Through immersion in materials, fabrication processes, aesthetic consideration, and proactive social engagement, Parsons Product Design BFA cultivates the essential intellectual habits and technical skills students need to explore and responsibly integrate the swiftly expanding roles of a successful, professional product designer.
Design can no longer be practiced as the production of discreet objects assembled in isolation from their extended influences. Sustainability is no longer an extraneous feature or expense, but must be integrated into the cost of doing business. By encouraging work that amplifies human abilities, resonates as contemporary cultural artifacts, and enhances our relationships, the program equips graduates with the strategic mindset necessary to fully engage the complex problems that face humanity.
Starting from the core curriculum, first year students choose from a diverse menu of electives including user-centered design, technological and material innovation, inclusive design principles, ethnographic research, culturally specific methodologies, industry-sponsored product development, architectural and virtual interfaces, mass-market product design, and design for the public realm. Students master the fundamentals of computers, machinery, and tools while learning a variety of research and presentation techniques.
The Product Design program is integrated at each of the sophomore, junior, and senior levels by core design studios that encourage lateral thinking through a range of related, skill-building courses in graphic representation and material prototyping. The program is also vertically integrated by a materials and sustainability curriculum that imbues know-how with ethical considerations of the chain of influences triggered by every design decision.
Competitions, internships, collaborations, intensive projects, and international study further prepare students for vibrant and multi-dimensional careers.
