65 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10003

Founded as the Chase School in 1896 and named for the impressionist painter, William Merritt Chase, Parsons The New School for Design was renamed in 1939 for its late and former president, Frank Alvah Parsons. The school offered a wide variety of disciplines in design, including being the first to offer fashion design, interior design and advertising and Graphic Design. By the 1960s, Parsons The New School for Design was known in the industry as "the training ground for Seventh Avenue." In 1920, the school was also the first Art and design school to found a campus abroad. Parsons has four independently operated schools in France, South Korea, the Dominican Republic and Japan.

In 1970, Parsons became a division of the New School for Social Research (currently The New School), linking it with a fully accredited university. In 1972, Parsons The New School for Design moved from its former location on Sutton Place to Greenwich Village.

Students at Parsons not only learn the fundamentals of their design discipline, they are on the leading edge of technology. They learn computer graphics, computer-assisted design, interactive multimedia, digital imaging, and master a host of other technological tools to keep them in the forefront of the design world.

Students at Parson can choose from several associates in art degrees in fashion, graphic and interior design. Parsons The New School for Design also offers over 20 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Quick Facts:

The social and political changes in the United States directly affected Parsons' education philosophy, which formerly emphasized studying interior design in middle to upper class homes. The school became more socially conscious and incorporated urban homes and designs for housing for the underprivileged into its education.

Parsons The New School for Design is an international presence and fine art and design education. Approximately 30 percent of its students are international.

Most of Parson's more than 1,000 teachers are part-time, allowing New York's working designers and artists to be on staff.

There are over 9,000 students who attend Parsons The New School for Design and student housing provides living quarters for over 1,000 of those students in Greenwich Village and the Wall Street areas of New York City.

Exchange programs are available for Parson's students to attend other art and design schools.

Parsons is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. Parsons The

New School for Design is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.