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About This Program

Infuse culture and color into your designs with our unique winter intensive in the Dominican Republic. This program offers an immersive experience at Chavón The School of Design's studio facilities in La Romana. Direct interactions with Parsons faculty, collaborative projects, and inspiring field trips will spark your creativity and bring an international energy to your design work.

Students will earn three college credits in this two-week program. Parsons faculty will lead studio classes in the mornings and afternoons. Students will have the opportunity to expand their making practices while receiving individualized feedback on their work from Parsons faculty and their peers.

Located in the southeastern corner of the Dominican Republic, Chavón’s studio space in La Romana has been a source of creative inspiration and collaboration for more than thirty years. The January intensive builds on the rich history between Parsons and Chavón, as artists and designers gather for creative exploration and cultural exchange.

Format: Onsite

Dates: January 2 - 14, 2023

TNS degree students are unable to apply federal financial aid to this off-site January intensive.

What You'll Gain

  • An introduction to Parsons’ design methodology, including research, concept development, sketching and prototyping, iterative project development, and written reflection

  • Understanding of the creative process that artists and designers use to evolve and interpret original ideas

  • Instruction in effectively documenting work in analog and digital formats

  • Basic skills and technical knowledge and expanded artistic abilities

  • An understanding of an art/design studio practice by participating in a variety of activities including lectures, demos, and discussions; individual and collaborative exercises and projects; and self and peer critiques

  • Guidance and feedback from Parsons' renowned faculty

  • Experience in describing one’s work through verbal and written formats using art and design vocabulary 

  • Expert advice on developing portfolio content and applying to top art and design colleges abroad

  • Opportunities to collaborate with fellow students while studying in the Dominican Republic

  • Three undergraduate credits upon successful completion of the course

How You'll Learn

  • Small class sizes, allowing for individualized attention
  • Hands-on projects linked to local studios
  • Critiques from leading faculty practitioners
  • Field trips and activities that build on class projects and explore the surrounding culture
Parsons Intensive at Chavon Dominican Republic
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Policy Information

Registration

Students must be 18 years or older to register and may register for the January intensive on our website. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations are accepted in the order in which they are received. Early application is strongly encouraged. Students will be charged a university fee.

College/Adult January Intensive in the Dominican Republic (January 2-14)

Registration Begins August 29

Tuition: $6,400

Fees: $50

Total: $6,450

Academic Transcript Request

The New School has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide transcript ordering via the Web. During the pandemic, only official PDF copies of New School transcripts will be issued. Official PDF transcripts are free of charge.

After you request your transcript from the National Student Clearinghouse, your transcript will be mailed electronically to you or another recipient, such as a university, that you have designated. If you are sending your transcript to a college or university, make sure the school accepts electronic PDF transcripts as official, and keep in mind the following considerations when ordering.

  • The transcript link for the requester has a 30-day time limit.
  • There is no expiration date after the transcript is downloaded.
  • Unlimited views are allowed.
  • Printing is allowed.
  • Copying is not allowed.

Chavón’s facilities in La Romana are located on the Casa de Campo resort, a private, secure community. Classes will take place in studio classrooms and the surrounding environs, providing students an idyllic environment in which to nurture their making practices. Throughout the two weeks, classes will visit sites in La Romana and the capital, Santo Domingo, to further their exploration of the rich culture and history of the Dominican Republic.

Housing is included in the program cost; all students are required to stay in the program-provided housing. Students will stay in shared apartment units located at the La Romana facility. Each apartment will house two to four students in the program. Apartments are furnished and include kitchenettes for basic cooking throughout the two weeks. Students will need to bring their own bed linens.

The program cost includes:

  • Round-trip ground transportation from one of three local airports (SDQ, LRM, or PJU)
  • Weekly transportation to an international-quality grocery store
  • Day-trip excursion to the Colonial Zone in Santo Domingo, conditions permitting
  • Community-building activities in La Romana that connect students to each other and the local culture

 

The program does not include:

  • The cost of travel to and from the Dominican Republic
  • Passport or visa expenses
  • Insurance expenses
  • Daily food and other expenses
  • Accommodations before or after the program dates

Students in the program complete one three-credit undergraduate Parsons class, Fashion Design Explorations. This class is held on site in the Dominican Republic at Chavón’s facilities in La Romana.

Students should arrive in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, January 1 and will attend a welcome event that evening. Instruction takes place Monday to Saturday, starting on Monday January 2 and ending on Saturday, January 14, with six hours of studio class time each weekday. Morning sessions run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and afternoon sessions from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Between classes, students have access to the studio classroom to continue working on their projects. They can also participate in recreational activities during the breaks and on weekends. Students will depart the Dominican Republic on Sunday, January 15.

Fashion Design Explorations

History, architecture, and landscape: these are just a few of the words used when describing the uniqueness of Chavón’s studio space in La Romana. This design intensive in a tropical climate invites students to develop a fashion narrative using La Romana and its surroundings as a laboratory for exploring and creating a point of view toward a personal definition of fashion, style, and personality.

This hands-on design course challenges students to explore traditional and non-traditional approaches to fashion design, including research and concept development, design ideation, experimental making, and visual communication. Students will learn the fundamentals of research, observational writing and drawing, design ideation, and the creation of analog and digital visual presentations. Students will explore the communicative power of images through visual media using a variety of drawing and digital techniques, with the goal of developing their own individual aesthetic.

Working in an open air campus, students are encouraged to investigate social issues and personal experiences and interests as a springboard for research, direction, and production of fashion. Individual and collaborative projects allow students to explore fashion concepts, for which they will draw on the unique resources and landscape of La Romana.

This course includes activities such as lectures, demos, and discussions; individual and collaborative exercises and projects; self and peer critiques; and field trips. Students will keep a design process journal and complete a series of exploratory 2D and 3D fashion design studies based on their original research and concepts to be presented in a final design presentation in the medium and format of their choice: lookbook, curated exhibit space, performance, short film, etc.

January Intensive in the Dominican Republic (January 2-14)

Please note: All refund schedules are effective until 11:59pm ET on a specified date.

Course Drop or Withdrawal Date and Percentage of Tuition Refunded

On or before October 24: 100%
October 25 to November 7: 50%
November 8 or later: 0%

Attendance and Workload

Students attend classes Monday through Saturday for six hours a day, with a break in between two 3-hour sessions. Attendance is mandatory. Students who miss more than two class sessions (each day consists of one morning and one late afternoon session) will fail the course, subject to faculty and administrative review. Out-of-class work, which is assigned daily, is a substantial part of the program. Students who do not meet course expectations may be asked to leave the program. In such instances, no refund will be given.

Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate English language proficiency, as classes are taught in English. Students who attend a college or university in which English is the primary language of instruction can submit a transcript confirming the language of instruction.

Alternatively, students can submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 79 or higher on the Internet-based course, an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5 or higher, a PTE (Pearson Test of English) score of 53 or higher, or a DET (Duolingo English Test) score of 100 or higher. Visit TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or DET for more information.

What You'll Need

  • A modern laptop and mouse
  • A digital camera (mobile device cameras are suitable)
  • Supplies on class list (estimated cost: $300 U.S.)

College Credit

Students enrolled in the college/adult-level programs in the Dominican Republic earn grades and three undergraduate college credits upon successful completion of the program. We strongly recommend that participants consult an academic advisor at their home institution for further details of approval, transfer, and fulfillment of graduation requirements.

Travel to the Dominican Republic

Students will be notified when to book flights. Students book their own flights to align with the program dates, arriving in the Dominican Republic on January 1 and departing on January 15.

U.S. citizens and green card–holding residents need a valid passport, which must be valid through the period of stay in the Dominican Republic.

Visitors from some countries require a visa. Visit the Embassy of the Dominican Republic website for current visa information.

All visitors to the Dominican Republic are charged a $10 tourist card fee that is incorporated into airline charges.

To ensure the safety of all participants and the surrounding community, students will need to follow several protocols to participate in the January intensive:

  • Submit proof of health insurance
  • Submit proof of full Covid-19 vaccination
  • Follow program Covid-19 protocols, which may include mask wearing and social distancing
  • Self-monitor for symptoms throughout the program

Covid-19 testing might also be required at additional points in the program.

Please email globalpartner@newschool.edu to speak with a program representative.

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