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.
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.
The Anglepoise Lamp was first created by engineer George Carwardine, who applied his knowledge of springs and levers to design a lamp that could move fluidly and hold any position. Soon after, the Herbert Terry & Sons company helped refine and manufacture the design, making it accessible for both industrial and domestic use.
This partnership turned the Anglepoise into much more than a technical invention. It became a design icon that balanced practicality with elegance, a lamp that has illuminated homes, offices, and studios for nearly a century.
Kandinsky’s Composition VIII marks a turning point in modern art. Painted after his time at the Bauhaus, the work reflects his deep interest in geometry, balance, and the spiritual language of abstraction. Circles, lines, triangles, and curves float across the canvas, creating rhythm and harmony without relying on traditional representation.
Rather than depicting objects, Kandinsky sought to evoke emotion through pure form and color. He believed that geometric abstraction could act like music, speaking directly to the soul.
✨ A milestone of abstract art, Composition VIII remains one of Kandinsky’s most celebrated works and a cornerstone of Bauhaus visual language.
"Did you know? Egyptian Blue is considered the world’s first synthetic pigment, created over 4,500 years ago in ancient Egypt. Made by heating a mix of sand, copper, and natron, this luminous blue was used to decorate tombs, statues, and ceramics. Its brilliance symbolized the heavens and eternity, making it one of the most treasured colors of the ancient world."
Fall 2026 applications are officially open for the Department of History of Art and Design at Pratt Institute. Explore, question, and contribute to the future of art and design.
Vienna Secession (1897 to 1910): Where Art Broke Free
In turn-of-the-century Vienna, artists like Gustav Klimt and Josef Hoffmann rejected academic tradition and formed the Vienna Secession. Their goal was to unite art, architecture, and design into one expressive vision rooted in modern life.
Key features:
• Geometric ornament combined with natural motifs
• Symbolism and flat, decorative patterns
• The idea of Gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art
#ViennaSecession #GustavKlimt #ArtNouveau #DesignHistory #SecessionBuilding #KolomanMoser #JosefHoffmann #ModernDesign #ArtAndDesign #HistoryOfDesign
Find out the speaker at our 6th Annual Ethics & Technology Forum, as well as student, alumni and faculty news, in our August '25 newsletter! Link available in our bio.
The neighborhood around PMC is getting ready for the Pride March this Sunday. Note that the March loops around PMC this year so the neighborhood will be super busy and festive! Happy Pride! 🌈 🎉
InfoShow25 was a huge success and Fellowship recipients are announced. This news and more in the @prattischool June '25 Newsletter; link available in our bio.
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.
