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SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN

The mission of the School of Art and Design is to educate artists and designers as well as educators, therapists, and historians in cognate fields. Drawing on the intellectual, technological and professional resources of fourteen departments, the School offers a Renaissance-style immersion in many related disciplines. Beyond enhancing their discipline-specific skills, students learn to be creative, responsible professionals willing and able to contribute to society in fundamental ways

Arts and Cultural Management
The mission of the Arts and Cultural Management M.P.S. Program is to prepare arts and cultural professionals to assume leadership roles in the fields of philanthropy, nonprofit, public, and private sector arts and cultural agencies by providing a unique leadership and management program. The program equips future managers with the necessary theoretical, analytical and practical skills needed to respond creatively to the changing cultural, economic and social environment. The importance of ethical decision making, advanced innovative thinking, and sustainable practice are the primary characteristics of our program.

Art and Design Education, Undergraduate
The mission of undergraduate Art and Design Education is the preparation of students of art and design as accomplished teachers of a diverse population of learners in schools, museums, early childhood and community programs. Throughout the curriculum, practice is directly connected to, and supported by, pedagogical theory with an emphasis on reflection and the development of critical thinking skills. Teaching art and design is viewed as a creative process modeled upon--and nourished by--intensive studio preparation. Our graduates transform art classrooms into studios where students can discover their potential as learners.

Art and Design Education, Graduate
The mission of graduate Art and Design Education is the preparation of artists and designers as accomplished teachers of a diverse population of learners in schools, museums, early childhood and community programs. The curriculum connects practice to pedagogical theory with an emphasis on reflection and critical thinking skills. Teaching art and design is viewed as a creative process modeled upon studio work. Advanced research in related subjects such as arts administration, design, instructional technology, visual literacy, art therapy, and special education may lead to complementary careers.

Associates Degrees
The Associate Degree mission is to provide a professional and creative learning environment in conjunction with a rigorous, career focused art & design curriculum, balancing technical knowledge and skills with the development of critical thinking and conceptual abilities. The program serves a diverse student population, both traditional and nontraditional. It offers two programs: a career-oriented track, which prepares students for careers in the art and design professions and a transfer-oriented track, offering students the opportunity for continued education.

Communications Design, Undergraduate
The mission of the Communications Design Department is to prepare undergraduate students to become socially and environmentally aware leaders in the field of visual communications. Focusing on development and mastery of conceptual and technical skills in Graphic Design, Illustration and Advertising as well as studio electives, cross disciplinary opportunities, and collaborative experiences, prepares students for the convergence of the design fields and for positions as creative directors and illustrators across a broad spectrum of increasingly media-based careers.

Communications Design, Graduate
The mission of the Graduate Communications/Package Design Department is to enroll intelligent, talented and motivated students from diverse cultural, professional and educational backgrounds; and to educate them in creative discipline, technical skills, collaborative abilities, academic knowledge, and managerial competence. While focusing on creative problem solving, the curriculum is pragmatic and industry oriented. The comprehensive thesis demonstrates professional competence and includes extensive research, project formulation, project production, and process documentation. Graduates of our programs enter the professional world with an outstanding portfolio prepared to become innovative leaders in the fields of graphics, packaging and digital design.

Computer Graphics and Interactive Media, Undergraduate
Computer Graphics students achieve a command of the digital arts in 3D Modeling & Animation, Interactive Media, Digital Imaging, and Convergent Media. Within a historical and contemporary context of new media, students learn critical thinking, creative problem solving, collaboration, technical facility, and conceptual innovation. A faculty of professional practicing artists, designers and scholars serve as exemplary models in the pursuit of artistic excellence, providing a vital influence on the Pratt community by extending research and curriculum to other institutional programs. Bachelors emerge prepared for graduate study and poised to provide cultural enrichment through innovative leadership in the digital arts.

Computer Graphics and Interactive Media, Graduate
The Graduate Computer Graphics program enables artists and designers to a achieve mastery in the areas of 3D Modeling & Animation, Interactive Media, Digital Imaging, and Convergent Media. Within a context of new media, students strengthen critical thinking, creative problem solving, collaboration, technical facility, and conceptual innovation skills. A faculty of professional practicing artists, designers, and scholars serve as models in the pursuit of excellence, fulfilling a vital institutional role by extending research and curriculums to other programs. Graduates emerge poised to become leading contributors to the digital arts with a commitment to the cultural enrichment of their world.

Creative Arts Therapy
By educating art and dance therapy students to become accomplished clinicians, the Creative Arts Therapy Department helps individuals with mental health issues reach their full potential. The integration of theoretical and experiential learning forms the basis of our educational process and creates a curriculum rich in critical and creative thinking to help our students adopt innovative solutions to clinical issues. We aim to create committed professionals who, through their chosen art form, apply the creative process and aesthetic decision-making to become leaders in the creative arts therapy field.

Design Management
The Design Management M.P.S. Program was designed to bridge the disciplines of design and business management. It provides an executive management education more focused than the MBA on the special needs of design leaders managing design teams in creative industries worldwide. The program provides participants with the design management skills necessary to identify and allocate the creative assets of the firm toward sustainable strategic advantage. The importance of ethical design intelligence as critical to sustainable advantage is a hallmark of the program. The DM program prepares participants for leadership roles in the design management and strategic management field.

Fashion
The Fashion Design Department’s industry-centered program inspires creative expression and provides an education that includes new techniques, understanding of the fashion industry, and exposure to cutting edge technologies. A professionally active and accomplished faculty guide students in their studies. Interdisciplinary and collaborative opportunities set the program apart, providing students with skills and inspiration beyond the fashion milieu. Internships, competitions and fashion shows with professional models insure our graduates bring their emerging creative talent to the industry and the global design community. Our graduates are prepared as effective team members and leaders in our industry.

Fine Arts, Undergraduate
The Undergraduate Department of Fine Arts educates students to use their intellect, talent and sense of inquiry to develop their unique artistic vision and individual work ethic. Students learn new ways of seeing through a studio-based art curriculum and specialized knowledge in individual disciplines. Broad cultural offerings in the liberal arts and sciences promote consideration of humanistic values and their consequences. Faculty, academic atmosphere, professional resources, facilities, and alumni provide students with the freedom and opportunity to develop as artists and cultural citizens. We envision our alumni to be significant critical and creative contributors to artistic, scholarly, and societal discourse.

Fine Arts, Graduate
The Graduate Department of Fine Arts educates artists through a comprehensive and in-depth study in fine arts, criticism, art history and humanities. MFA students become proficient with every aspect of their studio practice through a combination of rigorous critical discussion, broad-based studio and technical electives, collaborative opportunities, and concentrated study into their chosen areas. We consider our students to be artists whose intellect, talent, sense of inquiry, and work ethic will lead them to a professional life in the arts. We prepare them to become significant critical and creative leaders in artistic, scholarly and societal discourse.

Foundation
The Foundation program’s mission is to broaden and deepen the students’ art and design experience as a basis for lifelong development and to prepare them for their future fields of study. Students acquire knowledge of the fundamentals that underlie the specialized majors in four related disciplines: Drawing, Light Color & Design, 3-D Design and 4-D Design. Emphasis is placed on strengthening sensory-perceptual, cognitive and affective capacities, collaborative abilities, and essential manipulative skills. Immersion in an intensely information-rich environment along with faculty assessment and advisement prepares students for the milieu of the professions they choose.

History of Art & Design, Undergraduate
The History of Art and Design Department’s mission is to develop a broad knowledge of the history of art and design in majors and fundamental knowledge in this field in all students. Through a broad study of global art and design within a historical and cultural context, scholars examine style and content, materials and techniques, and issues of gender, social class, patronage, politics, and religion. Critical thinking skills emerge through evaluation, analysis, comparison, and original interpretation. Graduates are armed with a diversity of methodological approaches; majors are prepared as teachers, museum professionals, and for graduate work at the master’s level.

History of Art & Design, Graduate
Graduate studies in the History of Art and Design Department provide students with the skills and knowledge to pursue careers as art and design historians and professionals in museums, galleries, and libraries, or graduate work at the doctorate level. Through comprehensive study of global art and design within historical and cultural contexts and intensive research and scholarship in specialized areas, students develop a critical understanding of the field as well as research and analytical skills. Graduates demonstrate excellence in independent and critical thinking and understanding of the historic roles and responsibilities of art and design.

Industrial Design. Undergraduate
Industrial Design is a passionate and diverse community of faculty and students preparing young designers to enter the field with the skills to succeed professionally as individuals. Rooted in a rich and prodigious history, we promote respect and sensitivity for others and the environment through our designs and actions while adapting to the rapidly changing needs of our complex world. Students develop an acute understanding of aesthetics leading to the creation of objects and experiences of enduring value and meaning. Our alumni expand the artistic and aesthetic boundaries of our field as entrepreneurial industrial designers.

Industrial Design, Graduate
Enrolling candidates from a wide range of cultural, educational and professional backgrounds, the M.I.D. program is a passionate community of scholars. Students develop a sharp understanding of aesthetics, creating objects and experiences of enduring value and meaning which embody respect and sensitivity for others and our environment. Their diversity of professional backgrounds, coupled with a grounding in traditional design skills, conceptualization and design processes, prepares our alumni as leaders who question, explore and expand the relevance and vibrancy of our discipline.

Interior Design, Undergraduate
The mission of the Interior Design B.F.A. program is to enrich the profession and educate leaders in the practice of Interior Design. Our educational community encourages philosophical explorations, ethical responsibility, aesthetic expressions, and practical applications in line with professional standards. With a firm commitment to social and environmental responsibility, we strive to create professionals who effectively contribute to the enhancement of function, health, safety, and quality of human environment.

Interior Design, Graduate
By teaching skills, values, and professional knowledge to talented and motivated students from diverse cultural, professional and educational backgrounds, the Interior Design M.F.A. program enriches the profession of Interior Design. Our educational community encourages philosophical explorations, ethical responsibility, aesthetic expressions, and practical applications. Our graduates are competent professionals as demonstrated in part by their ability to conceive, problem solve, develop, and complete any given project. With a firm commitment to social and environmental responsibility, we strive to create interior designers who effectively contribute to the enhancement of function, health, safety, and quality of human environment.

Media Arts
With emphasis on artistic development coupled with critical thinking, historical analysis, and communication skills; the Media Arts Department prepares students to become effective media artists and professionals. Within the department’s fine arts perspective, students select a specific field of concentration – photography, film, video, or animation – while being enriched by studies in the other areas. Development of a personal creative identity begins with a highly structured sophomore curriculum and broadens to a guided and self defined senior project. Graduates are expected to demonstrate excellence in artistic vision and professional skills, innovation, and a contextual understanding of their work in contemporary culture.