Here you can carry out art historical and design research; apply the theories and practice of information science; design and curate digital libraries, archives, and exhibitions; and communicate arts content and design effectively across diverse cultures and societies.
Pratt students at the Morgan Library Reading Room (courtesy Polly Cancro, History of Art and Design / Library and Information Science '18)
History of Art and Design / Library and Information Science at Pratt
The MSLIS/MA History of Art and Design dual-degree program prepares you for careers in art and design, museum, and academic libraries. In this program, you will become an expert on the intersection of art and design and information, going deep into art, design, and historical archives, art and design collections, and more. With fellowship opportunities at NYC’s leading museums, libraries, and archives, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frick Art Reference Library, and MoMA, the dual-degree program offers unique experiential learning opportunities.
Students in the dual-degree MSLIS/MA History of Art and Design program get to experience all Pratt has to offer by taking half of their program (30 credits) at the School of Information based in Manhattan, and the other half in the Department of History of Art and Design on the Brooklyn campus (30 credits). The first two years students take courses in both departments, with much of the thesis work taking place in the third year. With class sizes of just 8-12, you’ll collaborate closely with your cohort and faculty and be learning at the nexus of NYC arts and culture communities.
Internships
Internships at museums, libraries, nonprofit art organizations, and galleries provide professional opportunities in your area of interest and prepare you for future careers. Recent students have interned at prestigious institutions such as the New York Public Library, Franklin Furnace, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Study Abroad
We are pleased to offer study abroad options for dual-degree students, including a new course offered for the first time during spring break 2024: “Artist Archives: Rome/New York”. We also recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of Pratt in Venice, which is a 6-week program that occurs each June and July. For more information on Study Abroad, see where you can go.
Learning Resources
We develop disciplinary fluency in our program of study and we celebrate the interdisciplinary nature of design critical to address the plurality and complexity of the environments in which we operate. Learning resources.
Our Faculty
Pratt’s distinguished faculty of outstanding creative professionals and scholars share a common desire to develop each student’s potential and creativity to the fullest. Bringing different views, methods, and perspectives, they provide a rigorous educational model in which students make and learn. See all History of Art and Design faculty and administrators and School of Information faculty and administrators.
Our Alumni
Pratt’s distinguished alumni are leading diverse and thriving careers, addressing critical challenges and creating innovative work that reimagines our world.
Where They Work
Librarian, Photographs and Prints Division, New York Public Library
Archivist, Center for Brooklyn History at Brooklyn Public Library
IT Project Manager, J. Paul Getty Trust
Head, Reference & Reader Services, Teachers College, Columbia University
Web Collection Librarian, Columbia University Libraries
Join us at Pratt. Learn more about admissions requirements, plan your visit, talk to a counselor, and start your application. Take the next step.
Whether your goal is to advance your career, pivot to a new field, or explore your craft or groundbreaking research, our 33 graduate programs provide the rigor and support to achieve your vision. Explore our graduate programs in architecture, fine arts, design, information studies, and the liberal arts and sciences. Learn More.
You’ll find yourself at home at Pratt. Learn more about our residence halls, student organizations, athletics, gallery exhibitions, events, the amazing City of New York and our Brooklyn neighborhood communities. Check us out.
You are invited to an HAD Faculty Conversations by Alex Todd, “‘All this repeats”: Wild Plakken and the neo-avant-garde.”
* This event is for Pratt community only.
Date: Thursday, February 26th
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Venue: Main 210
About the Project: When describing its practice in 1979, the Dutch graphic design collective Wild Plakken (1977–1996) made a claim to situate itself within a historical lineage of political, avant-garde graphic design in the Netherlands. Outlining the visual and political context in which it was working, the collective referenced its own connection to the “progressive ideas” of the 1920s and 30s, and suggested that the themes of the inter-war period could be seen to be repeating in the 1970s and 1980s. Taking this claim as a starting point, this talk will examine the ways in which Wild Plakken’s practice can be understood in relation to notions of the “neo-avant-garde” and — more broadly — as an attempt to recall the spirit of inter-war graphic design in order to reject, or challenge, the visual and political moment of the 1980s Netherlands.
About the Speaker:Dr Alex J. Todd is a design historian and faculty member in the History of Art and Design department at Pratt Institute. Alex Received his MA from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London and his PhD from the History of Art and Design programme at the University of Brighton, where his dissertation focused on the political practice of the Dutch graphic design collective Wild Plakken. Alex is also the Student Officer for the Design History Society and co-lead of the Design Activism strand of the Centre for Design History.
The History of Art and Design Department is pleased to announce the following study abroad opportunities for Summer 2026:
Pratt in London: Museums on Site (3 credits, Prof. Sarah Lichtman) / 2 weeks June 1-12th.
Pratt in Paris: Art on Site (3 credits, Prof. Karyn Zieve) / 3 weeks
June 29-July 21st.
Pratt in Paris: Design on Site (3 credits, Prof. Anca Lasc) / 3 weeks
June 29-July 21st.
Info session: February 3, 2026 @ 5pm on Zoom
For more information and to apply, please find our programs on Terra Dotta:
https://pratt-sa.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.Home
Welcome to a new semester of creativity, growth, and discovery. Even as the blizzard blankets the world outside, we’re excited to see the inspiring work our community will bring to life this year.
Sarah Lichtman will be speaking on the panel “Structures of Success: Women Leading in Architecture and Design” at The Winter Show on January 31, 3:00–4:00 PM.
Click the link in the bio for more HAD Faculty News.
#ArtHistory #art #historyofart #ArtAndDesign #pratthad #pratt #historyofdesign
You are invited to “A Brief Tour Through Drag History,” by Jacob Bloomfield.
* This event is for Pratt community only.
Date: Tuesday, February 3rd
Time: 5:30-7:00 pm
Venue: Alumni Reading Room
About the Project: In this talk, Dr Jacob Bloomfield (author of Drag: A British History) provides a survey of the history of drag performance. Seasoned drag scholars will discover new faces, places, and anecdotes in drag history while newcomers will get acquainted with the basics, including styles of drag, major flashpoints in the art form’s history, and the very origins of the term ‘drag’. Throughout, Bloomfield demonstrates that drag’s popularity long predates RuPaul’s Drag Race. Historically, drag performers have been some of the most renowned artists of their day, prominent throughout the media landscape in theatre, visual arts, early film, early television, and even early gramophone record and radio. This was despite — and in some cases due to — the controversy the art form sometimes aroused.
About the Speaker: Jacob Bloomfield is a Zukunftskolleg Associated Fellow at the University of Konstanz and an Honorary Researcher at the University of Kent. Jacob is the author of Drag: A British History (University of California Press, 2023). His latest article, ‘“Little Richard: Down, Not Out”: The Quasar of Rock’s LGBTQ Iconicity and the Historical Reception to His Sexuality and Gender Presentation, 1955-Present’, appears in the January 2026 issue of the Journal of the History of Sexuality.
#art #pratthad #ArtHistory #pratt #historyofart #ArtAndDesign #historyofdesign
It's the School of Information February '26 newsletter with new books coming out, museum visits, and much more! Link available in our bio.
Image: InfoShow25 with Adina Karp (MSLIS ‘26), May 16, 2025, photo by Dahlia Dandashi
This may be a good time to become familiar with Pratt's Weather Policy, which provides details on what to expect in a weather condition. Link available in our bio.
Update 1/23: Monday will be a snow day and in-person classes will be suspended. While we anticipate many faculty will opt to hold their class on Zoom, there may be some cases where weather conditions such as Internet outages, power outages or childcare may challenge that, so please be understanding if that is the case. You should be hearing from your faculty member before the scheduled time on Monday with what the plan is for that class. Also, if you are challenged to make an online class such as for aforementioned reasons, please note that you will not be penalized for that, per the weather policy. — Dean Cocciolo
Image: Pratt Manhattan on 14th Street, February 2021.
Assistant Professor Filipa Calado is rolling up their sleeves putting together a custom computer to run Small Language Models and work on Sustainable AI. We expect this computer will be making an appearance in the course they are teaching this Fall '26 semester, INFO 656 Machine Learning. #AI #sustainability
The information you see changes the world that you perceive. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information.
To learn more about our Masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is Tuesday, January 20 at 6pm ET. Attend in-person in Manhattan or on Zoom. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
Happy New Year from the School of Information @ Pratt. It is our January newsletter with info on our new student orientation, new policies, new events, new faculty, and more news! Link available in our bio.
Image: Class photo of INFO 643 Information Architecture & Interaction Design with Prof. Johna Shi (MSIXD ‘23) and alums Vonetta DeVonish (MSIXD ‘21), Samika Rastogi (MSIXD '23) and Sacchit Vartak (MSIXD '23), Fall 2025.
The School of Information Office will be closed December 23 and will reopen on January 5th.
Pratt Manhattan Center will be open during the holidays, including Christmas and News Year’s Day.
Happy Holidays,
Anthony, Quinn, Meredith, Nene, and the SI student employees
The MSLIS/MA History of Art and Design dual-degree program prepares students for careers in art, museum, and academic libraries. With fellowship opportunities taking place at NYC’s leading museums, libraries, and archives, such as the Brooklyn Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the dual-degree program offers unique opportunities for experiential learning.
This program consists of 30 credits at the School of Information and 30 credits at the Department of History of Art and Design for a total of 60 credits, which must be completed with a B average or higher. Students in the dual-degree program generally take one or two classes in each program per semester (3–4 courses, 9–12 credits).
Students in the dual-degree MSLIS/MA History of Art and Design satisfy the learning outcomes of each of the respective degrees.
MS Library and Information Science
Throughout the LIS program, students will create a digital portfolio to highlight the work they have completed and demonstrate they have met the program’s five student learning outcomes:
Foundations of Library and Information studies – Apply core concepts and theories to information collection, organization and access in multiple environments.
User-centered services – Students can meet information needs of diverse user communities across multiple communication formats (e.g. oral, written, visual, interactive).
Technology – Students can select and apply tools and technologies used in the field to improve information functions.
Research – Investigate information environments and users’ needs, behaviors, and experiences through appropriate research methods and analysis.
Ethical/Creative/Critical practice – Apply core ethical principles to professional practice and understand the broad impact of information on society. Students can raise critical questions about information, its production, dissemination, storage and preservation.
MA History of Art and Design
Graduates are able to articulate the mutually constitutive nature of historical changes in social, political and economic conditions in the fields of art, design, and cultural production.
Graduates are able to describe, research and analyze the forms of cultural artifacts and monuments.
Graduates demonstrate a critical engagement with the discipline’s tools and methods.
Graduates have the skills to craft lines of inquiry and perform in-depth research, including the use of relevant languages, that results in original analysis and interpretation.
