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Portfolio Submission

Immersive Media Design Computing and Emerging Creative students will submit a portfolio typically in their third semester, while concurrently completing IMDM227 and other required courses toward their degree. Students who intend to pursue a degree in Immersive Media Design and are currently enrolled in IMDM227 must also submit a portfolio. Successful portfolio submissions from Immersive Media Design students exhibit a high level of self-direction, autonomy, and focus.

The portfolio submission website becomes available in October every year and the process runs through November.

Students will have 2 weeks to submit their portfolio through the portal. Portfolios are then reviewed by a committee of faculty members in, and affiliated with, the Immersive Media Design program. 

Portfolio review decisions are emailed to students before the November break.

Starting Monday, October 27, 2025 students may submit their portfolios here. They will close Friday, November 7, 2025. If you have questions about the process, please email imd@umd.edu.

The portfolio submission is an integral part of the Immersive Media Design program for several reasons:

  • It demonstrates practical skills in relevant areas (digital design, mixed reality, interactive and immersive media).
  • It showcases students' technical proficiency in relevant software applications such as Unity and Adobe Creative Suite.
  • It communicates a student's personal style, aesthetic preferences, and artistic vision.
  • It showcases students' ability to communicate ideas effectively through project descriptions and their personal essay.
  • It allows the Immersive Media Design portfolio review committee to assess a student's skills and if their interests align with the programs objectives and strengths. This compatability is crucial in ensuring students are well-suited for the program and will be successful in Immersive Media Design.

The portfolio is not/should not be:

  • A compilation of copied or unoriginal works unreflective of a students creative abilities and artistic vision.
  • A space for submitting multiple pieces demonstrating the same skills or concepts.
  • Contain poorly documented work (photographed, recorded, scanned) to where the review committee cannot look closely at the submitted work.

The portfolio can contain unfinished works - prototypes, sketches, storyboards or planned steps towards a final piece. If you choose to include unfinished pieces, we recommend limiting these to up to 3 pieces of your total portfolio.

 

  1. Must be in an Immersive Media Design degree program (or currently in IMDM227 with the intention of applying for the spring semester).
  2. Minimum overall GPA of 2.7
  3. Must have completed, or be in progress of completing, the following courses with a C- or higher:
    Emerging Creatives, B.A.
    • ARTT100: Two-Dimensional Design Fundamentals
    • ARTT110: Elements of Drawing I (B.A. students only)
    • IMDM101: Introduction to Immersive Media
    • IMDM127: Creative Coding for Digital Media
    • IMDM227: Introduction to Computational Media
    Computing, B.S.
    • CMSC131: Object-Oriented Programming I or CMSC133: Object-Oriented Programming I Beyond Fundamentals or CMSC141: Programming with Purpose I: Data-Centric Computing
    • CMSC132: Object-Oriented Programming II (B.S. students only) or CMSC142: Programming with Purpose II: Data Structures and Algorithms
    • MATH140: Calculus I (B.S. students only)
    • IMDM227: Introduction to Computational Media

Each applicant must submit a portfolio, essay, and an unofficial transcript. Applications not including all the required components will be incomplete and not considered.

Applications open October 27, 2025 and will close November 7, 2025. Portfolios may be submitted here.

 

Try to include 1–2 pieces from required courses in your IMD major, such as:

  • ARTT100 or ARTT110
  • IMDM127, CMSC131, or CMSC133
  • IMDM101

You’re also welcome to include projects from more advanced courses (like CMSC132 or ARTT210) and/or from the first half of IMDM227 if you’ve taken it.

Only submit work you’re proud of! If your instructor suggested revisions, be sure to make those updates before uploading.

Works in Progress

If you’re sharing storyboards, prototypes, or code that represent a work-in-progress, that’s totally fine! Just add some details in the description box about what your final piece might look like once completed.

Personal Work

You can also include up to three personal pieces — maybe something you made outside of class, using new skills from UMD, or even favorite work from high school. These help us get to know your creative direction and interests.

How to Upload

  • Save each image as a .jpg file.
  • Make sure images are clear, color-corrected, and cropped so your work is the main focus.
  • For time-based or interactive projects: upload one representative still image and include a YouTube, Vimeo, or other online link in the description box.
  • For code-based projects: upload a .jpg of what your code produces and include a link to your GitHub, Bitbucket, or other repository. You can also add a screenshot of the code itself if you’d like.
  • Each image should be no larger than 2 MB.

 

Students will submit an essay as part of their portfolio submission. This essay is an essential component of your portfolio providing the review committee with insight into your interest in Immersive Media Design, how your work is in alignment with the program, and your aspirations within the field of immersive media. 

The essay should be approximately 800-1000 words, double-spaced, 12pt font and saved as a PDF to upload into the submission site.

Students may consider some of the following questions in helping them draft their essay:

  •  What are your primary interests in immersive media?
  • Have there been key influences or inspirations that have shaped your work?
  • Are there any IMD alumni, professors, companies, or professionals you’ve found on LinkedIn who inspire you or whose careers you’d like to learn more about?
  • How do you envision your work evolving as you progress in the major?
  • What is your creative process?
  • How do you plan to use the foundational skills you have learned in your first semester's worth of coursework to develop your future work?
  • Have you completed an internship? If yes, where did you work, and what skills did you use that connect to your IMD degree or career goals?
  • What new skills, software, or equipment would you like to learn or gain experience with while you’re in the IMD program? 

Students do not need to answer any or all of these questions, they are just starting points to help the writing process.

We encourage students to give the essay the time and attention it deserves and to not wait until the last minute to write up.

Write the draft, read it out loud, rewrite it for submission.

Students can download their unofficial advising transcript via Testudo. The committee does not require an official transcript. Students having issues downloading their  unofficial transcript should email imd@umd.edu for assistance.

Applications will be reviewed throughout November and students will receive their decision before the November break. Students whose initial portfolio submission was not accepted, have the ability to appeal.

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