Tips on Building a Strong Application

Strong research proposals and statements of intent:  

• Give the Admissions committee a clear idea of what you would like to explore in graduate school. Consider questions such as: Who are you? What do you want to do? Why is this OCAD U program the right place for you to do it? It’s okay to use first person. 
• Demonstrate preparedness for graduate study by connecting your academic, professional, creative, community, and/or lived experiences to your proposed area. 
• Ensure your proposed research is specific, feasible, and appropriately scoped for a master’s -level project. 
• Situate your proposed research within a broader academic, creative, community, or professional context. 
• Tailor your statement to the program and respond directly to the specific requirements outlined in the application and explain how the program aligns with your goals. 
• Focus on communicating the strength of your ideas and potential for success. Applicants come from a wide range of academic, professional, and creative backgrounds – there is no single path to graduate study. 
• Support your ideas with concrete examples and evidence. Reference key scholars, practitioners, theories, projects or work that relate to or inform your proposed research. 
• Write clearly, proofread carefully, and stay within the required word limit. 
• Use a consistent citation format throughout the written components of your application. 

Tips if you’re struggling to narrow down your research interests:  

• Think about a problem you would like to address, a question you are curious about, or a method, material, or technique you would like to explore.  
• Use your proposal to communicate what you hope to explore, research, create or achieve during the program. 

• Focus on presenting a clear direction rather than a fully defined project. Your proposal should demonstrate thoughtful preparation and clear interests while leaving room for your research to evolve during your studies. 
• Show that your topic is well researched and supported but avoid presenting it as so fixed that it cannot be refined as your knowledge and experience develop. 
• Remember that graduate research is an exploratory process. Expect your research interests to expand, change or shift in response to your experiences in the program. 

Your portfolio gives the Admissions Committee insight into your creative, academic, and professional experiences, as well as your goals for graduate study. It helps reviewers understand your interests, assess your preparation for graduate-level study, and determine how the program can support your academic, creative, and professional development. Be strategic and thoughtful about how you present yourself and your work. 

When preparing your portfolio: 

• Give the Admissions Committee a clear understanding of previous work, current interests, and what you hope to pursue during your graduate studies. 
•  Showcase your strengths, capabilities, and areas of interest through carefully selected examples of work. 
• Select work that demonstrate preparedness for graduate-level work, such as research, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, technical expertise, project development, or professional practice. Prioritize quality over quantity. 
• Include process work to demonstrate how you use your skills, knowledge, and technical abilities to develop a project from concept to completion. 
• Be concise. For example, provide a short clip from a video project rather than a full-length file, or include only the most essential pages in a PDF. 
• Provide clear descriptions for each project, including its purpose, context, methods, outcomes, and significance. 
• Clearly identify individual contributions to collaborative projects. 
• Present your work in a polished and well-documented manner. Consider seeking professional assistance to help document your work, if appropriate. 

Tips if you’re applying without a traditional art or design background:  

• Select work samples that reflect strengths, experience, and future goals rather than attempting to create a traditional art or design portfolio. 
• Think broadly about what you can include. Depending on the program, relevant materials may include analytical reports, research papers, proposal documents, software, user experience designs, web applications, websites, community projects, publications, or other examples of professional or creative practice. 
• Choose examples that best demonstrate your skills, knowledge, critical thinking, and potential for graduate-level study. 

Key Tip: As with all aspects of your application, it can be helpful to get an outside perspective! Once you’ve assembled your portfolio, ask a colleague, professor, or friend to review it.