The New School is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which is also known as “MSCHE.” MSCHE evaluates and accredits colleges and universities as a whole, and has been recognized
by the United States Secretary of Education since 1952. The New School has been accredited by MSCHE since 1960.
Additionally, all degree programs at the New York City campus of The New School are registered by the New York State Department of Education, also known as “NYSED.” All degree-granting institutions
that have a physical presence in New York must have authorization from the New York State Board of Regents (“Regents”) to operate as a college or university. NYSED reviews, approves, and registers all individual programs of study leading to degrees
and credit-bearing certificates according to standards of academic quality in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Together, Regents authorization to confer degrees and NYSED program registration make up the mandatory State approval process.
NYSED’s Inventory of Registered Programs provides a list of authorized New York institutions and their registered programs. You can find The New School’s programs by searching the Inventory available here.
Students can publicly research the accreditation status of The New School and its programs on the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education website, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), available
at https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. The DAPIP obtains the information it posts from the U.S. Institutional Accreditation Associations (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/agency-list) and there
may be delays in updating. The full listing for The New School programs, including the Paris Branch Campus and Romainville additional location, is available on the MSCHE site.
The New School’s efforts to seek and maintain MSCHE accreditation and NYSED registration of its programs provide assurances to students, parents, and all stakeholders that the university meets clear quality standards for educational and financial performance.
Parsons Paris Accreditation and Degree Information
1. Status in the United States
As one of the five schools of The New School, Parsons Paris is an official global campus of The New School located in Paris, France. From an accreditation standpoint, it is recognized as an official, authorized “branch campus” of The New School and is
accredited by subject to the full scope of accreditation requirements of Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
2. Status in France
In France, since 2013, Parsons Paris has been declared to the Rectorat of the Paris Academy (a division of the French Ministry of Education) as an établissement d’enseignement supérieur privé (a private higher education establishment) and is authorized
to teach classes in France leading to degrees at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s level. This authorization is renewed on an annual basis.
The French National Office of Information on Education and Professions (ONISEP) lists Parsons Paris degrees in its database of higher education degrees offered
in France. ONISEP is a French state operator that maintains and publishes information on education and careers.
Like other officially accredited U.S. diplomas, Parsons Paris bachelor's degrees are recognized by universities as equivalent to the French Licence (commonly referred to as Bac+3 under the Bologna Process) for admission to graduate studies. However, U.S. undergraduate degrees are technically considered Bac+4, as students typically complete four years of university education following high school. Similarly, U.S.
graduate degrees are generally regarded as equivalent to Bac+5 in the French system, though in practice, earning a master's degree in the U.S. typically requires five to six years of university study.
Though Parsons Paris degrees are not French state-issued diplomas, graduates may request a certificate of comparability (attestation de comparabilité) from the France Education International Center of the European Network of Information Centers – National
Academic Recognitions Information Centers (ENIC-NARIC).
Foreign Degree Recognition Information
Parsons Paris graduates receive two American diplomas: one where Parsons School of Design is listed as the school, and a second where Parsons Paris is listed as the school. Both diplomas bear The New School seal and may be used to verify a student’s
degree from The New School and Parsons Paris.
It is important to note that if any students intend to use their The New School and/or Parsons Paris degree to seek work or undertake further study outside the United States, it is the personal responsibility of such students, before enrolling in a New
School and/or Parsons Paris program, to undertake appropriate inquiries to ensure that their The New School and/or Parsons Paris degree or study path will meet local requirements for their chosen careers or study goals abroad.
Official recognition or verification by foreign countries in which a student wishes to work or study can be complex. Each country has its own legal and administrative framework with rules that change from time to time. The New School and/or Parsons Paris
does not and cannot guarantee that The New School and/or Parsons Paris degree will be verified by any country outside of the United States. It is the student’s sole responsibility to determine whether foreign degree verification is needed to achieve
each student’s individual employment and/or other personal and professional goals.
Degree verification by agencies like the Chinese Services Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) or any foreign governmental entity does not in any way impact the validity or value of The New School/Parsons Paris degree in the United States. Students can
publicly research the accreditation status of New School/Parsons and its programs on the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) website and on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) website.
Parsons Paris Higher Education Institutional Affiliations
Parsons Paris is a member of, and/or is affiliated with:
- Council of International Schools (CIS)
- National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) -International Association for College Admission Counseling (International ACAC)
- National Portfolio Day Association (NPDA)
- International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)