Online Learning Classes

Bringing together faculty from academic departments across the university, we create programs and solutions that expand and encourage new thinking and capabilities, and build and embed institutional knowledge to enable executives to address real-world situations as well as future scenarios. We can deliver programs and workplace solutions at our New York and Paris locations, at a location of your choice, or online. For more information, contact the Open Campus team.

In this online certificate program, students acquire skill in using design processes and other strategies to create and develop social innovative businesses or lead socially conscious initiatives within existing companies. Each course builds on the next, taking students from concept to venture, from prototyping to validating and creating a tested proof of concept. Students emerge with future-forward business skills such as business model creation, organizational leadership, and pitching socially-relevant ventures to investors. 

Certificate Requirements

• Course requirements: 4 individual online courses
• Timeline to completion: Courses last six weeks. Most students take two courses per semester. Certificate must be completed in two years, but many students finish in two semesters. 
• Cost: $550 per course, $2,200 total cost.

Students planning to complete the certificate are advised to take Introduction to Design, Social Impact, and Entrepreneurship first and Launch and Scale Your Social Impact Venture last.

1. Introduction to Design, Social Impact, and Entrepreneurship
This course introduces students to a human-centered design process and the way it can be applied to develop enterprises with social impact. It also introduces a social justice lens, integrating issues of power and privilege into the design process. Students have an opportunity to practice the methods of discovery and ideation to gain a deeper understanding of the unmet need they are hoping to address through their own venture. This class serves as a foundation for the courses that follow in the Business Design for Social Impact certificate.  

2. Designing Impact: From Idea to Proof of Concept
In this course, students solidify their own social venture idea and learn skills and strategies with which to create and test prototypes of the idea as a means of developing a proof of concept. They also deepen their understanding of he ecosystem (field or industry) in which they are working and adapt their theory of change in order to strategically intervene in that system to achieve scalable impact.

3. Business Models and Strategy for Social Impact (Coming soon)

4. Launch and Scale Your Social Impact Venture (Coming soon)

Mastering digital marketing is a path to success in today’s technology-driven global economy. Whether you want to jumpstart a marketing career, launch an entrepreneurial venture, or inspire a team with best-in-class strategy, our online program will equip you with industry-leading skills. Learn to develop digital strategies and tactical approaches across a range of platforms, leverage social media, and reach new audiences to support businesses of all kinds. 

Certificate Requirements

• Course requirements: 5 individual online courses

• Timeline to completion: Courses last six weeks or less. Most students take two courses per semester. Certificate must be completed in two years.

• Cost: $550 per course, $2,750 total cost.

The Digital Marketing Certificate consists of five courses and are designed to be taken in order, but all courses are open to students wishing to explore any particular topic. The last course, Digital Marketing Campaigns, is the capstone course and should be taken by students who have completed the previous courses, or have significant digital marketing experience. Students planning to earn the certificate are encouraged to complete courses in the following suggested order:

1. The Digital Marketing Ecosystem: An Introduction
2. Getting Creative: Your Digital Marketing Strategy
3. Social Media Marketing
4. Programmatic, Mobile, and Native Marketing
5. Digital Marketing Campaigns 

This online certificate program gives professionals the fundamentals they need to succeed in big data and metrics-driven environments. Hands-on courses cover strategic information design, data analytics and filtering, visualization best practices, and programming basics. Industry expert guests expand students’ understanding of data storytelling applications and techniques for bringing complex statistics to life for a variety of audiences and uses.

Certificate Details:

• Course requirements: 5 individual online courses

• Timeline to completion: Courses last six to nine weeks. Certificate must be completed in two years.

The Infographics and Data Visualization Certificate (Online) consists of 5 courses. Students are advised to complete the program in the following sequence:

1. Data Visualization 101
2. Designing Information Graphics
3. Graphic Design for Visual Storytelling 
4. Data & Analytics for Visualization & Business Intelligence
5. Data Viz Portfolio Development 
   

This online course of study immerses students in design thinking methodologies, enabling them to address business challenges across industries. Students emerge equipped to lead innovation and implement creative strategies that inspire new perspective in a range of business roles. 

Certificate Details:

• Course requirements: 5 individual online courses

• Timeline to completion: Courses last six weeks or less. Most students take two courses per semester. Certificate must be completed in two years, but many students finish in three semesters or one year. 

• Cost: $550 per course, $2,750 total

The Design Leadership for Business Certificate consists of five courses. Students planning to earn the certificate are encouraged to complete courses in the following suggested order:

1. Design Thinking Fundamentals 
2. Economic and Cultural Context of Design
3. Design Leadership and Management
4. Design and Innovation for Sustainable Business 
5. Futures and Foresight

Healthcare, like many industries, offers considerable opportunities to improve lives directly through user-centered design. This online certificate focuses on the development of solutions built around users' needs and outcomes. It is ideal for practitioners working in healthcare settings who want systems-focused, design-driven tools for improving service delivery and developing entrepreneurial opportunities, and for creatives seeking new skills in user-based research, design, and innovation.

 Certificate Details: 

• Course requirements: 3 individual online courses
• Timeline to completion: Courses last five weeks. Certificate must be completed in two years.
• Cost: $550 per course, $1650 total

The Human-Centered Healthcare Certificate (Online) consists of 3 courses. Students are advised to complete the program in the following sequence:

1. Design Thinking for Human-Centered Healthcare 
2. Designing Care Experiences and Interactions 
3. Designing Care Services and Systems

This program offers the basics in business practices for anyone interested in the fashion industry. Providing practical and theoretical foundations for industry or entrepreneurial careers, course topics include , the most recent developments and history of merchandising and retail buying, the ongoing changes and evolution in global marketing, insights and experience in the NYC fashion industry, and a foundation in fashion history.  

Certificate Requirements

• Course requirements: 8 individual online and/or on-campus courses.

• The certificate can be completed entirely online or through a combination of online and on-campus courses.

• Timeline to completion: Most courses last nine weeks or more. Courses meeting for fewer than (9) nine sessions count as half of an elective and would need to be combined to fulfill one elective requirement. Most students take two courses per semester. Certificate must be completed in two years.

• Cost: $776 - $796 per course

Start by completing the following foundational course options, in this suggested order:

• Consumer Behavior
  (Online)

• Fashion Merchandising
  (On Campus | Online)

• Medium of Fashion: Textiles
  (On Campus | Online)

• Worth to Westwood: Fashion from the 19th to 21st Century
  (On Campus | Online)

• Retail Buying
  (On Campus | Online)

• Fashion Marketing in a Global Environment
  (Online)

After completing these courses, your final step will be to enroll in two electives.

• Two Electives - Choose from our offerings in fashion design or fashion business

Today's graphic, Web, and interactive designers must be adept in the evolving world of technology and visual culture. Graphic Design courses develop foundational design skills (concept, type, layout, color) and provide training in industry standard software. Tailored instruction enables both the beginning and advanced student to advance in these courses. 

Certificate Requirements

• This certificate may be achieved completely online or through a combination of online and on-campus study. 

• Course requirements: 6-8 individual online and/or on-campus courses, 3-5 required courses and 3 electives.

• Timeline to completion: Most courses last nine weeks or more. Courses meeting for fewer than (9) nine sessions count as half of an elective and would need to be combined to fulfill one elective requirement. Most students take two courses per semester. Certificate must be completed in two years.

• Cost: $776 - $796 per course ($2,004 for Basic Core)

Start by completing one of the following foundational course options:

• Graphic Design Basic Core
  (On-Campus only)

OR  

• Color Theory
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Graphic Design I
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Digital Graphics with Illustrator I
  (On-Campus | Online)

After completing these courses, your next step will be to enroll in the following:

• Digital Imaging with Photoshop
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Graphic Design History
  (On-Campus | Online)

After completing these courses, your final step will be to enroll in three electives. Choose one of the following options: 

Option 1: Recommended Electives

• Typography I
  On-Campus | Online
  An in-depth understanding of typographic concepts and methods is essential for effective visual communication. Students examine the evolution of the alphabet and the history and basics of typographic style (with an emphasis on 20th-century type design and application). Projects help students understand the difference between legibility and readability and develop a discerning eye and the ability to create effective and expressive type designs. The impact of technology on type design and the work of typographic innovators are discussed. Online sections require access to a scanner.
  
  
• Digital Layout: Adobe InDesign
  On-Campus | Online
  In this course, we explore the potential of InDesign as a design tool. InDesign is the industry-standard program for professional page layout. The focus of the class is on using the features of InDesign to develop design skills. There is an emphasis on typography. Discussions include design critiques, in which students learn how to analyze design and how to give and receive constructive criticism. Prerequisite: Familiarity with the Mac operating system, and some exposure to Illustrator or Adobe products is desirable. CS Adobe InDesign will be used in the course. Online students must have InDesign CS or higher (Mac or Windows platform).
  
  
• One Elective - Choose from our offerings in graphic design or digital design.
  
  
  

Option 2: Choose your own elective track

• Three Electives - Choose from our offerings in graphic design or digital design.

Certificate Requirements

• Course requirements: 6-8 online and/or on-campus courses 

• Timeline to completion: Most courses last nine weeks or more. Courses meeting for fewer than nine sessions count as half of an elective and need to be combined to fulfill one elective requirement. Most students take two courses per semester. The certificate must be completed in two years.

• Cost: $776 per course ($1,734 for Basic Core).

• This certificate can be completed online, on campus, or a combination of the two. Details below.

This certificate features two tracks that students may choose from, depending on their goals: Space Planning and Decorative Arts. 

Space Planning Track

Courses in the Space Planning track develop students’ understanding of spatial and structural design through sketching and drafting, and build foundational skills in interior design. 

Start by completing one of the following foundational course options:

• Interior Design Basic Core
  (On-Campus only)
• Drawing Interiors: Perspective and Rendering
  (On-Campus | Online)

OR  

• Basic Interior Space Planning
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Basic Drafting 
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Color Theory
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Drawing Interiors: Perspective and Rendering
  (On-Campus | Online)

After completing your foundational courses, your next step will be to enroll in the following:

• Commercial Interior Design 
  (On-Campus | Online)
  Explore the design process by developing a commercial or residential project in a studio environment. Begin from a concept and develop your idea into a coherent interior space, exploring issues of spatial layout and significance, materials and finishes, lighting, and furniture. Present your final project, complete with rendered drawings and a materials board. Prerequisite: Basic Drafting, Basic Interior Space Planning, or equivalent experience.
  
  
• Residential Interior Design 
  (On-Campus | Online)
  Explore the possibilities of architectural design of interior space for the private home and apartment. Participate in exercises geared to finding viable and interesting solutions to design problems such as window, ceiling, doorway, floor, and wall treatments. Review drafting techniques that allow you to present projects in a professional manner. Concentrate on space planning, furniture, color, and lighting. Explore materials, methods, and professional practices. Prerequisite: Basic Drafting, Basic Interior Space Planning, or equivalent experience.
  
  
• Two Electives - Choose from our offerings in graphic design, digital design, fashion design, fashion business, interior design, or fine arts.
  
  

Decorative Arts Track

The Decorative Arts track offers courses that introduce students to the history of interiors, antiques, furnishings, and connoisseurship. Visits to design showrooms and important architectural sites provide learning opportunities for students taking courses on campus.

Start by completing one of the following foundational course options:

• Interior Design Basic Core
  (On-Campus only)
• Drawing Interiors: Perspective and Rendering
  (On-Campus | Online)

OR  

• Basic Interior Space Planning
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Basic Drafting 
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Color Theory
  (On-Campus | Online)

• Drawing Interiors: Perspective and Rendering
  (On-Campus | Online)

After completing your foundational courses, your next step will be to enroll in the following:

• History of Interiors, 1800 to 2000: From Napoleon to Michael Graves
  (Online)
  This course provides a foundational understanding of developments in European and American decorative arts from the turn of the 19th century to the end of the 20th. Particular attention is given to the complex design trends and the expressions of the 20th century as the foundation of interior design today.
  
  
  
• Antiques Connoisseurship
  (On-Campus)
  Modern fabrication techniques make it increasingly difficult to  distinguish antiques from reproductions. Students develop an eye for  good design and authenticity, learning to evaluate the quality of  objects and differentiate masterpieces from lesser models. They examine,  firsthand and with experts in the field, American, English and French  pieces in New York City museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of  Art, and fine antiques galleries. They study objects’ historical  contexts, production techniques, and methods of conservation and become  familiar with the industry’s specialized vocabulary. Field trips to  historic homes and conservation studios enhance students’ learning.
  
  
• Two Electives  - Choose from our offerings in graphic design, digital design, fashion design, fashion business, interior design, or fine arts.
  
  
  

Developed by Parsons’ Healthy Materials Lab, this program serves professionals working in the field and students in Parsons degree programs. Courses offer practical information on designing interiors that foster health through their carefully selected material components. Students learn to identify hazardous substances frequently used in buildings and compare options, explain the importance of designing with nontoxic materials, and how to specify materials according to established criteria.

Certificate Requirements

• Course requirements: 4 individual online courses

• Timeline to completion: Each of these self-guided short courses can be completed in two-weeks time.  Enrollment rolls throughout the semester allowing students to complete each course at their own pace.  Courses should be taken in the order they are listed, if a certificate is desired. Depending on available time, all four courses may be completed within one or two semesters.

  
  

• Cost: $50 per course, $200 total cost.

Courses 1 and 2 provide an introduction to key topics in the field for those with general or more specialized interests. Courses 3 and 4 are geared to practitioners in the built environment and those concerned with making a positive impact in product specification, installation, and maintenance. We suggest completing courses in the following sequence:

1. Materials and Human Health
2. Building Products and Chemistry
3. Healthier Material Design and Specifications
4. Implementation and Execution

Emerging technologies and learning modalities provide education and training professionals in all sectors — from K-12 and higher ed to corporate and nonprofit settings — with a growing array of opportunities to offer rich, effective instruction to learners worldwide. Project-based online courses designed and taught by industry leaders offer virtual collaborative capacities and skills related to designing curricula, choosing delivery platforms, managing best practices, and attracting and retaining learners.

 Certificate Details: 

• Course requirements: 4 individual online courses
• Timeline to completion: Courses last five weeks. Certificate must be completed in two years.
• Cost: $550 per course, $2200 total

The Designing Online Learning Programs (Online) certificate consists of 4 courses. Students are advised to complete the program in the following sequence:

1. Designing Online Learning 101
2. Implementing Technology and Support Systems for Online Learners
3. Leading the Online Learning Operation
4. Finding and Keeping Online Learners (Launching in Spring 2019)

Offered by Media Studies at The New School, this program is open to anyone aspiring to complete a professional-quality screenplay. The certificate can be completed on-campus, online, or as a hybrid.  (Selected courses are offered online only in spring and in fall terms.) 

Certificate Requirements: 

• Six courses (four required courses taken in the order shown below and two electives). 
• Students also complete a professional-quality screenplay.

Required Courses

1. Script Analysis
2. Screenwriting 1: The First Act
3. Screenwriting 2: Writing the Screenplay 
4. Screenwriting 3: Rewrite and Polish
5. Two electives (Sitcom Writing 1: Writing the "Spec" Script, Sitcom Writing 2: Writing the Original Pilot, Episodic and Procedurals: Crafting the Original One-Hour Pilot, Screenwriting for the Web, The Business of Screenwriting, and others)

This one-of-a-kind noncredit program provides an exciting overview of the fashion industry, with more than 70 on-demand video courses taught by Parsons faculty, Teen Vogue editors, and leading fashion industry experts. Carefully designed assignments help students develop skills and gain valuable insights into the fashion industry. They learn to build a portfolio, prepare for a job interview, and apply to a fashion degree program that will prepare them for a successful future in fashion.