The School of Art and Design History and Theory is introducing four new minor tracks in an initiative to cultivate more opportunities for advanced and specialized knowledge. Available to undergraduate students starting this year, the tracks include Art and Design History, Design Studies, Fashion Studies, and Museum and Curatorial Studies, held in collaboration with the School of Public Engagement.
ADHT has long provided undergraduates with a forum for intellectual exchange, with its core curriculum serving as an intersection point for all Parsons students. After years of discussion and a lengthy process of accreditation, the minors project has at last witnessed fruition under the leadership of Dean Sarah Lawrence.
Janet Kraynak, who will act as supervisor to the programs, says that “by coalescing groups of courses into minor concentrations, students across the University will have an easy way of accessing a focused course of study in a particular area of interest, giving them a deeper level of expertise that complements their major and exposing them to the areas of expertise of ADHT faculty.” In addition to supplementing and integrating their creative practices with theoretical and historical frameworks, students who are already writing criticism or interested in pursuing Master of Arts or Ph.D. programs will acquire extra leverage, as well as increasing structure, depth, and support. Those who are looking to enter into creative industries also have the chance to demonstrate their well-rounded candidacies. Customization of one’s academic career in a cross-disciplinary manner is at the heart of both the ADHT minors and larger Parsons mission.
Minors will be awarded upon successful completion of 18 credits across an array of subject areas. While the Art and Design History track is comprised of five sections (Survey, Period Study, Cultural History, Studio, and Theory), Fashion Studies and Design Studies have slightly different structures, with course requirements in Methodology and Ethics. The Museum and Curatorial minor concentration includes classes in museum history, material and visual culture, and curatorial practices. Students have the option of choosing from a wide selection of eclectic course topics, from the nude to urban playgrounds to French Rococo to the correlation between art and neuroscience.
For full guidelines and information, explore http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/minors/ .
