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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)

Pratt students at the Morgan Library Reading Room (courtesy Polly Cancro, History of Art and Design / Library and Information Science '18)

Type
Graduate, MAL
Start Term
Fall Only
Credits
60
Duration
3 years (typically)
Courses
Plan of Study
Student reading in the book stacks of the history Pratt Library on the Brooklyn campus.

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.

Student Work

You may also browse completed M.A. History of Art & Design Theses at the Pratt Institute Libraries.

The Experience

professor speaking with class, reviewing artwork onsite

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

Bernini's fountain in the Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy.

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
  • Dean and Director of Libraries, Bard College

Success Stories

Ready for More?

HERE’S HOW TO APPLYOUR CAMPUS & BEYOND
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.

Social media

@hadpratt
History of Art and Design Dep.

@hadpratt

  • Professor Eana Kim and her Art Since the Sixties class visited MoMA for a hands-on session of object-based research and discussion. Students explored Pop Art and Fluxus in the galleries, bringing their classroom debates to life among iconic works by George Maciunas, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, and more!
  • Pratt will again join with other partners throughout the five boroughs to be part of Open House New York (OHNY). OHNY is a unique opportunity to share our campus and welcome fellow New Yorkers to Pratt. It promotes broad, unparalleled access to the city—to the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future. Through their year-round programming, including the annual OHNY Weekend festival, OHNY offers a citywide platform for education, exploration, and engagement about the connections between quality of place and quality of life for all New Yorkers.

Launched in 2003, Open House New York Weekend is an annual festival that opens hundreds of noteworthy or significant places across the five boroughs to foster discovery and delight for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

Participants are invited to the Pratt campus to take a self-guided tour of the sculpture garden or participate in an HAD facilitated guided campus tour (reservations required). The tour will provide access to spaces not usually open to non-Pratt community members. #OHNYwknd

Follow our social media @hadpratt and @openhousenewyork on Instagram or @hadpratt and @ohny on Twitter to learn more. Also learn more at ohny.org/weekend.

#OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##historyofdesignhistoryofdesign
  • You are invited to an HAD Faculty Conversations by Kate Minniti, “More than countless trinkets: Egyptian objects in Archaic Sicily (776-480 BCE).”

* This event is for Pratt community.
Date: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Venue: Main 210

About the Speaker: Kate Minniti holds a PhD in Classical Archaeology from the University of British Columbia, BC, and degrees in Egyptian Archaeology from UCL and History of Art and Archaeology from NYU. She has been working as a field archaeologist around the Mediterranean for more than a decade, and she is a senior member of the NYU-UniMi archaeological expedition in Selinunte, Italy. Her main research interests are Archaic-Period connectivity and local responses to globalization in the Mediterranean. She is also interested in reception studies, and since 2013 has been exploring and publishing on the representation of Ancient Egypt in video games.

About the Project: Sicily has yielded roughly 300 Egyptian-looking objects, commonly referred to as Aegyptiaca, found in Archaic (ca. 776-480 BCE) archaeological contexts. Earlier studies have focused only on the formal elements of the artifacts, and even less often have they framed the data in the context of pan-Mediterranean trends. My research sits at the intersection of trade, politics, and religion, as it focuses not only on the roles that Aegyptiaca played in the lives of the inhabitants of Sicily – as religious and élite objects – but also on how their use can help us reassess Sicily’s position in Archaic-period Mediterranean networks of trade and exchange.
  • Artwork Spotlight: Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–86)

Seurat’s monumental painting is one of the most celebrated works of Post-Impressionism. Instead of using broad brushstrokes, Seurat employed a method called pointillism, applying countless small dots of pure color that blend in the viewer’s eye.

Why It Matters:

Introduced scientific approaches to color and perception

Transformed Impressionist spontaneity into calculated structure

Captures modern Parisian leisure life with timeless rhythm

The painting is not just a scene of people relaxing by the Seine. It is also a study of light, atmosphere, and the psychology of vision. Seurat sought to merge art and science, creating a new way of seeing that still fascinates audiences today.

#art #arthistory #arthistory101 #pratt
  • “Less is more.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Minimalism was not just a style for Mies van der Rohe, it was a philosophy of design. His buildings and furniture stripped away ornament to reveal clarity, proportion, and precision. The phrase “less is more” continues to inspire designers and architects to this day, reminding us that simplicity can be the most powerful form of expression.
  • 💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
Professor Eana Kim and her Art Since the Sixties class visited MoMA for a hands-on session of object-based research and discussion. Students explored Pop Art and Fluxus in the galleries, bringing their classroom debates to life among iconic works by George Maciunas, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, and more!
Professor Eana Kim and her Art Since the Sixties class visited MoMA for a hands-on session of object-based research and discussion. Students explored Pop Art and Fluxus in the galleries, bringing their classroom debates to life among iconic works by George Maciunas, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, and more!
Professor Eana Kim and her Art Since the Sixties class visited MoMA for a hands-on session of object-based research and discussion. Students explored Pop Art and Fluxus in the galleries, bringing their classroom debates to life among iconic works by George Maciunas, Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, and more!
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
1/6
Pratt will again join with other partners throughout the five boroughs to be part of Open House New York (OHNY). OHNY is a unique opportunity to share our campus and welcome fellow New Yorkers to Pratt. It promotes broad, unparalleled access to the city—to the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future. Through their year-round programming, including the annual OHNY Weekend festival, OHNY offers a citywide platform for education, exploration, and engagement about the connections between quality of place and quality of life for all New Yorkers.

Launched in 2003, Open House New York Weekend is an annual festival that opens hundreds of noteworthy or significant places across the five boroughs to foster discovery and delight for New Yorkers and visitors alike.

Participants are invited to the Pratt campus to take a self-guided tour of the sculpture garden or participate in an HAD facilitated guided campus tour (reservations required). The tour will provide access to spaces not usually open to non-Pratt community members. #OHNYwknd

Follow our social media @hadpratt and @openhousenewyork on Instagram or @hadpratt and @ohny on Twitter to learn more. Also learn more at ohny.org/weekend.

#OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##historyofdesignhistoryofdesign
Pratt will again join with other partners throughout the five boroughs to be part of Open House New York (OHNY). OHNY is a unique opportunity to share our campus and welcome fellow New Yorkers to Pratt. It promotes broad, unparalleled access to the city—to the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future. Through their year-round programming, including the annual OHNY Weekend festival, OHNY offers a citywide platform for education, exploration, and engagement about the connections between quality of place and quality of life for all New Yorkers. Launched in 2003, Open House New York Weekend is an annual festival that opens hundreds of noteworthy or significant places across the five boroughs to foster discovery and delight for New Yorkers and visitors alike. Participants are invited to the Pratt campus to take a self-guided tour of the sculpture garden or participate in an HAD facilitated guided campus tour (reservations required). The tour will provide access to spaces not usually open to non-Pratt community members. #OHNYwknd Follow our social media @hadpratt and @openhousenewyork on Instagram or @hadpratt and @ohny on Twitter to learn more. Also learn more at ohny.org/weekend. #OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##OHNYwknd #ohny #nyc #historyofart ##historyofdesignhistoryofdesign
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
2/6
You are invited to an HAD Faculty Conversations by Kate Minniti, “More than countless trinkets: Egyptian objects in Archaic Sicily (776-480 BCE).” * This event is for Pratt community. Date: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm Venue: Main 210 About the Speaker: Kate Minniti holds a PhD in Classical Archaeology from the University of British Columbia, BC, and degrees in Egyptian Archaeology from UCL and History of Art and Archaeology from NYU. She has been working as a field archaeologist around the Mediterranean for more than a decade, and she is a senior member of the NYU-UniMi archaeological expedition in Selinunte, Italy. Her main research interests are Archaic-Period connectivity and local responses to globalization in the Mediterranean. She is also interested in reception studies, and since 2013 has been exploring and publishing on the representation of Ancient Egypt in video games. About the Project: Sicily has yielded roughly 300 Egyptian-looking objects, commonly referred to as Aegyptiaca, found in Archaic (ca. 776-480 BCE) archaeological contexts. Earlier studies have focused only on the formal elements of the artifacts, and even less often have they framed the data in the context of pan-Mediterranean trends. My research sits at the intersection of trade, politics, and religion, as it focuses not only on the roles that Aegyptiaca played in the lives of the inhabitants of Sicily – as religious and élite objects – but also on how their use can help us reassess Sicily’s position in Archaic-period Mediterranean networks of trade and exchange.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
3/6
Artwork Spotlight: Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884–86) Seurat’s monumental painting is one of the most celebrated works of Post-Impressionism. Instead of using broad brushstrokes, Seurat employed a method called pointillism, applying countless small dots of pure color that blend in the viewer’s eye. Why It Matters: Introduced scientific approaches to color and perception Transformed Impressionist spontaneity into calculated structure Captures modern Parisian leisure life with timeless rhythm The painting is not just a scene of people relaxing by the Seine. It is also a study of light, atmosphere, and the psychology of vision. Seurat sought to merge art and science, creating a new way of seeing that still fascinates audiences today. #art #arthistory #arthistory101 #pratt
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
4/6
“Less is more.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Minimalism was not just a style for Mies van der Rohe, it was a philosophy of design. His buildings and furniture stripped away ornament to reveal clarity, proportion, and precision. The phrase “less is more” continues to inspire designers and architects to this day, reminding us that simplicity can be the most powerful form of expression.
“Less is more.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Minimalism was not just a style for Mies van der Rohe, it was a philosophy of design. His buildings and furniture stripped away ornament to reveal clarity, proportion, and precision. The phrase “less is more” continues to inspire designers and architects to this day, reminding us that simplicity can be the most powerful form of expression.
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
5/6
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
💡 The evolution of lighting design tells a story of innovation and atmosphere. From ancient oil lamps to iconic modern fixtures and today’s smart LEDs, each era has redefined how we live, work, and experience space. ✨ #DesignEvolution #LightingDesign
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/6
@prattischool
Pratt iSchool

@prattischool

  • The information you see changes the world that you perceiv. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information. Through hands-on learning experiences, you’ll not only learn how to manage knowledge and information, but how to make it useful, available, and accessible to all.

To learn more about our masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is September 9 at 6pm ET. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
  • It's the @prattischool September '25 newsletter with events, student and alumni news, and more! Link available bio our bio.
  • 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.
  • It's the School of Information July newsletter with Space and Technology Updates, faculty news, and more! 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! 🌈 🎉
  • It is HOT outside, but it is oh so cool here at Pratt Manhattan Center.😎
The information you see changes the world that you perceiv. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information. Through hands-on learning experiences, you’ll not only learn how to manage knowledge and information, but how to make it useful, available, and accessible to all.

To learn more about our masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is September 9 at 6pm ET. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
The information you see changes the world that you perceiv. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information. Through hands-on learning experiences, you’ll not only learn how to manage knowledge and information, but how to make it useful, available, and accessible to all.

To learn more about our masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is September 9 at 6pm ET. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
The information you see changes the world that you perceiv. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information. Through hands-on learning experiences, you’ll not only learn how to manage knowledge and information, but how to make it useful, available, and accessible to all.

To learn more about our masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is September 9 at 6pm ET. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
The information you see changes the world that you perceiv. Across four core programs, we explore everything from algorithms to archives with the goal of improving lives and culture through information. Through hands-on learning experiences, you’ll not only learn how to manage knowledge and information, but how to make it useful, available, and accessible to all. To learn more about our masters programs, sign-up to attend an upcoming information session. Next session is September 9 at 6pm ET. Link to sign-up is available in our bio.
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
1/6
It's the @prattischool September '25 newsletter with events, student and alumni news, and more! Link available bio our bio.
It's the @prattischool September '25 newsletter with events, student and alumni news, and more! Link available bio our bio.
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
2/6
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.
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.
2 months ago
View on Instagram |
3/6
It's the School of Information July newsletter with Space and Technology Updates, faculty news, and more! Link available in our bio.
It's the School of Information July newsletter with Space and Technology Updates, faculty news, and more! Link available in our bio.
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
4/6
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! 🌈 🎉
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! 🌈 🎉
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! 🌈 🎉
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
5/6
It is HOT outside, but it is oh so cool here at Pratt Manhattan Center.😎
It is HOT outside, but it is oh so cool here at Pratt Manhattan Center.😎
3 months ago
View on Instagram |
6/6

From the Catalog