Certificate students may choose from courses in a variety of art and design disciplines.
Parsons Academy Certificate Requirements
- Two foundation courses: Choose from Fine Arts I: Drawing, Fine Arts II: Drawing and Painting, and Drawing and Painting (summer only)
- Three elective courses (e.g., Graphic Design, Fashion Design, and Architecture)
- Portfolio Development for students in grades 11 and 12
Students can fulfill the requirements by attending a combination of Parsons programs offered for pre-college students by Parsons Academy, described below.
Certificate Course Fulfillment
Fall and spring students can take one course on Saturday mornings each semester toward their certificate requirements.
Summer students have two options:
- Parsons Summer Academy classes meet five days a week for two weeks in early August. Classes taken in the academy's summer program can be counted as one foundation course and one discipline-specific course.
- Summer Intensive Studies (SIS) pre-college courses meet five days a week for three weeks in New York or Paris and offer undergraduate credit. A grade of B- or higher in any SIS course also counts as three course requirements toward a Parsons Academy certificate. Note: Students must be 16 years of age or older by the start date of the SIS program in order to engage in the program.
Students should submit the petition form below to request their certificate at the beginning of the semester during which they take their final required course. Certificates are issued three times a year: in January, June, and September.
Submit the Certificate Petition Form.
Attendance Policy
The success of Parsons Academy depends on the attendance and motivation of the student body. Each student's sense of achievement will be enhanced by attending and actively participating in the program.
Students taking a class toward a Parsons Academy certificate cannot miss more than two classes. Certificate students who miss class more than two times or fail to participate fully in class will fail the course and may be asked to leave the program.
Students are expected to be on time for every class. Student participation in class is essential, and arriving late is disruptive to the entire class.
If a student will be absent, please contact the office at academy@newschool.edu or inform the faculty.