Parsons has 127 full-time and over 1,000 part-time faculty members — many of whom are active practitioners in New York’s design, fashion, and art industries. Understanding who teaches at Parsons, what the faculty model looks like, and how to research faculty before applying helps Korean students write more compelling applications and choose the right program within Parsons.
The Parsons Faculty Model
Like RISD, Parsons follows a practitioner-educator model — most faculty maintain active professional practices alongside their teaching. With over 1,000 part-time faculty members, Parsons draws particularly heavily on New York’s working creative professionals: fashion designers who show at New York Fashion Week, communication designers at major agencies, architects at significant firms.
This model creates a specific educational culture: students learn from practitioners whose work is current, whose industry contacts are active, and whose critique is informed by what the field actually values — not only what academic theory prescribes.
Historically Distinguished Faculty
Some of the most significant names in design history have taught at Parsons:
Frank Lloyd Wright: Parsons’ most historically famous faculty member — the architect who shaped the 20th century’s understanding of organic architecture taught at Parsons in his later career.
Piet Mondrian: The De Stijl pioneer who fled Europe during World War II taught at Parsons in the 1940s, bringing European modernist theory directly to American design education.
Tim Gunn: The Project Runway mentor and fashion education leader served as chair of Parsons’ Fashion Design department — representing Parsons’ role at the center of American fashion media and culture.
Notable Current and Recent Faculty
Emily Oberman: Partner at Pentagram (one of the world’s most recognized design firms); Parsons Communication Design alumna and faculty — her teaching embodies the school’s integration of professional practice with design education.
Ben Katchor: Eisner Award-winning cartoonist and graphic novelist; teaches at Parsons, bringing sequential art and visual narrative into the curriculum.
Lauren Redniss: Illustrator, author, and artist whose interdisciplinary work spans journalism, comics, and visual narrative — MacArthur “Genius” Fellow; teaches at Parsons.
Paul Goldberger: Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic; has lectured at Parsons — representing The New School’s integration of critical writing with design education.
How Faculty Shape the Educational Experience by Program
Fashion Design faculty: Many are currently working fashion designers, former fashion industry leaders, or fashion critics. The direct industry connection means fashion students often encounter faculty who can connect them directly with internship opportunities, press contacts, and brand relationships.
Communication Design faculty: Design directors, creative directors, and brand strategists at major New York agencies and studios. Students learn branding and graphic design from people actively creating identities for major companies.
Fine Arts faculty: Gallery-represented artists working in New York’s contemporary art market. The critiques and connections fine arts students receive reflect active gallery culture.
How cKorean Students Should Research Parsons Faculty
Before writing your personal statement: Review the faculty pages for your intended program on newschool.edu/parsons. Identify two or three faculty members whose practice genuinely intersects with your creative interests. Reference this knowledge specifically in your written materials — not as name-dropping, but as evidence of genuine engagement with what Parsons offers.
Look at faculty work beyond their Parsons profile: Faculty personal websites, portfolio platforms, exhibition records, published writing, and social media provide richer pictures of their current practice than institutional bio pages alone.
Be selective and honest: Reference faculty whose work you have genuinely engaged with. Citing faculty you haven’t actually looked at is detectable — and counterproductive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Parsons faculty provide mentorship outside of class? Yes. Parsons’ student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1 and its culture of professional practice create meaningful opportunities for faculty mentorship. Industry connections — internship referrals, exhibition opportunities, professional introductions — often flow through faculty relationships.
Are Parsons’ 1,000+ part-time faculty as useful as full-time faculty? Part-time faculty at Parsons are often working industry professionals whose current connections are as valuable as (sometimes more than) full-time academics. The breadth of part-time faculty creates diversity of perspective and industry access throughout the curriculum.
How has Parsons’ faculty changed in recent years? The 2025 restructuring of The New School brought some changes to Parsons’ academic organization and faculty composition. Verify current faculty through the official Parsons website, as rosters change.
Royal Blue Art & Design는 압구정에 위치한 유학미술학원으로, 19년간 한국 학생들의 RISD, Parsons, CalArts 등 미국 최상위 미술대학 입시를 도와왔습니다. [상담 문의하기 →]