PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN

66 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

Background Image: Make NYC Your StudioSCHOOL WEBSITE

Parsons School of Design is one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world. Today Parsons is the only American art and design school within a comprehensive university — The New School — which also houses a rigorous liberal arts college and a progressive performing arts school. Here you can master established art and design fields or advance emerging ones and study across all university disciplines. Based in New York, Parsons also has a campus in Paris as well as projects and partnerships around the world.

DEGREES OFFERED: AAS, BBA, BFA, MA, MArch, MFA, MS, MPS

ACCREDITATION: MSCHE, NAAB, NASAD

Hover over dots to see degrees offered and online availability.MAJORS OFFERED:

Architectural Design
Architecture and Lighting Design
Architecture
Communication Design 
Data Visualization
Design and Technology 
Design and Urban Ecologies
Design Studies
Fashion Design and Society
Fashion Design
Fashion Marketing 
Fashion Studies
Fine Arts 

  

Graphic Design
History of Design and Curatorial Studies
Illustration
Industrial Design 
Integrated Design
Interior Design 
Lighting Design
Photography
Product Design
Strategic Design and Management  
Textiles
Theories of Urban Practice
Transdisciplinary Design

MINORS OFFERED:

Alternative Fashion Strategies
Anthropology
Art and Design History
Capitalism Studies
Comics and Graphic Narrative
Communication Design
Contemporary Music
Creative Arts & Healing
Creative Coding
Creative Entrepreneurship
Creative Technologies for Performative Practice
Culture and Media
Dance
Data Visualization
Design Studies
Digital Humanities
Dramatic Arts
Economics
Environmental Studies
Ethnicity and Race
Fashion Communication
Fashion Studies
Film Production
Fine Arts
Food Studies
French Studies
Gender Studies

 

Hispanic Studies
History
Immersive Storytelling
Interdisciplinary Science
Japanese Studies
Jewish Culture
Journalism and Design
Literature 
Museum and Curatorial Studies
Music Composition
Philosophy
Photography
Politics
Post-Genre Music: Performance and Creation 
Printmaking
Psychology
Religious Studies
Screenwriting 
Social Practice
Sociology
Sustainable Cities
Temporary Environments
Theatre
Urban Studies
Visual Studies
Writing
LEGEND

 Certificate
 Associates Degree
 Bachelor’s Degree

 Postbaccalaureate Certificate
 Low-Residency Masters
 Masters Degree

 Fully Online
 Partially Online
 Optional Online

FOUNDATION PROGRAM

Parsons’ first-year course of study immerses students in an exploration of art and design concepts, skills, and critical practices, training them to become flexible thinkers, capable makers, and lifelong learners. The curriculum offers a survey of approaches to art and design that prepare students for the undergraduate programs at Parsons and enable them to envision paths beyond the confines of a single discipline.

This program is Residential.

UNDERGRADUATE COST OF ATTENDANCE 2021-2022

FULL-TIME
TUITION	$ 51,722
MANDATORY FEES	1,216
BOOKS & SUPPLIES	1,300
ON-CAMPUS ROOM & BOARD	23,700
OFF-CAMPUS ROOM & BOARD	16,000
OTHER	2,550

FINANCIAL AID 2019-2020 FULL-TIME FRESHMEN *

AID CATEGORY	AVG PER RECIPIENT	1st YR RECIPIENTS
INSTITUTIONAL AWARDS3	$17,790	78%
FEDERAL/NATIONAL GRANTS	6,040	14%
STATE & LOCAL GRANTS	4,939	2%
FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS	5,335	25%

AVERAGE AMOUNT RECEIVED PER RECIPIENT: $69,964
25% OF FULL-TIME FRESHMEN RECEIVED AID

* Most recent financial aid data available

ACCEPTANCE RATE: 64%

Acceptance Rate = The percentage of students admitted out of applications received in a given year.

 

ENROLLMENT: FALL 2020

UNDERGRADUATE FTE¹ = 4,082

UNDERGRADUATE

FULL-TIME	3,465
PART-TIME	1,571

NOTE 1: “Full-Time Equivalent” is the common way to measure the relative size of colleges. This adjusts for differences in the percentage of part-time students (or faculty). For example: one full-time student = 1 FTE; three half-time students = 1.5 FTE, etc.

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

APPLICATION:	Required
ONLINE APPLICATION:	Recommended
APPLICATION FEES:	None
HOME EXAM:	Recommended
INTERVIEW:	Recommended
ESSAY:	Required
SAT / ACT:	Required
PORTFOLIO:	Recommended
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:	N/A
IELTS:	N/A
TOEFL:	N/A

TRANSCRIPTS

HIGH SCHOOL:	Required
COLLEGE:	Required

FACULTY: 2020-2021

FACULTY FTE¹ = 741

FULL-TIME	159
PART-TIME	1042

 

STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO: FALL 2020
1.583381 TO 1
FTE STUDENTS PER FTE FACULTY¹

RETENTION

FRESHMAN RETENTION

FALL 2018 FRESHMEN RETURNING IN FALL 2019	89%
FALL 2019 FRESHMEN RETURNING IN FALL 2020	77%

GRADUATION

SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE

FALL 2013 FRESHMEN GRADUATING WITHIN SIX YEARS	82%
FALL 2014 FRESHMEN GRADUATING WITHIN SIX YEARS	100%

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UNDERGRADUATE ETHNICITYFALL 2020

•  3% AFRICAN AMERICAN
•  14% ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER
•  10% HISPANIC
•  24% WHITE/NON-HISPANIC
•  0% NATIVE AMERICAN
•  4% MULTIRACIAL
•  3% OTHER/UNKNOWN
•  42% INTERNATIONAL

UNDERGRADUATE GENDER DISTRIBUTIONFALL 2020

•  78% FEMALE
•  22% MALE

NEW STUDENT GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION²FALL 2020

•  11% IN-STATE
•  0% OTHER STATES
•  39% REST OF U.S.
•  43% INTERNATIONAL

OTHER PROGRAMS

Continuing Education
Summer and Pre-College Programs
Non-Credit Certificate Programs

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Career Services
Internships
Joint Degree Programs
Study Abroad

NOTE 1: “Full-Time Equivalent” is the common way to measure the relative size of colleges. This adjusts for differences in the percentage of part-time students (or faculty). For example: one full-time student = 1 FTE; three half-time students = 1.5 FTE, etc. NOTE 2: Geographic distribution is reported for first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates. NOTE 3: Includes all institutional scholarships and grants, but does not include College Work Study or third party awards.

Parsons School of Design – The New School

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New York City, New York, United States The New SchoolParsons School of Design enables students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing society. Students collaborate with peers throughout The New School, industry partners, and communities around the world and in New York City, a global center of art, design, and business.

• 18Masters
• PrivateInstitution Type

Top reasons to study here

• Creativity, innovation, and a desire to challenge the status quo, both in what and how they teach and in the intellectual ambitions of the school itself.
• Social engagement, orienting student’ academic experience to help them become critically engaged citizens.
• Learning opportunities on the New York City campus as well as online and abroad to prepare students to work in global contexts.

Master’s Programmes

Arts, Design & Architecture (17)Applied Sciences & Professions (6)Business & Management (3)Computer Science & IT (2)Engineering & Technology (2)Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (2)Humanities (2)

About

History

The renowned American Impressionist William Merritt Chase founded the school in 1896. It was a rebellious gesture: Chase led a small group of Progressives who seceded from the Art Students League of New York in search of more individualistic expression. Parsons has been a pioneer in art and design education since its inception, spearheading new movements and teaching methods.

Education

A leading design school offering undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree programs, Parsons lets you engage with a range of disciplines — studio design, urban planning, fashion, media, design management, design studies, and more. 

Research

The rigor and relevance of art and design research have never been greater. The need for interdisciplinary, team-based approaches to solving complex problems is rising. Designers who are skilled at collaborative research are in increasing demand, and there is a growing recognition of the competitive advantage offered by creative practice and design thinking in the new economy. Much of this work is conducted in collaboration with external partners and is coordinated through our research and design labs.

Career

The Center for Student Success – Careers helps students and alumni of Parsons School of Design connect with jobs, internships, and other professional opportunities. They offer a variety of resources and services that give you the competitive edge. The services, resources, and announcements are published on their site and can be accessed using their online job board,the Village – Careers .

Services:

• One-on-One Career Counseling
• Résumé, Curriculum Vitae, Portfolio and Cover Letter Reviews
• Practice/Mock Interview Sessions
• Information about Effective Job/Internship Search Strategies, Graduate School, and Networking Opportunities
• Workshops, Panels, Networking Events, and Career/Internship Fairs

Services

Student services

The Office of Student Affairs at Parsons supports the educational mission of the university by coordinating student services and building a community that prepares students for their academic and professional life. Student Affairs provides mentorship and opportunities for students to enhance their learning and personal development, receive academic and career guidance, develop leadership skills, and receive counsel through crises.

Housing services

At Parsons, you live and study as part of a diverse community in a dynamic city. University residence halls in the Greenwich Village and Wall Street areas are a secure and supportive environment that can ease the transition from home to college and from culture to culture. All undergraduate residences come fully furnished, and each is staffed with a professional residence hall director and student resident assistants.

The Housing Office also provides listings of apartments and a comprehensive off-campus housing guide. We strongly encourage students unfamiliar with New York City, particularly first-time freshmen, to take advantage of student housing

Library services

The Angelo Donghia Materials Library and Study Center, funded by the Angelo Donghia Foundation, consists of a library, a gallery, a computer lab, and a lecture hall. The library allows students and faculty to review and check out state-of-the-art resources, putting the latest and most exclusive materials at their fingertips.

ICT services

Over the past four years, the university has invested more than $30 million in a series of extensive labs and information technology services. While on campus, students can take advantage of the university wireless Internet network. Digital projectors, surround sound, and active white boards feed into equipment racks that enable presentation of all media types in the classroom.Show less

Medical services

Student Health and Support Services provides medical, psychological, and wellness support services to our students year-round. Through high-quality, comprehensive, and holistic health care and support, they help students become thoughtful health consumers and advocates for their own well-being and the well-being of others.

Student Life

Campus life

New York City is home to Parsons’ main campus and a range of creative practitioners and industries. Parsons Paris offers students an atelier-like setting from which to explore heritage brands and traditions, new technologies, and a host of art, design, and business partners in Europe and beyond.

Sports facilities

Through The New School, you can access the Department of Athletics and Recreation facilities. Students have opportunities to take part in physical exercise and sports while meeting new people, enjoying social interaction, and building community. 

Throughout the academic year, the department hosts weekly group fitness programs, intramural team sports, outdoor activities, and special events. In addition, The New School offers competitive athletic teams in basketball, cross-country track, tennis, and soccer.

Student clubs

PSS is a student-run organization and forum where students can voice their concerns or ideas. The organization works directly with Parsons administrators and presents them with issues that students currently face. As a funded organization, PSS’s goal is to give back to the Parsons student community and support peers in bringing their ideas and projects to fruition. PSS meets weekly, and all meetings are open to all members of the Parsons student body.

Accreditation

Parsons and The New School are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The New School, a privately supported institution, is chartered as a university by the Regents of the State of New York.

Parsons is also an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). It also offers a Master of Architecture degree program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.