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Parsons School of Design

Former names	Chase School (1896–1898) New York School of Art (1898–1909) New York School of Fine And Applied Art (1909–1941) Parsons The New School for Design (2005–2015)
Type	Private Art and Design School
Established	1896; 129 years ago (1896)
Parent institution	The New School
Accreditation	AICAD NASAD NYSED MSCHE NAAB
Dean	Yvonne Watson
Academic staff	1,400
Students	5,755
Undergraduates	4,604
Postgraduates	1,151
Location	New York , United States 40°44′07″N 73°59′39″W / 40.73528°N 73.99417°W / 40.73528; -73.99417
Campus	Urban
Colors	White, Black, Parsons Red
Affiliations	Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Mascot	Gnarls the Narwhal

Parsons School of Design, often called Parsons, is a private college for art and design. It is located in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. Parsons was started in 1896 by a group of artists who wanted more creative freedom. It is one of the oldest art and design schools in New York.

Parsons was the first school to offer special programs in areas like fashion design, interior design, and graphic design. In 1921, it became the first American school to open a branch campus abroad, called the Paris Ateliers. In 1970, Parsons joined The New School, a private research university. This made it the only private art and design school linked with a major university. Parsons offers many art and design programs. Students can also take classes at other colleges within The New School.

A Look at Parsons' History

Early Years: The 19th Century

Founder William Merritt Chase with students in 1903

Parsons started in Manhattan in 1896 as the Chase School. It was founded by William Merritt Chase, a famous American painter. He and other artists left another school to create a more modern place to learn. Famous artists like Marsden Hartley and Edward Hopper studied here. Chase was a great artist and teacher, but not good at running a business. So, in 1898, the school got new leaders and was renamed the New York School of Art.

Growing in the 20th Century

In 1904, Frank Alvah Parsons joined the school as a professor. He later became the director in 1911. Parsons saw that art and design would become very important in the new industrial age. He started the first programs ever in fashion design (then called costume design) in 1904. He also began programs for interior design in 1906 and graphic design in 1910.

In 1909, the school changed its name to the New York School of Fine and Applied Art. This new name showed that it now taught both art and design. Frank Alvah Parsons believed that art should be for everyone, not just a few. He said, "Industry is the nation's life, art is the quality of beauty in expression, and industrial art is the cornerstone of our national art." In 1921, Parsons and a former student, William M. Odom, opened the school's Paris ateliers.

After Frank Alvah Parsons passed away in 1930, William M. Odom became the director. In 1941, the school was renamed Parsons School of Design to honor Frank Alvah Parsons. His ideas about art and design really shaped the school. By the mid-1960s, Parsons was known as a top place to train designers. In 1970, Parsons joined The New School. This allowed it to offer more degrees and research opportunities. Parsons was the first in the U.S. to offer university degrees in fashion design, interior design, and lighting design in 1970.

Parsons in the 21st Century

In 2005, the main university was renamed The New School. So, the college became Parsons The New School for Design. In 2015, the school went back to its original name, Parsons School of Design. Around this time, the school also got a new look for its brand.

In 2019, Parsons teamed up with IBM to create courses in quantum computing. This led to Parsons winning an award for its "Quantum Computing for Design and Social Research" project. Also in 2019, Parsons' data visualization program worked with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Students used museum data to create cool presentations. In 2020, the United Nations worked with Parsons students. They focused on design solutions for climate change and gender equality. In 2022, Parsons' communications design department celebrated 100 years. It was one of the first schools to offer an undergraduate program in this field.

Campus Life at Parsons

The University Center

The University Center, finished in 2013

In 1967, a building at 63-65 Fifth Avenue was bought and renovated. It was named The Albert List Academic Center. It served as a cafeteria and research center for many years. In the early 2000s, the university decided to replace it with a larger "university center." This new building would bring several of The New School's colleges together.

The new University Center opened in January 2013 at 65 5th Avenue. This 16-story building was the biggest project the university had ever done. It won several design awards. The building is very energy-efficient. It uses green building methods like special sensors and recycled water. It was one of the most energy-efficient academic buildings in the U.S. when it was finished.

The University Center has a library, student dorms, lecture halls, and an auditorium. It also has dining areas, computer labs, and many art and design studios. The building displays part of The New School Art Collection. This collection includes works by famous artists like José Clemente Orozco and Thomas Hart Benton.

The Sheila C. Johnson Design Center

The buildings at 2 West 13th Street, 66 Fifth Avenue, 68 Fifth Avenue, and 70 Fifth Avenue are known as the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center. The largest building, 70 Fifth Avenue, was built in 1914. It was once home to the national office of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Many other groups working for justice and civil rights were also located here.

The complex was renovated in the early 2000s. This was made possible by a gift from Sheila Johnson. The renovated area is called the "Urban Quad." It has classrooms, common areas, and art galleries. It also houses the New School Archives. This collection has drawings, photos, and letters about 20th-century design. The building's renovation won many awards. In 2021, it became a NYC landmark. This recognized its history of supporting groups that worked for justice and civil and political rights.

Parsons East

The Parsons East building is at 25 East 13th Street. It is home to the School of Constructed Environments. This school includes the Architecture, Interior Design, Lighting Design, and Product Design departments. It also has workshops like the Laser Lab and woodcutting shop. The Fine Arts department and student studios are also in this building.

Albert and Vera List Academic Center

The building on 16th Street is called the Vera List Center. It has floors dedicated to design studies. The 6th and 12th floors are for the Design & Technology programs. This building also has a library.

What You Can Study at Parsons

Programs Offered

Parsons offers over 30 different degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. These programs are organized into five main schools. Besides their main studies at Parsons, students can also take classes at other parts of The New School. These include the School for Social Research, College of Performing Arts, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, and Schools of Public Engagement.

School of Art and Design History and Theory
School of Art, Media, and Technology
School of Constructed Environments
School of Design Strategies
School of Fashion

How to Get In

About 46% of students who apply to Parsons School of Design are accepted. Students do not have to submit SAT or ACT scores. Most undergraduate applicants need to send a portfolio of their artwork. They also have to respond to a special "Parsons Challenge" prompt.

Rankings

In 2022, Parsons School of Design was ranked the top art and design school in the United States. This was the fifth year in a row it held this title. Globally, Parsons ranked third in art and design. Forbes magazine also named Parsons one of America's top design schools in 2021. The school is especially famous for its fashion design program, which is often ranked among the best in the world.

Parsons Around the World

Parsons Paris

The Parsons table, designed in Parsons Paris in the early 1930s

In 1921, Frank Alvah Parsons opened a branch school in Paris, France. It was called the Paris Ateliers. The school found a permanent home in Paris in 1922. Parsons believed that France was a great place for artistic inspiration. The school offered courses in architecture, interior design, and fashion design. Famous designers like Christian Dior and Elsa Schiaparelli visited to critique student work.

The school closed in 1939 because of World War II. Parsons restarted its Paris programs later, and it became known as Parsons Paris. In 1980, Parsons partnered with the American College in Paris. This allowed students to earn degrees from Parsons School of Design.

Later, the partnership ended. But in 2012, The New School announced that a new Parsons Paris would open in 2013. This new school is located in Paris and offers various bachelor's and master's degrees. All classes are taught in English.

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Parsons has a special partnership with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. They offer a two-year master's program together. It focuses on the history of design and curatorial studies.

Famous People from Parsons

Alumni

Many influential artists and designers have studied at Parsons. These include painter Jasper Johns, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, and sculptor Alexander Calder. Other famous alumni are industrial designer Sara Little Turnbull, Google's doodle designer Ryan Germick, and Pixar artist Peter de Sève. Well-known interior designers like Mario Buatta and photographers like Duane Michals also attended. Famous artist and activist Ai Weiwei and film director Joel Schumacher are also Parsons alumni.

Parsons is especially known for its fashion graduates. Many top fashion designers studied here, such as Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Tom Ford, and Anna Sui. Other notable fashion names include Jason Wu, Isaac Mizrahi, and Derek Lam.

Some alumni from famous families include Bella Hadid, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, and Brooklyn Beckham.

Notable Parsons School of Design alumni include:
Jasper Johns: painter, sculptor, and printmaker
Sara Little Turnbull: industrial designer
Alexander Wang: fashion designer
Roy Lichtenstein: pop artist
Tom Ford: fashion designer
Heron Preston: fashion designer
Anna Sui: fashion designer
Julie Umerle: painter
Alexander Calder: sculptor
Marc Jacobs: fashion designer
Peter de Sève: illustrator
Mario Buatta: interior designer
Paul Rand: art director and graphic designer
Donna Karan: fashion designer
Duane Michals: photographer
Ai Weiwei: fine artist, activist
Jason Wu: fashion designer
Norman Rockwell: painter, author, and illustrator

Faculty

Parsons has many talented teachers. There are 127 full-time and 1,056 part-time faculty members. Many of them are successful artists and designers in New York City. There is one teacher for every 10 students. Famous faculty members have included Frank Lloyd Wright, Piet Mondrian, and Tim Gunn. Many teachers have won major awards like the MacArthur 'Genius' Fellowships.

Student Life

Students

Parsons has over 5,000 students. About 80% are undergraduate students, and 20% are graduate students. Most students attend full-time. About one-third of the students (35%) are international, coming from 116 different countries. The largest groups are from Asia and Europe. In 2020-2021, 80% of students received some financial help from the school. In 2020, 70% of students identified as female, 24% as male, and 6% as nonbinary. The New School has over 100 student groups for all its colleges, including Parsons.

Publications

The New School Free Press (NSFP) is a student newspaper. It covers events around The New School. It has printed editions and an online website.
re:D is a magazine for Parsons alumni and the wider Parsons community.
Scapes is the yearly journal of the School of Constructed Environments.
The Journal of Design Strategies looks at teamwork between management and design.
The Parsons Journal for Information Mapping (PJIM) is published every three months. It focuses on how information is shown visually.
BIAS: Journal of Dress Practice started in 2013. It combines visual culture, fashion theory, and design.
The Fashion Studies Journal is a monthly academic journal. It provides a platform for writing about fashion.

Broadcasting

WNSR (New School Radio) is a student-run online radio station. It covers news and opinions for all parts of The New School. Students create podcasts and streaming shows. It started in 2008.
NSCR (New School CoPa Radio) is an online radio station run by the College of Performing Arts. It plays music by students, teachers, and alumni. It started in 2021.
New Histories is a podcast run by teachers. It focuses on the history of the university.
Public Seminar is a podcast about democracy. It looks at it through design, social sciences, and arts.
Unbound is a student-run podcast. It focuses on philosophy.