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You're a writer. Join a unique community of poets, fiction and nonfiction writers, storytellers, and artists at Pratt.
A group of students sitting in a garden enclosed by white buildings and surrounded by trees and plants. They are listening to a faculty member.
Professor Laura Elrick teaches students the ritual of paper-making from plants grown in Pratt's Textile Dye Garden.
Type
Undergraduate, BFA
Credits
126
Duration
4 Years
Courses
Plan of Study

Prospective candidates: RSVP for the BFA in Writing’s Fall 2025 informational sessions!

Please join us for an upcoming info session about Pratt’s BFA in writing.

Saturday, December 13 at 2 pm — Register here

This session will be hosted by acclaimed writing faculty Hannah Lillith Assadi, Laura Elrick, and Ellery Washington.


A group of students sits at a table, talking to each other with animated expressions

Write every day.

At Pratt, you’ll be writing from day one in a deeply personalized, joyful, transformative environment. We value a plurality of styles and approaches, and your writing practice will be at the heart of your studies as you develop your voice.

A Close-Knit, Supportive Community

A small student-to-faculty ratio, dedicated 24/7 student writing spaces, on-campus readings, and departmental social events foster an intimate and collaborative environment. Our extraordinary faculty will be both partner and mentor to you, helping you to explore, refine, reimagine, and own your talents.

A Dynamic Curriculum

Strengthen your writing practice with foundational courses in critical thinking, research, and world literature. Then dive into specialized writing electives like songwriting, journalism, and screenwriting, alongside classes in art and design and transdisciplinary minors. Your studies culminate in a book-length senior thesis project, which can take the shape of a novel, memoir, screenplay, or graphic novel, or a collection of poems, short stories, or experimental essays (or a mix of forms and images).

Hands-On Experience

Gather with your peers twice a week for intensive studios built on feedback and generative writing. You’ll also have opportunities to gain real-world experience by editing our well-established student publications, The Prattler and Ubiquitous, and by completing the Writing Lives Pathway, which prepares you for life after graduation.

Installation by Cassandra Bristow, BFA Writing ’22
“Illuminated” installation by Cassandra Bristow, BFA Writing ’22, in the new writing studios

Write at an art school.

Explore Other Media

Complement and enhance your writing practice with courses in other media: painting, fashion, animation, photography, and more.

Collaborate Across Disciplines

Work with student artists, filmmakers, and designers on collaborative projects. Pratt’s rich array of minors, including Art of the Book, Black Studies, Photography, Social Justice, and Teaching Writing in NYC, to name a few, allows you to build a profoundly interdisciplinary practice that enriches and distinguishes your writing.

Write in Brooklyn. And Berlin!

A Thriving Literary Hub

Brooklyn is home to diverse literary communities, experimental and alternative publishing houses, and nonprofits, some led by our visionary faculty. (For one example, check out the *Belladonna Collaborative.) Through courses like Community as Classroom, we help you find your people in Brooklyn and connect with NYC’s vibrant writing scene.

Study Abroad

Expand your worldview by spending a semester studying in our Pratt Berlin program.

Write your future.

Eight book covers
Books from the bookstore Twenty Stories founded by Emory Harkins and Alexa Trembly, both BFA Writing ’16

Internships and Fieldwork

Our dedicated internship coordinator will help you identify and secure internship opportunities across NYC at publishing houses, literary agencies, film and TV studios, podcast networks, newspapers and magazines, arts organizations, and community nonprofits. 

Passionate about social justice or building new writing communities? Fieldwork is a unique course offering for students who want to gain experience that a more traditional internship can’t support, such as designing a community-engagement project.

In-Class Professional Training

Our Writer as Worker course provides skills and guidance for pursuing internships while in the program and meaningful employment after graduation. Through weekly visits with guest authors, agents, editors, journalists, teachers, filmmakers, and communications experts, you’ll gain practical knowledge on how to successfully apply for jobs, grants, fellowships, and graduate school.

Dedicated Career Support for Life

Your career journey doesn’t end at graduation. Our departmental alumni coordinator and Pratt’s Center for Career and Professional Development offer lifelong support, including one-on-one strategy sessions and reviews of résumés, cover letters, and websites.

Events and Visiting Writers

Stand Up Comedy for Writers. Video by Max Berger.
Read More in Prattfolio.

Our Writer at Large program, the annual Michael Mahoney Memorial Reading, the MFA’s Writing Activisms series, and other events bring renowned writers to campus for readings, workshops, and manuscript consultations. Beyond these events, department faculty regularly invite writers to spend time with their classes. Recent guests include Ottessa Moshfegh, Ross Gay, Simone White, Layli Long Soldier, Alexander Chee, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Michelle Tea, Asiya Wadud, Chloë Bass, Sarah Thankam Mathews, and Eugene Lim.

Our Faculty

Writing faculty members are distinguished writers, artists, and editors who are deeply committed to nurturing the potential of each student. Bringing a range of views, methods, and perspectives, they provide a rigorous and singular educational experience. See all Writing faculty and administrators.

  1. Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts

    Associate Professor

  2. Laura Henriksen

    Adjunct Associate Professor

  3. Christian Hawkey

    Professor

  4. Laura Elrick

    Associate Professor

  5. Dianca Potts

    Adjunct Associate Professor

  6. Christopher Perez

    Visiting Professor

  7. Anna Moschovakis

    Adjunct Associate Professor – CCE

Our Alumni

A group of young people are gathered around a teacher as they look at her computer screen. They are in a classroom with a grey door in the background.

Where They’ve Worked

  • People Magazine
  • Esquire Magazine
  • Forever Magazine
  • This American Life
  • The Poetry Project
  • The Brooklyn Rail
  • The Center for the Humanities 
  • Twenty Stories Bookstore
  • NO OD NY
  • Saint Ann’s School
  • Books Are Magic
  • Belladonna*
  • The New School
  • Columbia University
  • Montclair State University

Graduate Programs Recently Attended by Alumni

  • Brown University MFA Literary Arts Program
  • Columbia University MFA Writing Program
  • University of Wyoming MFA Creative Writing Program
  • The New School MFA Creative Writing Program
  • New York University Interactive Telecommunications Program (M.P.S.)
  • New York University MFA Creative Writing Program
  • Brooklyn College MFA Creative Writing Program
  • Syracuse University Art History Program (M.A.)

Recent Alumni Publications

  • Laura Henriksen, Duvall, Shelley (Newest York, 2025)
  • Anika Jade Levy, Flat Earth (Catapult Books, 2025)
  • Cat Ingrid Leeches, I Wander the Earth, Hungry for Semen (Carrion Bloom Books, 2025)
  • Katie Vogel, The Awakening (Bottlecap Press, 2024)
  • Laura Henriksen, Laura’s Desires (Nightboat Books, 2024)
  • Adrian Shirk, Heaven Is a Place on Earth (Counterpoint, 2022)
  • Kate Gavino, A Career in Books (Plume, 2022)
  • Phoebe Robinson, Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes (Tiny Reparations Books, 2021) 
  • Brandi Spering, This I Can Tell You (Perennial Press, 2021)

Success Stories

From the Catalog

Ready for More?

HERE’S HOW TO APPLYPORTFOLIO HELPOUR 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.Building your portfolio can be daunting. We’ll answer your questions and help you feel confident about the portfolio you submit with your application. Start building your portfolio, now.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.
@prattwriting
Writing at Pratt

@prattwriting

  • If you’re applying for colleges this fall, check out our BFA info session tonight featuring department faculty and administrators. If you can’t make it, there’s another in mid-December!
  • Excited for Ross gay’s visit next week? Come check out some of his work in the cannoneer library!
  • Join us Thursday for a spooky evening of student and faculty work from writing and film!
  • Tomorrow, Prof. James Hannaham will be hosting the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage in his Plays and Movies class from 10:00am-12:50pm. All are welcome to attend. Location: North Hall 207.
  • Happy Tuesday Takeover!🎭🎥

This week we wanted to highlight one of our favorite NYC resources for aspiring playwrights and screenwriters - @dramabookshop 

If you are a perspective @prattwriting student and want to learn more about the various writing resources in NYC, be sure to join our Zoom meeting October 29th at 5PM EST!💛
  • Are you dreaming of being a writer–of books, of poems, of movies? Are you wondering if that’s possible, and how you’ll make a living after college? We invite you to learn more about the Pratt Writing Department, a place to dream as a writer and to find answers to your most practical questions, through close mentorship from our stellar faculty.

We’ll be hosting two virtual information sessions — one on October 29, facilitated by current students, and another on December 13, facilitated by faculty. Come to learn more about writing at Pratt, writing at an art school, writing in Brooklyn.

Can’t attend but want to learn more? Contact Writing Chair Beth Loffreda (bloffred@pratt.edu)
  • Interested in Pratt Institute’s MFA in Writing?
Join us for a virtual info session to learn more about our program’s interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and innovative approach to writing.

🗓 Tuesday, October 16 at 5:00 PM EST
🗓 Thursday, November 20 at 5:00 PM EST
📍 On Zoom (links to register in bio)

Our faculty includes Samantha Hunt, Laura Elrick, James Hannaham, Hannah Assadi, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, Laura Henriksen, Mirene Arsanios, Anna Moschovakis, Christian Hawkey, Claire Donato, Youmna Chlala, Silvina López Medin, Christopher Rey Pérez, Ellery Washington, Rachel Levitsky, Shayla Lawz, and Ben Krusling.
Recent guests have included Ross Gay, Ottessa Moshfegh, Fred Moten, JJJJJerome Ellis, Morgan Bassichis, Sky Hopinka, and Simone White.

Students at Pratt engage in fieldwork, publishing collectives, and Institute-wide electives—and have 24/7 access to studio spaces in our Cannoneer Court building.

Questions? Contact Claire Donato at cdonato@pratt.edu.
  • Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
  • Happy Tuesday Takeover everyone!🤗🙌🏻 

This Tuesday, we wanted to share with you some of our ‘Writing Resources’ which include an array of things we use to help inspire us during our writing process/practice.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and productive week ahead!✍️
If you’re applying for colleges this fall, check out our BFA info session tonight featuring department faculty and administrators. If you can’t make it, there’s another in mid-December!
If you’re applying for colleges this fall, check out our BFA info session tonight featuring department faculty and administrators. If you can’t make it, there’s another in mid-December!
23 hours ago
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1/9
Excited for Ross gay’s visit next week? Come check out some of his work in the cannoneer library!
Excited for Ross gay’s visit next week? Come check out some of his work in the cannoneer library!
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Join us Thursday for a spooky evening of student and faculty work from writing and film!
Join us Thursday for a spooky evening of student and faculty work from writing and film!
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Tomorrow, Prof. James Hannaham will be hosting the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage in his Plays and Movies class from 10:00am-12:50pm. All are welcome to attend. Location: North Hall 207.
Tomorrow, Prof. James Hannaham will be hosting the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage in his Plays and Movies class from 10:00am-12:50pm. All are welcome to attend. Location: North Hall 207.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Happy Tuesday Takeover!🎭🎥 This week we wanted to highlight one of our favorite NYC resources for aspiring playwrights and screenwriters - @dramabookshop If you are a perspective @prattwriting student and want to learn more about the various writing resources in NYC, be sure to join our Zoom meeting October 29th at 5PM EST!💛
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
Are you dreaming of being a writer–of books, of poems, of movies? Are you wondering if that’s possible, and how you’ll make a living after college? We invite you to learn more about the Pratt Writing Department, a place to dream as a writer and to find answers to your most practical questions, through close mentorship from our stellar faculty.

We’ll be hosting two virtual information sessions — one on October 29, facilitated by current students, and another on December 13, facilitated by faculty. Come to learn more about writing at Pratt, writing at an art school, writing in Brooklyn.

Can’t attend but want to learn more? Contact Writing Chair Beth Loffreda (bloffred@pratt.edu)
Are you dreaming of being a writer–of books, of poems, of movies? Are you wondering if that’s possible, and how you’ll make a living after college? We invite you to learn more about the Pratt Writing Department, a place to dream as a writer and to find answers to your most practical questions, through close mentorship from our stellar faculty. We’ll be hosting two virtual information sessions — one on October 29, facilitated by current students, and another on December 13, facilitated by faculty. Come to learn more about writing at Pratt, writing at an art school, writing in Brooklyn. Can’t attend but want to learn more? Contact Writing Chair Beth Loffreda (bloffred@pratt.edu)
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Interested in Pratt Institute’s MFA in Writing?
Join us for a virtual info session to learn more about our program’s interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and innovative approach to writing.

🗓 Tuesday, October 16 at 5:00 PM EST
🗓 Thursday, November 20 at 5:00 PM EST
📍 On Zoom (links to register in bio)

Our faculty includes Samantha Hunt, Laura Elrick, James Hannaham, Hannah Assadi, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, Laura Henriksen, Mirene Arsanios, Anna Moschovakis, Christian Hawkey, Claire Donato, Youmna Chlala, Silvina López Medin, Christopher Rey Pérez, Ellery Washington, Rachel Levitsky, Shayla Lawz, and Ben Krusling.
Recent guests have included Ross Gay, Ottessa Moshfegh, Fred Moten, JJJJJerome Ellis, Morgan Bassichis, Sky Hopinka, and Simone White.

Students at Pratt engage in fieldwork, publishing collectives, and Institute-wide electives—and have 24/7 access to studio spaces in our Cannoneer Court building.

Questions? Contact Claire Donato at cdonato@pratt.edu.
Interested in Pratt Institute’s MFA in Writing? Join us for a virtual info session to learn more about our program’s interdisciplinary, socially engaged, and innovative approach to writing. 🗓 Tuesday, October 16 at 5:00 PM EST 🗓 Thursday, November 20 at 5:00 PM EST 📍 On Zoom (links to register in bio) Our faculty includes Samantha Hunt, Laura Elrick, James Hannaham, Hannah Assadi, Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, Laura Henriksen, Mirene Arsanios, Anna Moschovakis, Christian Hawkey, Claire Donato, Youmna Chlala, Silvina López Medin, Christopher Rey Pérez, Ellery Washington, Rachel Levitsky, Shayla Lawz, and Ben Krusling. Recent guests have included Ross Gay, Ottessa Moshfegh, Fred Moten, JJJJJerome Ellis, Morgan Bassichis, Sky Hopinka, and Simone White. Students at Pratt engage in fieldwork, publishing collectives, and Institute-wide electives—and have 24/7 access to studio spaces in our Cannoneer Court building. Questions? Contact Claire Donato at cdonato@pratt.edu.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. 

Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
Happy Tuesday Takeover! Today we got to speak with Jennifer and Cas of @ubi.mag as they talked about the new theme ‘Salvage’, what they would love for you to submit, and some of their past favorite themes. Be sure to submit by tomorrow OCTOBER 8TH BY 4PM! 💛
3 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Happy Tuesday Takeover everyone!🤗🙌🏻 

This Tuesday, we wanted to share with you some of our ‘Writing Resources’ which include an array of things we use to help inspire us during our writing process/practice.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and productive week ahead!✍️
Happy Tuesday Takeover everyone!🤗🙌🏻 

This Tuesday, we wanted to share with you some of our ‘Writing Resources’ which include an array of things we use to help inspire us during our writing process/practice.

We hope everyone has a wonderful and productive week ahead!✍️
Happy Tuesday Takeover everyone!🤗🙌🏻 This Tuesday, we wanted to share with you some of our ‘Writing Resources’ which include an array of things we use to help inspire us during our writing process/practice. We hope everyone has a wonderful and productive week ahead!✍️
4 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
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