Illustration BFA

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Program Contacts
Jordin Isip, Director
illustration@newschool.edu

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In the BFA Illustration program at Parsons, you learn to transform ideas into images in print and screen-based media in formats that range from picture books, graphic novels, hand-lettering, and editorial illustrations to toys, films, animations, gallery art, installations, illustration in performance settings, and experiential design. At the heart of the curriculum is the development of visual storytelling skills. As a Parsons Illustration student, you cultivate a unique artistic vision, authorial voice, innovative problem-solving abilities, and curiosity.

Alumni have created award-winning books, animations, public art installations, and clothing companies. Some have broadened their careers to become textile designers, concept designers, museum curators, art directors, illustration agents, and arts administrators.

Faculty of the program include internationally renowned artists who have received Guggenheim and MacArthur fellowships, PEN America awards, National Book Critics Circle and Obie Awards, and Society of Illustrators and New York Art Directors Club medals, among other honors.

Program Highlights

Industry Connections
Apply your learning in projects and internships with partners such as Nickelodeon, Rodrigo Corral Studio, the New York Times, Moleskine, Barnes & Noble, and Titmouse.
Learn from Leaders
Access NYC organizations such as American Illustration and the Society of Illustrators, which facilitate connections with acclaimed art directors, illustrators, and publishing professionals.
Professional Relevance
Unleash your imagination and individual expression while creating work for reproduction and distribution across a variety of media and formats.
NYC: Creative Hub
Build your network and showcase your work at events like Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, MoCCA Fest, Pictoplasma, and other professional gatherings in New York City.

DegreeBachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
FormatFull-time, on campus
Credits120
Duration4 years

Curriculum

Your BFA begins with Parsons’ first-year curriculum, which serves as the academic foundation for all undergraduate programs at Parsons. From your second year on, you dive into courses in your major field of study. Art and design history and theory courses develop your research, writing, and critical reasoning skills, and university electives broaden your perspectives.

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Faculty

Parsons faculty represent a broad range of expertise and are acknowledged as leading practitioners and scholars in their fields.

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Student Work

Illustration (BFA)

Beyond the Classroom

Internships
New York City’s thriving creative industry and cultural institutions are part of your Parsons education. Our Career Services Office is deeply connected to the art and design industries and can help you advance your career with industry-oriented internships.
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Making & Academic Resources
Enjoy access to extensive resources including New School libraries, computer labs, archives, and studios, along with Parsons’ state-of-the-art Making Center, facilities offering a broad array of tools to support your creative and academic growth.
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Industry Engagement
Connect to the organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs driving global creativity and commerce. In classes, internships, and extracurricular projects, you gain marketable problem-solving skills in sectors ranging from government and nonprofits to tech and creative industries.
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Study Abroad
Enrich your learning and prepare for work in global contexts with study abroad that exposes you to new perspectives and settings in which to apply your creativity. Our study abroad destinations include, Paris, London, Florence, and more.
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