Fashion Studies

Fashion Studies (MA) Application Instructions

Deadline

The Admission Committee will make a decision on your application only after all the required materials have been received.

Applicants who wish to be considered for the Dean's Scholarship should submit a complete application packet by January 10. After January 10, applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Students interested in spring term should contact the Office of Admission to inquire about availability. Spring admission is not possible every year due to the limited number of spaces available.

Required materials

You may 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. The Materials Cover Sheet which can also be downloaded from the Supplemental Forms section of the online application, should accompany all mailed application materials.

Applicants must submit the following items to the Office of Admissions:

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 Transcripts: Submit a sealed original copy of your official college transcripts with your application packet. If that is not possible, instruct the institution to send transcripts directly to the Office of Admission. Photocopies are not acceptable.
   
   International Transcripts: All applicants with transcripts from international institutions must 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 wish to transfer academic credits earned at non-U.S. institutions must also 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 NACES-approved 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 applying online for transcript evaluation, search for "New School Parsons" when requesting our institution.
   
   If your provider is unable to send the evaluation report directly to the Office of Admission, please obtain a copy and forward it yourself to Parsons along with a Materials Cover Sheet.
4. Résumé: Submit a brief résumé/curriculum vitae summarizing your academic qualifications, relevant work experience, volunteer/community work, travel, exhibitions, public speaking, or any other relevant 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. Two Personal Statements: Please submit a two-part essay, as part of a single Word document. Your submission should not exceed five pages total.
   
   Part One: Autobiographical Statement (250-500 word limit). In a short autobiographical statement, tell us about yourself. You can write about your education, your family, your talents and passions, particular intellectual influences, people you have met, work you've done that has shaped the person you have become, or about significant places or events in your life, especially as it relates to your field of study. In addition, use this portion of the essay to explain any strengths or weaknesses you may have (examples: low GPA, lack of experience, significant interruption in work or studies, unique skills and achievements as they relate to the program, or any other information you want to share). Your writing should be informative and reflective of your own voice.
   
   Part Two: Academic Statement of Interests (500-750 word limit). Please describe the academic and intellectual interests, progress, and achievements that have contributed to your decision to apply for graduate study in this field. You should include a thoughtful description of your tentative plan of study or area of inquiry in the field as you now envision it, the kind of research questions you intend to pursue, your professional goals, and how this graduate program will help you realize those goals. In addition, include a self-assessment of your work as a scholar, pointing strengths and weaknesses. If you have not 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. Recommendations: Submit two letters of recommendation from faculty members with whom you have studied or from people with whom you have worked professionally. Your references may submit their recommendations online, or you may forward sealed original copies with your application packet. At least one letter should address your research and writing abilities.
7. TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your native language, submit results of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The minimum TOEFL score required for acceptance to this program is 92 for the Internet-based exam, 580 for the paper-based, or 237 for the computer-based. A minimum IELTS score required for acceptance to this program is 7.0.
   
   Students required to take the TOEFL can obtain further information from the Educational Testing Service. Additional information for the IELTS can be found on their website at www.ielts.org.
8. Interview: Finalists for admission will be invited for a personal interview (which can be conducted by telephone). An offer of a place in the MA program depends on a successful interview.