The School of Art and Design History and Theory offers a comprehensive array of courses in design studies; fashion studies; visual culture studies; spatial design studies; art and design history and criticism; writing, and research methods. Some of these courses form a core curriculum for all Parsons undergraduate students. The school also offers elective and University Lecture courses open to undergraduate students in all colleges of The New School.
These courses educate Parsons and New School students in visual literacy, research methods, writing skills, and critical analysis, and provide them with a systematic understanding of how art, design, and visual culture operate in various geographical and historical contexts. This helps students develop the intellectual rigor necessary to become the next generation of art and design leaders. Through the use of multidisciplinary approaches, students learn how to frame questions about the meaning, function, and new possibilities of art and design, and to consider problems from multiple perspectives.