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  • The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is awarded for completion of 120 credits as designated by the program. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred from another institution. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and fulfill all requirements in a timely manner.

    Your BFA begins with Parsons’ first-year curriculum, which serves as the first-year course of study for all undergraduate programs at Parsons. The first year immerses you in an exploration of art and design concepts, skills, and critical practices, training students to become flexible thinkers, proficient makers, and lifelong learners. 

    Starting in your second year, you combine core communication design studios with electives on related topics like environmental graphics, design for social engagement, business, and media studies. Throughout your studies, art and design history and theory courses develop essential research, writing, and critical reasoning skills as well as the conceptual foundations for creative inquiry.

    Parsons’ position within a major university — The New School — informs our interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and practice. University electives broaden your skills and perspectives with a wide range of liberal arts courses in the humanities, the social sciences, media studies, and business.

    To view degree requirements from prior years, visit the Academic Catalogs archive. For a complete listing of courses and course descriptions, visit the university course catalog.

  • FIRST YEAR F S
    PUFY 1000 Integrative Studio 1 3 -
    PUFY 1010 Integrative Seminar 1 3 -
    PUFY 1100 Sustainable Systems 3 -
    PUFY 1020 Space/Materiality 3 -
    PUFY 1030 Drawing/Imaging 3 -
    PUFY 1040 Time - 3
    PUFY 1001 Integrative Studio 2 - 3
    PUFY 1011 Integrative Seminar 2 - 3
    PLHT 1000 Objects as History - 3
    - 3
    Subtotal 15 15
    SOPHOMORE YEAR F S
    PUCD 2025 Core 1: Typography Studio 4 -
    PUCD 2026 Core 1: Typography Lab 2 -
    PUCD 2035 Core 1: Interaction 3 -
    PLDS 2190 History of Design: 1850-2000 Lecture 0 -
    PLDS 2191 History of Design: 1850-2000 Recitation 3 -
    3 -
    PLDS 2500 Intro to Design Studies: Lecture - 0
    PLDS 2501 Intro to Design Studies: Recitation - 3
    PUCD 2125 Core 2: Interaction Studio - 4
    PUCD 2126 Core 2: Interaction Lab - 2
    PUCD 2130 Core 2: Typography - 3
    - 3
    Subtotal 15 15
    JUNIOR YEAR F S
    PUCD 3095 Core 3 Topics: XXXX 6 -
    6 -
    3 6
    PLVS 3500 Advanced Research Seminar: Visual Culture - 3
    PSAM 3050 Collaborative Studio - 3
    - 3
    Subtotal 15 15
    SENIOR YEAR F S
    PUCD 4205 Core 4: Thesis 1 6 -
    3 6
    6 3
    PUCD 4210 Core 5: Thesis 2  - 6
    Subtotal 15 15
    Total Credits
    120

    Objects as History and Sustainable Systems can be taken in either sequence, one in the fall semester and one in the spring.

    The three first-year studio courses — Drawing/Imaging, Space/Materiality, and Time — can be taken in any sequence, two in the fall semester and one in the spring.

    BA/BFA students completing a BFA in Communication Design: Please speak to your advisor to see how your course requirements are spread across your five years at The New School.

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Undergraduates

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

Graduates

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

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