In addition to the personal statement, applicants to the MFA must submit a separate statement explaining their motivation for pursuing an MFA in Information Design and Data Visualization. In the MFA statement, provide insights about your work to date and how it could inform your graduate studies and/or thesis work. This statement can include a discussion of particular areas and projects that you are interested in researching further. The MFA statement should be 300 500 words. Additionally, applicants to the MFA in Information Design and Data Visualization must submit a portfolio via SlideRoom, an online portfolio submission service. The submission fee is $12.00 (USD). Technical guidelines are available at SlideRoom.
Master of Fine Arts (MFA): Minimum of 5 documents required
The application portfolio should consist of recent original work that demonstrates design or other relevant project-based experience. Please note that as part of the five required documents you can include multiple aspects of the same project. Portfolios typically include:
Visualization work (infographics, maps, diagrams or charts) Screenshots from websites or interactive applications
Data analyses Coding or software development documentation Design projects (idea sketches, prototypes or results)
Professional projects
Creative work from other disciplines (Art, Graphic Design, Architecture, Journalism, Photography or Film)
Research projects (analytical: quantitative or qualitative, ethnographic)
State of the art or position papers

To be considered for admission to a CAMD graduate program, international applicants must show proof of English proficiency. This requirement can be met by submitting satisfactory results on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test. Please note that scores are valid for two years and scores must be valid at the time your application is received. Official score reports must be sent to Northeastern University directly from the testing agency. We expect a minimum score of 100 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT). You should plan to take the exam well in advance of our application deadline as it may take up to six weeks for your official score report to be sent to CAMD. We expect a minimum overall band score of 7.0 on the IELTS.