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  • Architecture and Lighting Design MArch/MFA

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    Program Contacts
    Mark Gardner, Interim Director, MArch
    Craig Bernecker, Program Director, MFA Lighting Design

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  • Those who wish to pursue graduate studies in lighting design and architecture at Parsons can apply to the dual-degree program that combines the NAAB-accredited Master of Architecture and the MFA Lighting Design. Interested students should apply directly to the dual-degree program; they will automatically be considered for admission to the individual Master of Architecture and MFA Lighting Design programs as well. 

    Program Highlights

    • Urban Focus

      Explore issues related to public space, housing, neighborhood integration, traffic and pedestrian safety, and other matters of key importance to urban centers.

    • Innovative Approaches

      Learn to contend with demands imposed by use, site, context, structure, and construction while gaining insights into the role of architecture and lighting in shaping culture.

    • New York City Opportunities

      Study in the birthplace of architectural lighting design, with access to important built projects, industry events, trade shows, conferences, and internship opportunities.

    • Creative Collaboration

      Share shops and studio spaces with students from related programs in Industrial Design, Interior Design, Fine Arts, and Textiles, fostering interdisciplinary work.

    • Degree MArch/MFA Dual Degree
    • Format Full time, on campus
    • Credits 120
    • Duration 4 years
    • Other program status STEM-designated

  • Curriculum

    The dual-degree curriculum includes the same required courses as each stand-alone degree. The compressed four-year time frame and reduced total credit points are possible because required architecture courses replace free electives in the lighting program, and required lighting design courses replace free electives in the architecture program. 

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  • Career Paths

    Graduates have gone on to open their own practices and work in prominent firms, including Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Rogers Marvel Architects, LevenBetts, Bernheimer Architecture, Gensler, Lewis.Tsurumaki. Lewis, Matter Architecture Practice, Smith-Miller Hawkinson, and Young Projects. In addition to architecture, graduates have pursued careers in engineering, urban planning, landscape design, or interior design.

    Explore Our Community

    Discover what our students, alumni, and faculty are doing in NYC and worldwide.

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  • Student Work

    See Our Work

  • Parsons faculty represent a broad range of expertise and are acknowledged as leading practitioners and scholars in their fields. 

  • Beyond the Classroom

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      Research Labs

      Research is integral to the Parsons learning experience, and students and faculty work together to challenge existing paradigms and advance emerging scholarship and practice. Explore the thematic research laboratories housed at Parsons and throughout The New School.

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      Industry Engagement

      Connect to the organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs driving global creativity and commerce. In classes, internships, and extracurricular projects, you gain marketable problem-solving skills in sectors ranging from government and nonprofits to tech and creative industries.

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      Internships

      New York City’s thriving creative industry and cultural institutions are part of your Parsons education. Our Career Services Office is enmeshed in the art and design industries and can help you advance your career with industry-oriented internships. 

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      Funded Opportunities

      Funds are earmarked for graduate travel, research, and work to support your study. Opportunities include paid teaching assistantships, research fellowships and assistantships (including ones offered throughout The New School), ample student employment, and other grants available to U.S. domestic and international students alike.

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      Making & Academic Resources

      Enjoy access to extensive resources including New School libraries, computer labs, archives, and studios, along with Parsons’ state-of-the-art Making Center, facilities offering a broad array of tools to support your creative and academic growth.

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    Submit your application

    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.