Summer College/Adult

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

This course introduces students to drawing as both a fundamental part of the design process and an integral tool for media arts of all kinds. Students approach drawing as a way of thinking, a critical tool, and a means for observation, storytelling, and representation. Traditional and nontraditional methods, media, and theories of drawing are all explored.

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

This course introduces students to painting as both a fundamental part of the design process and an integral tool for media arts of all kinds. Students learn basic concepts of painting such as color theory and composition and techniques for using water-based paints. Drawing is also taught as a means for observation and representation. Traditional and nontraditional methods, media, and theories of painting are all explored. Time will be set aside for students to develop a personal project.

Half-Day Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

This course is an immersive introduction to communication strategies in fashion and luxury companies. Students learn how to create and foster dialogue between a fashion brand and consumers. The seminars and workshops cover a range of topics such as semiotic resources for brand identity, advertising and event management, experiential marketing, digital and interactive marketing, fashion journalism, and fashion public relations in the digital age. In addition, the course offers a Parisian perspective of luxury company strategies and investigates heritage management strategies from a communication perspective.

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

This course introduces students to various approaches and techniques involved in the design process for fashion products. Students are encouraged to experiment as they research and find inspiration for a fashion collection and devise innovative 2D and 3D production methods for their fashion pieces. Working on projects individually and in groups, students develop fashion concepts for which they draw on the unique resources of Paris and explore how fabrication methods and color affect collections. Students are also introduced to branding and merchandising basics used to identify and create work for targeted markets and consumers.

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

This course combines theoretical and practical approaches to guiding students in acquiring an understanding of fashion images and how to create them.

Students learn how to analyze fashion photography using interdisciplinary tools ranging from history to sociology to semiotics. In parallel, students experiment with practical photography techniques at a professional level in order to produce a fashion shoot from the preliminary research stage to the final realization in collaboration with a model. Workshops, field trips, and exhibitions are also part of the course.

The course explores photographic methods that enable students to see and interpret style. Paris is the historical capital of haute couture and luxury fashion, but students also learn to appreciate it as a city of fashion subcultures, in which appearance can express social and political claims.

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

Students learn to approach management as a strategic process that combines design innovation and business knowledge. In collaborative projects, they develop problem-solving skills and familiarity with design strategies through the application of research methods, prototyping, and quantitative analysis. Emphasis is placed on understanding a European setting and perspective and the way entrepreneurs, business innovators, and designers operate at the intersection of design and management. Students engage in design thinking and business strategy exercises, applying these approaches in a broad range of enterprises and real-world business contexts.

All-Day Studio Course

SUMMER 2: July 1–24, 2021 (courses begin July 5 and end July 23)

3 U.S. credits recommended
Language of instruction: English

How do you tell a story through images, or accompany a written text visually? In this course, students explore many forms of visual storytelling using mixed media: drawing, painting, collage, digital renderings, and more. Paris serves as the backdrop for exploration of French artists, illustrators, and cartoonists through history. Field trips to various Parisian neighborhoods provide points of departure for individual exploration. Visits to exhibitions and museum collections cover different stylistic, conceptual, and material approaches.

This course is open to students with varying levels of experience and skills.

Classes will be held at Parsons Paris, located at 45 rue Saint-Roch in the first arrondissement, which is a short walk from the Louvre and Opéra Garnier. Many classes will also meet in locations throughout the city, ranging from art and design exhibition settings to architectural landmarks and parks, with coursework complemented by excursions and day trips.

$6,920. Fee includes housing, subway passes, insurance, and the cost of excursions.

Parsons Paris partners with Academic Programs International (API), our preferred partner specializing in study abroad, to enroll you and provide on-site support services.

Visit API’s Summer Art and Design page to learn more. There, you can apply by clicking the yellow "Apply Now" button in the top right-hand corner to create an online account and gather necessary materials and complete the application. Required materials include the following:

• Grade report 
• Letter of recommendation
• Course registration form

Within two to three business days of receipt of your application, an API program manager will review your application and then email you to inform you if you’ve been accepted and provide next steps.

Students confirm their participation by submitting a $400 deposit and an Intent-to-Enroll form (ITE). You can register for courses only after your deposit and ITE items have been received.

You have until the final payment deadline to complete your remaining post-acceptance forms and make payments.

College and adult students receive detailed travel instructions upon their acceptance into the program and then purchase their own tickets. Students arriving by air are met at the airport by on-site staff on the program start date. (The cost of travel from Charles de Gaulle is included in the program fee.)

Housing is included in the tuition; meals are not. (Upon arrival, students will be provided with information about affordable local dining options near the Parsons Paris building and their accommodations.

Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (one-hour break)

For most courses, students can take morning sessions (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon), afternoon sessions (1:00 to 4:00 p.m.), or a combination of both.

Besides the Parsons Paris campus, many classes will also meet in locations throughout the city, ranging from art and design exhibition settings to architectural landmarks and parks, with coursework complemented by excursions and day trips.

All Summer Intensive Studies Paris students earn three U.S. college credits (or six for Luxury Design Management) upon successful completion of the course.

Participants are strongly encouraged to consult an academic advisor at their home institution before registration to confirm any details related to the approval and transfer of credits as well as fulfillment of graduation requirements.

Transcripts for Parsons students are issued by the Registrar's Office and carry the signature and seal of The New School. A transcript is confirmation of a student's permanent record at the university. Students who complete Summer Intensive Studies in Paris may request that their transcript(s) be mailed to other colleges and institutions by submitting an official request to the Registrar's Office.

Classes are project based and intensive, requiring daily homework and time for independent study. Students provide their own materials and supplies. Instructors will email a list of supplies to students who must bring materials to the first day of class.

Reach out to Rebecca Cott, API Paris Program Manager for Summer Pre-College and College/Adult Programs with further questions.