A certificate is a stand-alone Parsons credential that represents a basic immersion in a specified field of study. Students who earn a certificate often list it on their résumés or college applications to indicate that they have studied part-time at Parsons. Class evaluations are on record with the university. Parsons does not provide job placement or internship services for certificate students.
The Basic Core class combines two or three courses that are certificate requirements into one intensive class. Core classes are offered only in the fall and spring.
All certificate programs have required electives. An elective is any course with a minimum of 25 contact hours (class time). Ongoing certificate students with partial elective course hours may complete previously published elective requirements or meet the new requirements.
Parsons certificate courses may be taken on a for-credit or noncredit basis. Credit students who successfully complete individual courses may earn undergraduate credit that is transferrable to a degree program. In this case, tuition is charged on a per-credit basis.
To earn a certificate, students must successfully complete all required courses. Certificate students receive a noncredit grade of Approved (AP) or Not Approved (NA). Students who are registered for undergraduate credit receive standard letter grades.
Students are expected to complete their certificate requirements within two years. A request for an extension must be sent in writing to ceinformation@newschool.edu or Parsons SPACE, 66 Fifth Avenue, room 200, New York, NY, 10011.
Students may request a transcript of their certificate classes from the New School Office of the Registrar, 72 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10011 or via email (registrar@newschool.edu).
Upon satisfactory completion of all certificate requirements, students may file a Certificate Petition Form with the Continuing Education program office. Forms filed by the end of each term are evaluated the following semester. If the petition is approved, the certificate is issued the semester following completion.
Students should submit the petition form to Parsons SPACE by email (ceinformation@newschool.edu) or by fax (646.336.8437).
If certificate requirements have changed since a student last registered, the continuing student can either follow the previously published requirements or meet the new ones. If a program is discontinued, students can complete their certificates by making course substitutions with the approval of the staff at Parsons SPACE.
Parsons SPACE is unable to assist students who need visas for certificate programs. Foreign students seeking full-semester study who wish to study full time at Parsons should consult with the Parsons Office of Admission. More information is available from International Student Services.
