Success in the program requires curiosity, creative problem solving, and the ability to express emotions and ideas visually. In addition to developing fundamental technical skills, Illustration's rigorous curriculum emphasizes visual thinking, originality, art and design history and theory, and awareness of current social and cultural concerns.
Signature classes include the narrative-based Picture Story Workshop; the highly interdisciplinary Visual Politics; Toy Concept and Design, where students design and create narratives for artist toys; and Beyond the Page, in which students create illustration solutions for nonprint media like skateboards and furniture. Students expand the context and depth of their education by working closely with faculty and taking courses in other departments at Parsons and The New School.