Tiama Wilson "LGBT Superhero Goggles"

about first year courses


The curriculum is focused on various approaches to teaching and learning a range of art and design methods, theories, and practices. This includes a grounding in the liberal arts, and working across studio and seminar contexts, through reading, writing, and making. The First Year is the beginning of all Parsons majors, and prepares students to focus on their majors moving forward as well as envision paths beyond the confines of a single discipline. Visit the Parsons website for more information on curriculum, faculty, and news.

student work

Kenlee Danner "A little book of Big Bad Things" Kenlee Danner

Kenlee Danner "A little book of Big Bad Things"

VV (Hanwei) Su "Sunrise.Noon.Sunset" VV (Hanwei) Su

VV (Hanwei) Su "Sunrise.Noon.Sunset"

Sofia Martin "Adopting the School Uniform Mentality (excerpt)" Sofia Martin

Sofia Martin "Adopting the School Uniform Mentality (excerpt)"

Rongyang Xia "Untitled" Rongyang Xia

Rongyang Xia "Untitled"

Eslie Ahou Ramia Nguessan "Et merde" Eslie Ahou Ramia Nguessan

Eslie Ahou Ramia Nguessan "Et merde"

Steven Lin "Cartography - Digital Grisaille" Steven Lin

Steven Lin "Cartography - Digital Grisaille"

Jonna Marie Grigelevich "Eleventh Grade" Jonna Marie Grigelevich

Jonna Marie Grigelevich "Eleventh Grade"

Juri Yoneda "Flower district" Juri Yoneda

Juri Yoneda "Flower district"

Yetunde Sapp "A Seat at the Table" Yetunde Sapp

Yetunde Sapp "A Seat at the Table"

Anna Baker-Heans "Untitled" Anna Baker-Heans

Anna Baker-Heans "Untitled"

Eva Cass "Portrait as Place" Eva Cass

Eva Cass "Portrait as Place"

Leah Horton "Fluidity" Leah Horton

Leah Horton "Fluidity"

Jessica Tan "Fragment" Jessica Tan

Jessica Tan "Fragment"

Jiang Xiaoyu "Nostalgic Line Drawing Ads - Aspirin" Jiang Xiaoyu

Jiang Xiaoyu "Nostalgic Line Drawing Ads - Aspirin"

     Yerin Hur "Sphinx and Lamassu" Yerin Hur

    Yerin Hur "Sphinx and Lamassu"

    Cassandra Yu "Downward-facing Dog" Cassandra Yu

    Cassandra Yu "Downward-facing Dog"

    Bernice Wong "Fragile Expectations" Bernice Wong

    Bernice Wong "Fragile Expectations"

    Leanne Huang "astro, naut" Leanne Huang

    Leanne Huang "astro, naut"

    Qiuhong Yu "Integrated Cultural Self-portrait in Tile" Qiuhong Yu

    Qiuhong Yu "Integrated Cultural Self-portrait in Tile"

    Sophia Kee "The Artist Trap" Sophia Kee

    Sophia Kee "The Artist Trap"

    Jessica Tan "Integrated Cultural Self Portrait in Tile" Jessica Tan

    Jessica Tan "Integrated Cultural Self Portrait in Tile"

    Hannah Nergaard "Memorial to Infinite Anxiety" Hannah Nergaard

    Hannah Nergaard "Memorial to Infinite Anxiety"

    Bryan Ardron "Bryan Ardron" Bryan Ardron

    Bryan Ardron "Bryan Ardron"

    Joy Hsu ""F" is For Fruit" Joy Hsu

    Joy Hsu ""F" is For Fruit"

    Kirsten Konishi "Tuesday" Kirsten Konishi

    Kirsten Konishi "Tuesday"

    River Marquardt "Personal Exoskeleton" River Marquardt

    River Marquardt "Personal Exoskeleton"

    Isabella Wachsler "Dial Back to the 70s" Isabella Wachsler

    Isabella Wachsler "Dial Back to the 70s"

    Xinli Li "Foreign Place Map" Xinli Li

    Xinli Li "Foreign Place Map"

    Xiaoyu Wang "Untitled" Xiaoyu Wang

    Xiaoyu Wang "Untitled"

    Yingying Chen "SIEGE" Yingying Chen

    Yingying Chen "SIEGE"

    spotlights

       Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program

      Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program

         Shana Agid, Ph.D. Shana Agid, Ph.D.

        Shana Agid, Ph.D.

           Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation

          Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation

             Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence

            Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence

               Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations

              Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations

                 Meet Your Major Events Meet Your Major Events

                Meet Your Major Events

                   Ethan Halpern on Milk.xyz Ethan Halpern on Milk.xyz

                  Ethan Halpern on Milk.xyz

                     First Year Student exhibition First Year Student exhibition

                    First Year Student exhibition

                       Wennie Huang Wennie Huang

                      Wennie Huang

                         José DeJesús Zamora José DeJesús Zamora

                        José DeJesús Zamora

                           Massimo Avanzato Massimo Avanzato

                          Massimo Avanzato

                             Sebastian Grant Sebastian Grant

                            Sebastian Grant

                               OF THEIR OWN MAKING AND WRITING: An Integrative Interview with Kate Teale and Nancy Roach OF THEIR OWN MAKING AND WRITING: An Integrative Interview with Kate Teale and Nancy Roach

                              OF THEIR OWN MAKING AND WRITING: An Integrative Interview with Kate Teale and Nancy Roach

                                 A Look Inside Todd Lambrix's Time: Embodied Class A Look Inside Todd Lambrix's Time: Embodied Class

                                A Look Inside Todd Lambrix's Time: Embodied Class

                                   Amaya Avila Amaya Avila

                                  Amaya Avila

                                     Prerna Sharma Prerna Sharma

                                    Prerna Sharma

                                       Katerina Lanfranco Katerina Lanfranco

                                      Katerina Lanfranco

                                         Jim Osman Jim Osman

                                        Jim Osman

                                           Alexis Williams Alexis Williams

                                          Alexis Williams

                                             Andrea Marpillero-Colomina Andrea Marpillero-Colomina

                                            Andrea Marpillero-Colomina

                                            news / events

                                            Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program

                                            Welcoming the next Director of the Parsons First Year Program

                                            Wearable Watercolor: Royal Talens Visit Adds Color to Integrative Fashion Studio Project Wearable Watercolor: Royal Talens Visit Adds Color to Integrative Fashion Studio Project

                                            Wearable Watercolor: Royal Talens Visit Adds Color to Integrative Fashion Studio Project

                                            Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation

                                            Integrative Studio 2 Field Trip to NARS Foundation

                                            Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence

                                            Book talk and conversation: All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence

                                            Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations

                                            Parsons First Year students visit the United Nations

                                            Meet Your Major Events Meet Your Major Events

                                            Meet Your Major Events

                                            First Year Student exhibition First Year Student exhibition

                                            First Year Student exhibition

                                            Announcing: Context and Interpretation: Hazards, Disasters, and Vulnerabilities Announcing: Context and Interpretation: Hazards, Disasters, and Vulnerabilities

                                            Announcing: Context and Interpretation: Hazards, Disasters, and Vulnerabilities

                                            2018 Sketchbook Competition Winners + Runners-up 2018 Sketchbook Competition Winners + Runners-up

                                            2018 Sketchbook Competition Winners + Runners-up

                                            Sketchbook Competition Sketchbook Competition

                                            Sketchbook Competition

                                            Fashion & Time: Call for First Year Student Work Fashion & Time: Call for First Year Student Work

                                            Fashion & Time: Call for First Year Student Work

                                            Circle Line Tour Circle Line Tour

                                            Circle Line Tour

                                            Afternoon Coffee Presents: Todd Lambrix and Glenn Lavertu Afternoon Coffee Presents: Todd Lambrix and Glenn Lavertu

                                            Afternoon Coffee Presents: Todd Lambrix and Glenn Lavertu

                                            Sen. Kamala Harris speaks to the importance of an art and design education at Parsons Sen. Kamala Harris speaks to the importance of an art and design education at Parsons

                                            Sen. Kamala Harris speaks to the importance of an art and design education at Parsons

                                            Field trip to the United Nations Field trip to the United Nations

                                            Field trip to the United Nations

                                            First Year Faculty Awarded NYFA Artist Fellowships First Year Faculty Awarded NYFA Artist Fellowships

                                            First Year Faculty Awarded NYFA Artist Fellowships

                                            social

                                            Parsons School of Design has offered students innovative approaches to education since its founding in 1896. Today we’re 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. Our undergraduate and graduate programs, offered through Parsons’ five schools, immerse students in focused training, interdisciplinary inquiry, and practice-based collaborative learning. Here creators and scholars master established art and design fields and advance emerging ones while studying a range of university disciplines.

                                            All Rights Reserved © 2019. Parsons School of Design.

                                            Parsons School of Design

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                                            New York, NY 10011