Academic Policies

Observing other students' work can be as valuable as doing the work yourself. Observation requires attention, focus, and a presence in the room beyond mere attendance. For this reason, texting on a cell phone or Web surfing using a laptop is unacceptable in the classroom. It prevents students from paying attention to and learning from fellow students' work. It is disrespectful to the teacher and your fellow students.

Individual faculty members are authorized to decide whether electronic devices will be allowed into their classrooms. If electronic devices are allowed, students using their cell phones (or other digital devices) or inappropriately using their laptops in class may be asked to leave the class by the instructor. This may be considered an absence for the purpose of student review and grading.

Recording of any kind during class sessions requires the express permission of the instructor and every party involved. No student or faculty member is permitted to post still images, audio, or a video of students to the Internet without the express approval of the director of Academic and Faculty Affairs.

Some instructors may have stricter policies regarding technology in their classrooms. In such cases, the instructor's policy takes precedence over the school's policy. Conversely, some instructors may require the use of technology to complete in-class assignments. These exceptions will be clearly stated in the course syllabus.

Term limits for all certificate programs are listed on each program page. All courses required for a certificate program must be completed within two years, one year, or one semester, depending on the program. Certificate completion requirements vary for programs offered through colleges outside of Parsons.

A grade of AP (approved) must be earned in all required courses to count toward certificate completion.

Students who have successfully completed all requirements with grades of AP are eligible to petition for their certificate. Students must petition for the certificate no later than one semester following completion of their final course.

Each course can only be applied once toward a certificate. (For example, if the AutoCAD course is taken for the Interior and Architectural Design Software Certificate, it cannot be applied as an elective toward completion of the Interior Design Certificate.)

Some certificate requirements include elective courses that students may choose from. Full elective: Courses that meet for nine weeks or longer on-campus or online meet the requirement for an individual elective. Half elective: Courses that meet for fewer than nine weeks count as half of an elective and need to be combined to fulfill one elective requirement.

Continuing and Professional Education does not award transfer credit for its noncredit certificate programs.

Interior design courses in the Hospitality Interior Design and Interior Lighting Design certificate programs are registered with the International Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) and are accredited for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CEUs function as professional development credits for working professionals to maintain their membership in organizations such as the American Society of Interior Designers, Interior Designers of Canada, and International Interior Design Association. A student seeking CEUs for their coursework must receive a passing grade in the course and submit our CEU solicitation form within 30 days of the course end date.

Continuing and Professional Education does not allow courses to be counted toward multiple certificates. Students should inquire about obtaining approval for a course waiver and substitution. 

Continuing and Professional Education will waive a maximum of one required course in a certificate program for a student who has earned a grade of C or higher in an equivalent course completed at an institution of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or comparable international agency for non-U.S. institutions. Students will be required to submit a transcript for review.

If a course waiver is approved, the student must take a substitute elective course in place of the waived course.

Students may register on the official wait list for a course that has already reached capacity (i.e., no seats remain). If a seat becomes available, the first student on the wait list will be notified and given 24 hours to register in the open seat. If the student does not register in the open seat in the allotted timeframe, they forfeit their right to the open seat; the next student on the wait list will be given the opportunity to register for the open seat.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) [PDF], with which The New School complies, was enacted to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for correction of inaccurate or misleading statements. The New School has established the following student information as public or directory information, which may be disclosed by the institution at its discretion: student name; major field of study; dates of attendance; full- or part-time enrollment status; year level; degrees and awards received, including dean's list; the most recent previous educational institution attended; addresses; phone numbers; photographs; email addresses; and date and place of birth.

Students may request that The New School withhold release of their directory information by notifying the Registrar's Office in writing. This notification must be renewed annually at the start of each fall term. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access.

  A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the records the student wishes to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records can be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official must advise the student of the official to whom the request should be addressed.

• The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the university to amend a record should write to the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why, in the student's opinion, it should be changed.

  If the university decides not to amend the record as requested, the university will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when they are notified of the right to a hearing.

• The right to provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

  The university discloses education records without a student's prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health services staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of university employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the New School Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing their tasks.

  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibilities for the university.

Attendance guidelines were developed to help students succeed in all aspects of their academic programs. Full participation is essential to the completion of coursework and enhances the quality of the educational experience to all, particularly in courses where group work is integral; thus, Continuing and Professional Education promotes high levels of attendance. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly and in compliance with the standards stated in the course syllabus.

While attendance is just one aspect of active participation, absence from "a significant portion of class time" may prevent the successful attainment of course objectives. A significant portion of class time is generally defined as the equivalent of three weeks, or 20 percent of class time. Lateness or early departure from class may be recorded by the instructor as one full absence. Students may be asked to withdraw from a course if habitual absenteeism or tardiness has a negative impact on the class environment. Members of the faculty are expected to provide syllabi in which course objectives and assessment criteria are described, in writing, at the beginning of the term. The syllabus should also explain how attendance is assessed with respect to active participation.

Attendance and lateness are assessed as of the first day of classes. Students who register after a class has begun are responsible for any missed assignments and coursework. Students who must miss a class session should notify the instructor and arrange to make up any missed work as soon as possible. A student who anticipates an extended absence should immediately inform the faculty and program advisor. Advance approval for an extended absence is required to ensure successful completion of the course. Withdrawal from the course may be recommended if the proposed absence would compromise a student's ability to meet course objectives.

Finally, faculty are asked to notify the advisor of any student who misses two consecutive class sessions without explanation or who otherwise misses a significant portion of class time. Following two absences, students may be asked to speak with their advisor to review any impediments to their successful performance in class and to provide confirmation to the faculty member that such a conversation took place.