• Design Studies (Graduate Minor)

  • Overview

    The Design Studies graduate minor is offered through Parsons School of Design.

    The graduate minor in Design Studies enables students to familiarize themselves with the theories, scope, and methodologies of design studies. The minor is designed to complement a variety of master's and doctoral programs in the liberal arts, social research, and other design disciplines.

    Design Studies addresses the complex relationship of design to society and investigates the social, political, and ethical facets of design from a future-oriented perspective. The courses offered as part of this minor draw on both analytical and propositional modes of inquiry, allowing students to acquire a critical understanding of design. Grounded in a material culture approach and recognizing design as an agent of social change, students investigate notions such as the emergent, memory, and the politics of infrastructure.

    Curriculum

    This graduate minor requires successful completion of 9 credits. The required core course for this minor is Discourses in Design. In addition to completing the core course, students must select two electives from the chart below.

    Course availability may vary from semester to semester. Some courses may be in development and offered at a later time. Students seeking to pursue alternative coursework to fulfill the minor should consult with their advisors.

    Subject AreaCourse OptionsRequirements
    Core coursePGDS 5005 Discourses in Design3 credits
    Electives

    See a list of suggested electives that fulfill these requirements.

    6 credits

    Learning Outcomes

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

    • An understanding of the major theoretical frameworks that have shaped and continue to shape the field of design studies
    • The ability to competently articulate various design disciplines and practices, from object oriented to system based to community driven, that inform current design studies
    • The ability to competently articulate an understanding of the relationship between design and sociocultural issues such as gender, race, ethics, and politics

    Faculty

    David Brody, Professor of Design Studies
    Caroline Dionne, Assistant Professor, History and Theory of Design Practice
    Jilly Traganou, Associate Professor of Spatial Design
    Susan Yelavich, Associate Professor of Design Studies, Art and Design History and Theory

    Eligibility

    The Design Studies graduate minor is available to graduate degree students across The New School. 

    Students can retroactively apply successfully completed courses toward a minor upon declaring or applying. 

    After a student successfully completes a minor's requirements, the minor will appear on the student's academic transcript at graduation.

    For questions about this minor, please contact David Gissen, Professor of Architecture and Urban History, at [email protected].

  • 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. Note that some minors require an application.

  • 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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