Transdisciplinary Design

Overview

The Transdisciplinary Design program of The New School was created for designers, artists, activists, civic and social practitioners, and others interested in imagining alternative futures through design-led research tools and methods for addressing pressing social, economic, political, and environmental issues and challenges of local and global dimensions. Students work in cross-disciplinary teams, consider issues from multiple perspectives, learn from community and industry leaders, and emerge with a portfolio that showcases design as a process for transforming social relations and contemporary life.

A New Approach to Design

Graduates leave the program prepared for work in traditional design industries; many elect to apply their skills in emerging design spaces, such as restructuring services like healthcare and public education and developing projects for nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations. Recent graduates have gone on to present research at international conferences, such as Design Indaba in Cape Town, open consultancies with peers, take leadership positions within government innovation labs, and pursue academic careers. The MFA in Transdisciplinary Design program is housed in Parsons’ School of Design Strategies (SDS), alongside graduate programs in Design and Urban Ecologies, Strategic Design and Management, and Theories of Urban Practice. In its programs and projects, SDS employs innovative approaches to design and business education in relation to cities, services, and ecosystems. Many students explore elective offerings in schools throughout the university, including The New School for Social Research and the Schools of Public Engagement.

Future Opportunities

Graduates pursue a variety of careers, including design consulting, teaching and research, business development, international development, service design, in-house design leads within government organizations and other industries, and entrepreneurship.