Curriculum

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is awarded for completion of 120 credits as designated by the program. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred from another institution. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and fulfill all requirements in a timely manner.

Your BFA begins with the Parsons Paris first-year curriculum, which is an interdisciplinary year-long course of study for all undergraduate programs at Parsons Paris. In the first year, you engage in exploration of art and design concepts, skills, and critical practices, learning to be a flexible thinker, proficient maker, and bold experimenter. You will also have a chance to take a program-specific elective during your first year.

In your second year, you discover Parisian couture crafts and study the work of influential fashion designers in Paris, exploring the nexus between society, dress, technique, and aesthetic. You will be taking your design and creative technical core studios and program electives at the Romainville campus and remain at the St. Roch campus for your History of Fashion as well as Visual Communication courses. Most liberal arts and French courses are also offered at the St. Roch campus. 

In your third year, you are introduced to design processes, brand identity, marketing, merchandising, and communication at a French design company. In your fourth and final year you conduct a research project and design a final collection under the supervision of your program director and fashion professionals. 

Throughout your studies, art and design history and theory courses develop essential research, writing, and critical reasoning skills as well as the conceptual foundations for creative inquiry.

To view degree requirements from prior years, visit the Academic Catalogs archive. For a complete listing of courses and course descriptions, visit the university course catalog.