Art & Design Education Degrees

The department of Art and Design Education at Pratt Institute is distinguished by its interdisciplinary perspective and recognized world-wide for its innovative approaches to connecting artistic practice and education. We offer an integrated curriculum that intertwines studio thinking with learning theories and current research in the field – a curriculum that allows student to be exposed to a range of theories and practices, along with the major threads in art and design education. Technical familiarity with the content area knowledge in the arts and design disciplines are combined with expertise in pedagogical strategies and teaching techniques. Conceptual innovation in education design – from lessons to curricula, projects and programs – are combined with student’s own interests and experiences in order to launch unique creative opportunities.

The Art and Design Education faculty is composed of dedicated and passionate educators, artists and academics whose commitment to their students and to excellence in the field is unparalleled. They are artists and researchers with backgrounds in various domains of art and design education. They have worked with a range of audiences, from children and teens to older adults and families, with people from a range of abilities and disabilities. They are experts in their subfields, such as education history, the relationship of studio practice to teaching, institutional critique and museum education, literacy, language and the arts, or social practice and artistic education. They have worked in a host of settings including public and private schools, community organizations and world-class museums. They are active professionals, presenting papers, exhibiting and performing work, publishing and lecturing at conferences and at leading institutions and universities in the world.

MISSION

The mission of graduate Art and Design Education is the preparation of artists and designers as accomplished educators who can work effectively with pupils in diverse cultural contexts and apply interdisciplinary perspectives in a variety of educational settings, including schools, museums and community organizations. Students work collaboratively with their peers, community members and professionals in the field, while they learn to develop lessons and construct environments that promote critical inquiry and creative practice.  Students engage in individual and community practices as artists, educators, and researchers.  Through an integrated curriculum that exposes students to educational design and teaching practice in a range of settings, and provides opportunities for research and the development of independent projects, the department ascertains that:

1. Graduates are competent and qualified in their content knowledge and instructional planning
2. Graduates are competent and qualified in their pedagogical knowledge and instructional practice
3. Graduates will apply their knowledge of the history and current trends in the fields of art and design education, as well as the broader social and cultural contexts of the profession, to shape their stances as educators, artists, and researchers and contribute to their educational endeavors.
4. Graduates will be able to adapt to a variety of career opportunities and the realities of teaching in diverse settings, and continue their professional development and engagement.

Both the BFA in Art and Design Education and the combined BFA/MS lead to New York State Initial Certification in Teaching Visual Arts, Grades Pre-K–12.