• Visual Studies (Minor)

  • Overview

    The Visual Studies minor is offered through Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts. This page outlines requirements for the minor. Lang students who major in The Arts at Lang (BA The Arts) also have the option to pursue the Arts in Context concentration, in which they can study visual studies along with a liberal arts discipline. For example, a student can focus on arts criticism by taking courses in visual studies and writing. Other majors such as Psychology or Urban Studies can also provide wider contexts for visual art studies. 

    Part of the interdisciplinary Arts curriculum at Eugene Lang College, Visual Studies offers a distinctive approach to the study of the history and theory of art as well as the broader field of visual culture. The curriculum reflects the dominant role of images in contemporary society and culture.

    Curriculum

    The Visual Studies minor requires the following five courses:

    Total credits: 18-20

    NOTE:

    • At least three of the five courses for the minor must be LVIS and/or LINA courses in Art History or Visual Studies. 
    • Two of the five required courses can be fulfilled by courses from other Lang departments/programs, including LCST (Lang Culture and Media), and from Parsons ADHT and NSPE; these courses must have a focus on art history, visual studies, museum and curatorial studies, cultural studies, screen studies, media studies, or performance studies. 
    • For transfer students, no more than two transfer courses count toward the minor. 
    • Students must receive a grade of C or better in all courses to fulfill the minor.

    Eligibility

    Minors are available to undergraduate students across The New School. Please meet with your Student Success advisor to see how a minor will fit in with your overall degree requirements. Interested students should also review the curriculum and speak with the Visual Studies departmental faculty advisor before declaring this minor. Arts in Context students should follow the minor requirements for Visual Studies, above, or an alternate plan of study approved by the Visual Studies departmental faculty advisor. 

    If you have questions about requirements for the Visual Studies minor that cannot be answered by your Student Success advisor, please consult Visual Studies Program Director and Departmental Faculty Advisor Soyoung Yoon at [email protected]. 

    Prospective students with questions about the Visual Studies program can email [email protected].

    How to Declare or Change a Minor

    General guidelines for declaring a minor are available here. Current students can declare or change a minor by logging in to my.newschool.edu, clicking on the Academics tab, and then clicking on the link to Major/Minor Declarations.

    Requirements Worksheet

    Courses should be chosen carefully, in consultation with the departmental faculty advisor. See the university course catalog for fall 2024 Visual Studies courses that fulfill these requirements. Students pursuing the Visual Studies minor are encouraged to download the Visual Studies Minor Requirements worksheet to track their progress. 

  • Take the Next Step

    Contact your Student Success advisor to discuss how a minor will fit with your degree requirements.

    Declare or change a minor on my.newschool.edu in the Academics tab. Note that some minors require an application.

  • Take The Next Step

Submit your application

Undergraduates

To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

Undergraduate Adult Learners

To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

Graduates

To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.