Enrollment Update: Registration is still open for select fall adult courses. Browse available courses

About Online Learning

Online Continuing and Professional Education courses are designed to offer a personalized, faculty-led, collaborative learning experience through which students can achieve their goals. Study on your own weekly schedule using a best-in-class online platform while industry experts guide your progress every step of the way. Hundreds of annual online course offerings allow you to advance your learning anywhere in the world.

Convenience and Flexibility

Immerse yourself in the vibrant New School community through video lectures and in-depth discussion groups, using our Canvas Learning Management System and Zoom online conferencing platform. Many course elements are even accessible by smartphone. If you are enrolled and already have a New School NetID, we encourage you to see our tips for using Canvas and Zoom.

  • The New School boasts a global network of like-minded individuals from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, which enriches the online learning experience. 
  • Each online course is carefully created by faculty and offers a unique learning opportunity.
  • Our online courses mirror our on-site classes. They are typically small seminars, which ensures personalized instruction by New School professors as well as extensive discussion.
  • You will always have direct contact with your instructor and peers as you progress through discussions, projects, and open questions.

We offer asynchronous (self-paced) and synchronous (live) online courses, both with unique benefits to students. Some courses are a hybrid between the two, such as our College & Adult Summer Intensives and Pre-College Summer Intensives.

Synchronous Online Classes

  • Meet at a specific time of day
  • Participate in live lectures
  • Complete live in-class assignments
  • Submit homework online
  • Learn through live one-on-one faculty critiques
  • Collaborate with classmates in discussion rooms
  • Our intensives are synchronous and asynchronous

Asynchronous Online Classes

  • No specific meeting time
  • Watch self-paced, pre-recorded lectures
  • Complete weekly assignments online
  • Submit homework online
  • Connect with instructors through Zoom
  • Work with others in discussion rooms
  • Most adult courses are asynchronous

 

Online Certificate Programs

Earn a credential that employers, peers, and collaborators will notice — a Parsons certificate in some of the fastest-growing fields, from data visualization and user experience design to leadership, business, and marketing. Our noncredit certificate programs supply working professionals with tools that foster professional development and support entrepreneurship.

Browse Online Certificates

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I get access to my course in the Canvas learning management system?

You will have access to your course in Canvas by 12:01 a.m. EST on the first day of class. Reach Canvas from MyNewSchool or canvas.newschool.edu for announcements from your instructor or information on your course.

When will my courses meet?

All course descriptions include date ranges. Our online classes are typically asynchronous, meaning there is usually no specific meeting time. Online courses taught in synchronous mode (with live lectures and working sessions) also list time of day.

What do "synchronous" and "asynchronous" mean?

Asynchronous classes have no specific meeting time. In the asynchronous format, you can watch lectures and complete assignments on your own time. Synchronous classes require you to be present for live lectures, discussions, or in-class assignments on a specific day and time.

How do I know whether a course is asynchronous or synchronous?

If an online course includes only a range of dates (for example, August 31–November 1), that means it is asynchronous (consisting of pre-recorded lectures). If it includes the day of the week and time of day, that means it is synchronous (consisting of live lectures). Most of our adult continuing education courses are asynchronous; most of our youth and pre-college intensives and courses are synchronous.

Why are some online courses full?

We maintain small class sizes so that we can give individualized feedback and instruction to all our students. Courses are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If your desired course is not available, join a wait list, sign up for email updates, or contact Student Services at continuinged@newschool.edu; the office will suggest a similar course with open seats.

How will I interact with my instructor and classmates?

Online courses are designed to allow students to receive direct feedback from our faculty practitioners. You can use the Zoom platform to collaborate on projects with classmates. Through Canvas, you can progress through material, review recorded lectures, and formulate questions to ask later. You will always have direct contact with your instructor and peers as you participate in discussions, projects, and open questions.

How much time should I allocate for coursework?

Plan to allocate three hours for each week of your course to engage with your course content. Summer intensives require around six hours a week of class time. You should also expect three to six hours of homework per week on average.

What supplies and materials will I need?

Any required materials will be listed on your syllabus, which is available to you on the first day of your course. Students are expected to purchase the software listed in the course description for the duration of the course. We try to keep the cost of materials low. Summer Intensive students have free access to many required software applications, including Adobe Creative Cloud for Students.

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