• Creative Coding (Minor)

  • Overview

    The Creative Coding minor is offered through Parsons School of Design.

    This minor provides a hands-on opportunity to explore the making of code-based interactions for creative fields. In this minor, students build critically engaging art and design projects reflecting social awareness and making use of various media, programming languages, and technologies. In studio and seminar courses, students investigate the aims and historical contexts of technical work in the creative fields; the concepts, media, and techniques used; and solutions to creative problems using software and hardware. Students prototype and iterate with code using various forms of inputs and outputs, sensory information, environmental conditions, and emotional responses. Students can explore issues in a variety of forms and styles at a range of scales—from privacy and socially responsible approaches to urban landscapes and large-scale immersive environments.

    The Creative Coding minor draws upon academic offerings and faculty knowledge across the university but has a particular affinity with Parsons' design and technology programming and, of course, studio practice across Parsons in general. This is evidenced in the subject areas of Studio Practice/Iterative Creative Process and Making with Code.

    This minor requires successful completion of 18 credits across four subject areas, as outlined in the curriculum chart below.

    Curriculum

    Subject AreaSample CoursesCredits
    Theory and Precedent CoursesLINA 2026 Code + the Arts
    PLDS 2190 History of Design, 1850–Present: Lecture  
    PLDS 2191 History of Design, 1850–Present: Recitation
    3
    Studio Practice/ Iterative Creative Process*PSAM 1070 CD Foundations: Typography
    PUFY 1020 Space/Materiality
    PUFY 1040 Time
    PUFY 1225 Digital Fabrication
    0–3
    Making with CodePSAM 1028 CD Foundations: Interaction
    PSAM 2120 CD Studio: Digital Product Design
    PSAM 3210 CD Studio: JavaScript
    PUDT 2109 Critical Computation Lecture (co-req: PUDT 2110)
    PUDT 2110 Critical Computation Lab (co-req: PUDT 2109)
    PUDT 2112 Advanced Critical Computation Lab
    PSAM 2211 Digital Asset Creation: 3D
    PSAM 3606 CG 2
    LCOD 2012 Code Toolkit: Python
    LCOD 2010 Code Toolkit
    NMDS 5634 (Un)Coding Video
    6-9
    Beyond the ScreenLLSJ 2001 News, Narrative, and Design I
    LMTH 2080 Python: Data, Science, and Design
    PSAM 3050 Collab
    PSAM 3060 Currents
    LCOD 2232 Code Crafting: The Influence of Textiles on Computing
    LCOD 2422 Coding Natural Language
    3-6

    *Students who have already completed one of these courses or will do so for their major should instead select another course in the subject area "Making with Code."

    Learning Outcomes

    A student who has completed this minor should be able to demonstrate:

    • Understanding of the various historical contexts of creative technology and the ability to choose a context to work in and apply approaches and techniques relevant to that context
    • Understanding of basic design knowledge, history, research principles, concepts, media, and formats for an interactive project
    • Competence in prototyping and iterating with various forms of software and hardware used in creative technology and in applying them in a critically engaging way using interaction design principles
    • Competence in forming creative questions and in building and presenting engaging critical technical responses that provide a unique perspective on the subject matter
    • Competence in using code as a method of creative expression in interactive projects, ranging from educational platforms to experimental installations
    • Understanding of the intrinsic relationship between physical, analog environments and digital experiences

    Eligibility

    This minor is available to all undergraduate students, with the exception of those in the AAS in Communication Design, BFA in Communication Design, and BFA in Design and Technology programs. For questions regarding this minor's curriculum, including requests for course substitutions, please contact Justin Bakse, Associate Professor, at [email protected].

    How to Declare or Change a Minor

    General guidelines for declaring a minor are available here. Current students can declare or change a minor by logging in to my.newschool.edu, clicking on the Academics tab, and then clicking on the link to Major/Minor Declarations.

  • Take the Next Step

    Contact your Student Success advisor to discuss how a minor will fit with your degree requirements.

    Declare or change a minor on my.newschool.edu in the Academics tab. 

  • Take The Next Step

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.

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