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Parsons School of Design Master of Arts in History of Design and Curatorial Studies program theses

 Collection
Identifier: PC-02-04-08

Abstract

This record group consists of text files of theses created by students in Parsons School of Design's MA program in History of Design and Curatorial Studies.

Dates

  • 2023-2024

Creator

Extent

.2 Gigabytes (2 pdf files)

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

The History of Design and Curatorial Studies theses in this collection are available solely in the form of electronic records. Each thesis is accompanied by an abstract written by the student.

The collection inventory should not be considered a definitive list of all program graduates for a particular year. Some students choose not to place their thesis with The New School Archives. For confirmation of graduation from the MA History of Design & Curatorial Studies program, it is necessary to verify with the university's Office of the Registrar.

Conditions Governing Access

Theses are available in electronic form only. Most of the collection is open for research use. For newly accessioned theses, some authors have requested that their theses not be made available online for one year from the date of submission, but have indicated that their theses may be viewed onsite in the New School Archives. In other instances, authors have opted to make their theses completely unavailable for viewing until one year from the date of submission. Please contact archivist@newschool.edu for appointment.

Conditions Governing Use

In accordance with The New School's Intellectual Property Rights Policy, copyright is held by each thesis's respective author. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the user.

Historical note

The Parsons School of Design Master of Arts in History of Design and Curatorial Studies program is a graduate course of study administered cooperatively by Parsons School of Design and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. Housed at the Cooper Hewitt Museum as of 2025, the program offers an “object-focused, practice-based approach to the study of curatorial practice and decorative arts and design dating from the Renaissance to the present.”

The program began in 1982 as the Master of Arts in History of Decorative Arts, founded jointly between Parsons and the Cooper Hewitt. In 2005, the program was renamed the Master of Arts in History of Decorative Arts and Design, and in 2014, the name of the program was again changed to Master of Arts in History of Design and Curatorial Studies. The revised curriculum of the new program added an emphasis on curatorial theory and practice, and included training with curators of the Smithsonian Design Museum and an option of completing a capstone curatorial project.

References

“History of Design and Curatorial Studies (MA).” The New School: Parsons. Accessed March 11, 2025. https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/ma-history-design-curatorial-studies/.

“Introducing the MA Program in the History of Design and Curatorial Studies.” MA Program in the History of Design and Curatorial Studies Newsletter, 2, no. 2 (Winter 2014). https://issuu.com/newschool/docs/newsletter_2-2dec14.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year of submission and within each year in alphabetical order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

As of 2023, electronic theses are submitted to The New School Archives by students in the MA History of Design and Curatorial Studies program, with support from program administrators.

Related Materials

The Smithsonian Library at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum holds the program's student theses produced prior to 2023.

Title
Guide to the Parsons School of Design MA History of Design and Curatorial Studies program theses
Status
Completed
Author
New School Archives and Special Collections Staff
Date
March 12, 2025
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin