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General Education

General Education is the thread that weaves together your academic experience here at Pratt. Whether it’s diving into the history of art and design or making connections between math and philosophy, you’ll find ways to deepen your creative practice along with your awareness of the social and civic environments—both here in New York and across the world. As you do, you’ll create the fabric of your own story, thinking critically and collaboratively every step of the way. 

Pratt graduates emerge as creative professionals whose work is informed by a critical understanding of their cultural and physical environment and of the ideas and values that have shaped the world’s societies and their own lives and creative work. Based on the belief that creative practice and critical thinking form an integral whole, General Education emphasizes the development of visual and verbal intelligence; engagement in critical inquiry and analysis; integration of ideas and approaches from different disciplines; appreciation of human differences and multiple perspectives; and reflection on students’ responsibilities to themselves, to society, and the environment in the creation of original, innovative work.

Pratt’s General Education program provides a solid foundational breadth across the liberal arts and sciences, depth through flexible pathways for focussed exploration, and opportunity for strong interdisciplinary connection with the art and design disciplines.

Although the above describes the General Education structure for the NASAD-accredited BFA programs in the Schools of Art and Design, the components and sequencing have slight variation within the School of Architecture, the degree programs of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and for students enrolled in the Intensive English Program.

College should be a place where you try new things, step into the unknown, and grow every day. 

The breadth of General Education means you’ll be taking courses that require you to step outside your comfort zone and take up new skills—that’s where the growth happens. Our goal is to help you see your own major differently, through new lenses, with new perspectives and ideas to explore.