Strategic Design and Management

Strategic Design and Management (MS) Application Instructions

Student Profile

The Strategic Design and Management program seeks students who want to become the game changers of the new economy and its new actors, digital firms, social information networks, and co-productive individuals. Motivated by the opportunities of our transforming economic landscape, committed to contributing new business models, innovative organizational designs, and progressive architectures for cyberspace, and determined to shift paradigms, students of various professional and academic backgrounds, experiences, and trajectories that want to not only change their own course, but help shape the future of business through design management practices are invited to apply.

Deadline

Applicants who wish to be considered for a Dean's Scholarship should submit a complete application by January 10. Applications received after January 10 will be considered on a rolling basis.

Requirements

(You can download these instructions.)

Parsons graduate programs use a self-managed application process. Submit your application online and mail any supplemental application materials, preferably in a single packet, to the Office of Admission. Include a materials cover sheet (PDF), which can be downloaded from the supplemental forms section of the online application.

Applicants must submit the following to the Office of Admission:

1. Application Form: Complete the online application.
2. Application Fee: Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee. (A credit card is required to submit the online application.)

3. Official college transcripts: Submit a sealed original copy of your official college transcripts along with your application packet. If that is not possible, instruct the institution to send transcripts directly to the Office of Admission at the address below. Photocopies are not acceptable.

   International transcripts: All applicants with transcripts from international institutions are required to submit an original transcript from each institution attended outside the United States. Additionally,  a certified English language translation must be provided for all official international transcripts that are not written in English. Applicants who would like to transfer academic credits earned at non-U.S. institutions are also required to have their transcript(s) evaluated by World Education Services (WES), our preferred provider, or by another member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). A course-by-course evaluation report must be prepared for each transcript. Please start the evaluation process as early as possible, including the submission of all required documents to WES (or another provider), in order to ensure the timely completion of the evaluation report. In addition, an admission counselor may require a transcript evaluation by WES or an NACESapproved evaluator if it is deemed a necessary part of the admission decision process, even when applicants do not want transfer credits applied to a program of interest. Instruct the provider to send the report to

   Parsons Graduate Programs
   Office of Admission
   72 Fifth Avenue
   New York, NY 10011

   If you request your report online, search for "New School Parsons" when selecting our institution. If your provider is unable to send the evaluation report directly to the school, please obtain the report and send it to Parsons, along with a materials cover sheet.

4. Résumé: Submit a brief résumé/vitae summarizing your academic qualifications, relevant work experience, volunteer/community work, travel, exhibitions, public speaking, or any other interesting experiences as they may relate to your field of study, including dates and positions held. Please also note any special language or computer skills that you have.The résumé must be submitted online with the application.

5. Statement of Interest and Intentions: Please outline your reasons for applying to this program. In what ways will you contribute to the subject matter of the program? You should include a thoughtful description of your background, tentative plan of study or area of inquiry in the field as you now envision it, your professional goals, and how this graduate program will help you realize those goals. If you have not been enrolled as a student in the past five years, please address anticipated opportunities and challenges in pursuing the degree, and future career expectations upon completion of the program.

6. Portfolio or Writing Sample:  Strategic Design and Management is a program that seeks students who want to become the game changers of the new economy and its new actors, digital firms, social information networks, and co-productive individuals. Applicants are given the option of submitting a visual portfolio or a writing sample to convey their talents and interests, especially in terms of creative and/or critical thinking. 
   
   • Option A: Portfolio URL. Submit a URL link where the Admission Committee can view your portfolio. Your link should contain no more than 35 images that reflect your creativity and strengths. Examples may include pages from sketchbooks, various design projects, or visual images that reflect hobbies or professional training. The linked page must have all artwork included when the application is submitted. Please hand-code your site or use Wordpress or an online portfolio tool as a shell for your portfolio.
   • Option B: Writing Sample. The writing sample can be an academic paper, professional report, blog entry, essay, or a combination of writing samples that you feel reflect your strengths as a critical thinker and writer for this program. Students may choose to write about at least one critical incident that triggered their curiosity for the program, keeping in mind that this program is about designing the future of firms, economies, and entire socio-economic contexts. Please submit as a single document no longer than 20 pages in length. Please note that this should be included with your online application. 
7. Recommendations: You are required to submit two letters of recommendation from faculty or people with whom you have worked professionally. There are two ways to send recommendations to the graduate admission office:
   • a) The Online Application (strongly preferred). Using the online application, you can request the recommendation and the recommender can email it directly to the admission office.
   • b) Paper. In the rare occurrence that your reference cannot use email, you can download a paper recommendation form. Then follow the written instructions on the paper form.
8. TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your native language, submit results of a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam. The minimum score required for acceptance to the program is 92 for the Internet-based test, 580 for the paper-based, and 237 for the computer-based TOEFL A minimum IELTS score required for acceptance to this program is 7.0. Students required to take the TOEFL exam can obtain further information from the Educational Testing Service. Additional information for the IELTS can be found on their website at www.ielts.org.
9.  GRE or GMAT (optional): Although not required, if you took the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), submit your test scores. Applicants are strongly encouraged to take either the GRE or GMAT although it is not required. GRE scores should be sent electronically (ETS school code 2638). GMAT scores should be mailed to the Office of Admission with a Materials Cover Sheet.
10. Interview: Students may be invited for an interview in person or by phone.