• Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in Design

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    Continuing and Professional Education 
    66 West 12th Street
    New York, NY 10011
    Tel: 332.239.2292 
    cpe.advisor@newschool.edu

  • In this certificate program, students develop a theoretical and practical understanding of equity, inclusion, and social justice (EISJ) issues in the world of design. Beginning with an exploration of how equity and anti-oppression are bound up in design systems and processes, students learn how to promote inclusivity in their own professional environments and develop a deeper knowledge of the dimensions of social justice in their personal and professional lives. Students are encouraged to connect their own experiences in art and design contexts to the foundational concepts learned in the course and to recognize how their own perceptions and actions in these contexts and in professional environments can advance or impede struggles for justice. Students leave the course with a set of practical tools with which to promote equity, inclusion, and social justice in their design projects and pursuits.

    Students typically complete this certificate in four months.

    • Format Online
    • Price $1,980
    • Total Courses 3
    • Course Length 5 weeks
  • Courses 

    Equity in Design Process and Systems

    Explore the ways design industries encounter and address inequality and other forms of oppression in the United States and around the world. The course considers the role of equity and social justice broadly in relation to the field of design.

    Building Inclusive Design Cultures

    Discover how professional design environments can foster more inclusive practices. This course provides practical tools with which to respond to anti-inclusive systems and practices, offering opportunities to collaborate with others to advance inclusiveness in the field of design.

    Dimensions of Social Justice in the Design Industries

    This course focuses on the many issues of justice that arise in the design industries and other professional contexts. Students explore questions such as: Who is creating the design? Where is privilege operating?

  • “How can we better understand our everyday encounters with issues of injustice in our fields of professional practice and learn to think about design as a way to promote social justice? The Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice in Design Certificate breaks down complex ideas and offers practical tools for building equitable futures.”

    —Sam Mejias, Associate Professor of Social Justice and Community Engagement

  • Program Highlights

    Who Should Enroll

    • Students interested in developing expertise in the ways in which equity, inclusion, and social justice influence and are influenced by the design professions
    • Individuals or managers working in the fields of design and design education
    • Professionals or corporate leaders wishing to identify and address issues of equity, inclusion, and justice in their workplace
    • Professionals seeking to develop an inclusive, equitable culture in the workplace

    What You’ll Gain

    • Practical tools for building and sharing knowledge about equity, inclusion, and social justice activism
    • Equity, inclusion, and social justice training and tools to use in design and design education professional contexts
    • An understanding of how design is implicated in global inequality and how the emerging field of design justice can address systems and cultures of oppression
    • The ability to critically analyze and evaluate social justice and community engagement designs and practices
    • An understanding of your own power to promote equity, inclusion, and justice in the art and design fields

    How You’ll Learn

    • Engaging video lectures and interviews with industry experts
    • Direct interaction with faculty practitioners at the top of their fields
    • Online collaboration in small classes, supported by video conferencing
    • Project-based learning focused on developing real-world skills and portfolio assets
  • Why The New School?

    The professional landscape as we’ve known it has changed dramatically, and ongoing learning is more important now than ever before. At The New School, we champion every student’s creativity and growth. By combining integrated disciplines with collaborative problem solving, we deliver an immersive, transformative learning experience. With the leadership of Parsons School of Design—a globally top-ranked design school—our faculty imparts the critical expertise students need to advance their careers or pivot to a new one in a constantly evolving world.

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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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