single project this year that has been included in the portfolio. Why did you include it? What skills did you learn from this project (technical, critical, creative/process)? Which of your strengths do you think it highlights?
- Give us a vision for your future self: What areas will you improve on? What opportunities have been revealed with your learning at Stout? Describe your career objectives.
A $10 application fee is assessed at the time you electronically submit your portfolio.

Pathway 2: Commonly submitted at the end of the second semester.

2.0 or higher UW-Stout cumulative GPA and a grade of C or better for all art, art history, and design courses.
A personal essay of 300-500 words about how your Foundations work represents your preparedness for your intended major
Your FYX portfolio

Build Your FYX Portfolio

All students interested in pursuing a BFA degree are welcome in the Pre-BFA program. You do not need a portfolio to start. You build your FYX portfolio while taking your first-year classes. Your portfolio will have a maximum of 12 high-quality images representing your original artwork.