There are many policies that apply to all students at The New School. This page outlines some key policies and procedures, particularly as they apply to BAFA Students.
PLEASE NOTE: All global academic policies are outlined yearly in the Academic Catalog published here: https://www.newschool.edu/provost/academic-catalogs/.
A list of policies sorted alphabetically is also available here: https://www.newschool.edu/about/university-resources/policies/
All three colleges (Lang, Parsons, Performing Arts) define satisfactory academic standing as the maintenance of at least 2.0 (C) average each semester and on a cumulative basis. Any student whose grade point average falls below 2.0 at Parsons, Performing Arts, or Lang is placed on academic probation. BAFA students who are placed on probation may be asked to concentrate on one part of their academic program, either the BA or the BFA. In some cases, it may be advisable for students to take a leave of absence for a semester or a year.
Note that most financial aid programs require that recipients maintain satisfactory academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward earning a degree, meaning that a minimum of attempted credits is completed. Academic probation may therefore jeopardize financial aid. Any students placed on probation should speak with a financial aid counselor about potential implications for their award. More information can be found on the webpages of Student Financial Services.
In addition to the general policies regarding academic standing, there are policies regarding academic progress that are directly related to majors. At Lang, students must earn a grade of C or higher in a particular course in order for the course to apply toward a major or pathway.
BA/BFA students complete two capstone or thesis experiences: one for their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (typically Design Studio 6 within their chosen major for Parsons, or their Senior Seminar/Recital for Jazz), and one for the Bachelor of Arts degree (as determined by the major they select at Lang).
BA/BFA students are strongly discouraged from completing their thesis experiences in the same semester.
Students should consult their Degreeworks and other major requirement worksheets to determine what courses at Lang fulfill their BA capstone.
The University Code of Conduct outlines policies that affect students in all colleges of the university. All BAFA students should be familiar with their rights and responsibilities as New School students.
The University Code of Conduct is available online at newschool.edu/student-conduct.
Some students may wish to propose courses they have taken or would like to take towards a requirement that it is not pre-approved for. Most often, this will be applying a course to an elective category in one of their majors.
Before contacting faculty, students should connect with their Academic Advisor with information about the course, including course code, CRN if possible, and course description, along with the requirement they wish to substitute it for. Your advisor will provide more information and guidance regarding if the substitution is appropriate.
Substitution proposals for your Lang degree should be directed to the Departmental Faculty Advisor of the major you are requesting to substitute a course in, with a cc to your advisor. You should submit the syllabus and course description with a clear written inquiry if the course might fulfill a major requirement.
Substitution proposals for your Parsons or JCM degree should be directed to your advisor, who will forward the request to the Academic Planning official(s) in that college.
BA/BFA students do not graduate from The New School until they have completed the requirements of both of their degrees, typically at the end of their fifth year. Administratively, they apply to graduate only in the fifth year, even if they are close to completing one of their two degrees. Students are generally able to participate in the following commencement ceremonies:
University Commencement
Eugene Lang College Recognition Ceremony
Parsons School of Design School-Specific Recognition Ceremony OR College of Performing Arts Recognition Ceremony
Lang/Parsons students who are completing their capstone experience in year 4 can typically participate in their program's recognition ceremony at that time. They should be in contact with their advisor and their Program Director for details and to confirm participation.
BAFA students are permitted to register for up to 21 credits per semester. Full time status for a BAFA student is considered 12-21 credits, and are covered by BAFA flat rate tuition. Students should not plan to enroll for 21 credits every semester or in two back-to-back semesters.
The BAFA program is a five year commitment, and students taking at least 16-18 credits (Parsons) or 18 credits exactly (JCM) per semester should meet their credit minimums without taking more than 21 credits in any given semester.
Taking more than 21 credits as a BAFA is considered "overloading" on credits, and will be rarely, if ever, approved. Students should connect with their advisor with a clear reason for overloading as well as a plan for time management and well-being during the overloaded semester. Overloading will not be approved for students in their first or second year. Students successfully petitioning to register for greater than 21 credits will be responsible for the per-credit cost of any credits over 21.
Students are expected to take at least one course at Lang and one course at Parsons or JCM every semester; failure to do so in two back to back semesters may result in an advising hold so students can discuss their intent to remain in the BAFA program with their advisor.
Students wishing to drop BA/BFA status and remain either a BA or a BFA student should consult their Success Advisor before filling out the BAFA Degree Change Request Form.
Change in status will impact your degree requirements; you will be responsible for completion of all degree requirements for your "new" non-BAFA degree.
Students are strongly encouraged to contact a Financial Aid Advisor, finaid@newschool.edu, before making any final decisions about their change in degree status.
Students who do not make progress towards both degrees for two subsequent semesters will be required to meet with their advisor to discuss options and whether they intend to drop the dual degree. Students who do not do so may have an advising hold placed on their account prior to registration for the following semester.
Students should keep in mind that independent study requires a serious commitment on their part and on the part of the faculty supervising the independent study. A detailed, realistic plan should be prepared for all projects in advance, using the proposal forms linked on the Forms page.
Depending on its subject matter, an approved independent study is designated as fulfilling either general liberal arts elective credit or credit toward a major or pathway. Students interested in pursuing independent study on a specific topic not offered in the Lang curriculum may be able to do so once a faculty supervisor (who must be a member of Lang’s full-time faculty) is identified. Together with their faculty supervisor, students complete an Independent Study Contract and submit it to the department chair and their advisor for approval before registration. The appropriate number of credits earned on completion of the independent study is determined in consultation with the faculty supervisor. If the contract is approved, an academic advisor will follow up with the student about procedures for registration. Earning more than four credits for independent study is seldom approved.
Parsons students interested in pursuing independent study should contact their advisor for information and permission. To register for independent study, a student must complete an Independent Study Contract during the “add” period at the beginning of the semester in which the independent study is to occur and register for the number of credits specified in the contract.
Any JCM student who wishes to pursue independent study at JCM should contact their advisor to submit their request. Independent Study will be granted on a case-by-case basis. Your advisor and the College of Performing Arts team will facilitate the mentorship between students and full-time faculty.
Students should review the Internships for Credit page available on the New School's Career Services website for information about how to earn credit for internships.
At Lang, all students enter as Undeclared majors and are are encouraged to wait until at least their sophomore year to declare your major. Most BAFA students will declare their major in the second semester of their second year, or first semester of their third year. Students may fill out the Lang major declaration form at any time after they have earned 30 credits total at The New School.
Parsons students enter with a declared major or as Undeclared majors; each spring semester, the Parsons academics team releases the Parsons major application and sends it to all first year students. First year students who are Undeclared or wish to change their declared major use this application form to submit their first choice of major. Changing the BFA major after the first year is challenging from a logistical standpoint, so students should contact their advisor to discuss the implications of this.
Generally, major changes are not permitted within Performing Arts and JCM, but students may change their concentration within the JCM major (i.e change from Vocalist to Singer/Songwriter). Students should contact their advisor to discuss.
BAFA students must earn at least 45 liberal arts credits in residence at Lang (defined as courses with “L” or “U” subject codes, all foreign language courses, and all art or music history courses). This requirement is prorated for transfer students. In addition, unless otherwise arranged through studying abroad in the fall of year 5, all students must spend their final two semesters before graduation in residence at The New School.
Parsons requires that students earn at least 42 credits and spend at least two years in residence at Parsons.
New School JCM requires that all students spend at least two years in residence.
BAFA students who wish to complete a semester of study abroad (called “mobility” at the university) generally can expect to do so in the spring of their third year or the fall of their fifth year.
Students should begin by consulting with an advisor working in the Study Abroad office, by contacting them at studyabroad@newschool.edu. They can then speak with their academic advisor to discuss their plans.
Few study abroad programs incorporate both studio and liberal arts curricula, so BAFA students usually focus on one or the other requirement when researching their options. Students register for mobility through only one college, but BAFA students maintain their standing in both colleges while studying abroad. Learn more about abroad programs - including the application process - here: GoAbroad.
Once a student has been accepted at and enrolled in an abroad program, they are strongly encouraged to get their External Credit Transfer Form on file ASAP to ensure a smooth transfer of credit, and ensure they know which courses they are taking fulfill their degree requirements.
It is important to consider the financial implications of a mobility program. If The New School does not have a formalized contract or agreement with the other school or organization, institutional financial aid may not be available for study abroad, although students can still apply for their regular federal loans and federal grants through The New School.
Lang maintains exchange programs with the University of Amsterdam, Sarah Lawrence College, John Cabot University (Rome), Spelman College, and King’s College of London. Credits earned at these institutions are transferable, and students retain financial aid awards received from The New School while studying there.
BAFA Lang/Parsons students who pursue a Lang-based abroad program prior to their fifth year should consult with their advisor, as this means they may delay their progression through the Parsons curriculum by at least one semester; this is absolutely doable but requires additional planning. Alternatively, BAFA students can complete a Lang-based abroad program in the fall of their fifth year.
Parsons study abroad is available in the second semester of the third year in the Parsons curriculum; for BAFA students this means their third or fourth year in BAFA, depending on when they started in BAFA. Students will take equivalent studio courses to their second semester junior curriculum, as approved by their program director.
Each BFA major at Parsons has a list of pre-approved study abroad programs, available to view here on the Parsons website. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue one of these programs to ensure progression through their BFA degree.
JCM maintains an exchange program with the Conservatorium van Amsterdam in Amsterdam, Netherland in which students can earn credits toward their BFA degree for one semester.
BAFA students can earn up to 12 liberal arts credits in summer academic programs offered by Lang or other colleges of The New School or up to nine credits at another college or university. The BAFA Advisor must approve all summer courses taken at other institutions in advance, and students should use the external transfer credit approval form available on the Forms page.
All summer credits in liberal arts approved for transfer are considered general education credits only. In order to have a particular transfer course counted toward a major (if declared), a student must submit a course description or syllabus to the departmental chair for review. Students must earn a grade of C or higher in order for a course to be considered for transfer.
Some Parsons programs offer elective studio courses during summer sessions, but most do not. Permission to take summer studio courses for credit, whether at The New School or at another institution, requires advance approval from Parsons. Parsons BAFA students generally take liberal arts courses during the summer.
Jazz does not offer summer studio courses and does not accept studio credits from summer study at other institutions. Jazz BAFA students can take liberal arts courses during the summer if they are offered.
Transfer students should note that previously earned credits are usually applied as general credit (electives) and can be applied to a student’s major, pathway, or other requirements only with the permission of the appropriate department or program chair at Lang, the Parson's Dean's Office, or the director of Academic Affairs at JCM.
BAFA students are eligible to transfer up to 84 credits total towards their degree completion; this includes a maximum of 42 credits of liberal arts. See the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy for more information.
Each division approaches mid-semester evaluations differently.
At Lang, faculty members provide mid-semester reports about any academic concerns to the Academic Advising Office through the Student Success Network/Starfish. Advisors provide support to students at academic risk in particular courses.
At Parsons, faculty members are expected to provide students with mid-semester evaluations for every course. Faculty are also expected to notify a student’s academic advisor of attendance or academic warnings at mid-term. Advisors provide outreach and support to students in academic jeopardy.
At Jazz, faculty members provide mid-semester reports about any academic concerns to the Academic Advising Office through the Student Success Network/Starfish. The BAFA advisor and the College of Performing Arts Academic Affairs team provides appropriate support to students in danger of failing.