Editor’s note: This listing was updated on October 19, 2022
Overview
Undergraduate students of all majors in the Parsons’ Interior Design program take a foundational first year of art and design concepts, skills and critical practices, fostering an ideal environment for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Beginning in second year, students explore materiality and three-dimensional form and space alongside art and design history and theory courses that develop research, writing and critical reasoning skills. The hands-on curriculum enables students to develop interior spaces through hand and digital drawings, physical models, collage and renderings.
The school partners with leading organizations to drive student work. In 2021, Parsons collaborated with electric vehicle manufacturer NIO, allowing BFA students to work with faculty to repurpose seat belts, airbags, microfibre, leather and aluminum into home goods. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of Parsons’ first-year curriculum, the school’s shops and studio spaces are shared with the Architecture, Fine Arts, Product Design and Lighting Design programs.
With equal focus on practical skills and research, students in Parsons’ accredited two-year graduate program will learn about sustainable design, new technology and materials. Students can pursue a double major in Lighting Design, adding an additional year to the program which incorporates project-based learning and a thesis capstone. For mature students or those looking to change careers, the school also offers a condensed, two-year associate’s degree (though many students complete it in less time due to transfer credits).
Notable alumni
Albert Hadley, Van Day Truex, Victoria Hagan, Jamie Drake, Angelo Donghia, Alejandro Barrios-Carrero, Sheila Bridges, Nicole Campion
Notable Faculty
Alfred Zollinger of Matter Practice
