Skip to content
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 Morgan Library & Museum)

Pratt students at the Morgan Library Reading Room (courtesy Morgan Library & Museum)

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

@prattischool
Pratt iSchool

@prattischool

  • Current Students - we are pleased to announce that we are now accepting fellowship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year! The fellowship program supports 2-semester practicum-internships that are designed to provide students with exceptional professional-level experience in NYC's great cultural institutions. The fellowships include:

Brooklyn Museum Archives Fellowship
Brooklyn Public Library Center for Brooklyn History User Services Fellowship
Brooklyn Public Library Children's & Young Adult Services Fellowship
Franklin Furnace Fellowship
Frick Art Reference Library Fellowship
Lesbian Herstory Archives Fellowship
Metropolitan Museum Watson Library Fellowship
MoMA Archives Linked Open Data for Museums Fellowship
MoMA Library Fellowship
MoMA Product Design Fellowship
New York Public Library Digital Archives Fellowship
Pratt Center Mapping, Data Analysis & Visualization Fellowship
Whitney Museum of American Art Collections Information & Data Fellowship

Please note that the application deadline is Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5pm EST (not April 8 as indicated in the applications). For detailed fellowship descriptions, eligibility requirements, and applications, please refer to the fellowship webpage- link to it is available via our bio.
  • @prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
  • Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
  • We are very pleased to announce the creation of the Advanced Certificate in Children's and Young Adult Library Services beginning in the Fall '24 semester.  Unique to this certificate is the Creative Making option, which allows students  to select one design or arts-oriented course to complete the program in order to gain hands-on, practical experiences with new materials and technologies useful for arts and design programming with children or youth. More information via the link in our bio. 

Image of students in INFO 678 Growing Up Digital working on designing a better web for kids in 2019.
  • On this Giving Day, consider supporting @prattischool Fellowships that fund students to engage in significant work at NYC's cultural institutions. Learn more about our Giving Day via the link in our bio.
  • Happy Spring Break! Students and faculty present at Pratt's Research Open this past Friday, and a group of students/faculty/staff head to Rome for the course Artist Archives': Rome/New York. This news and more in the March '24 @prattischool newsletter; link available in our bio.
Current Students - we are pleased to announce that we are now accepting fellowship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year! The fellowship program supports 2-semester practicum-internships that are designed to provide students with exceptional professional-level experience in NYC's great cultural institutions. The fellowships include:

Brooklyn Museum Archives Fellowship
Brooklyn Public Library Center for Brooklyn History User Services Fellowship
Brooklyn Public Library Children's & Young Adult Services Fellowship
Franklin Furnace Fellowship
Frick Art Reference Library Fellowship
Lesbian Herstory Archives Fellowship
Metropolitan Museum Watson Library Fellowship
MoMA Archives Linked Open Data for Museums Fellowship
MoMA Library Fellowship
MoMA Product Design Fellowship
New York Public Library Digital Archives Fellowship
Pratt Center Mapping, Data Analysis & Visualization Fellowship
Whitney Museum of American Art Collections Information & Data Fellowship

Please note that the application deadline is Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5pm EST (not April 8 as indicated in the applications). For detailed fellowship descriptions, eligibility requirements, and applications, please refer to the fellowship webpage- link to it is available via our bio.
Current Students - we are pleased to announce that we are now accepting fellowship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year! The fellowship program supports 2-semester practicum-internships that are designed to provide students with exceptional professional-level experience in NYC's great cultural institutions. The fellowships include: Brooklyn Museum Archives Fellowship Brooklyn Public Library Center for Brooklyn History User Services Fellowship Brooklyn Public Library Children's & Young Adult Services Fellowship Franklin Furnace Fellowship Frick Art Reference Library Fellowship Lesbian Herstory Archives Fellowship Metropolitan Museum Watson Library Fellowship MoMA Archives Linked Open Data for Museums Fellowship MoMA Library Fellowship MoMA Product Design Fellowship New York Public Library Digital Archives Fellowship Pratt Center Mapping, Data Analysis & Visualization Fellowship Whitney Museum of American Art Collections Information & Data Fellowship Please note that the application deadline is Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5pm EST (not April 8 as indicated in the applications). For detailed fellowship descriptions, eligibility requirements, and applications, please refer to the fellowship webpage- link to it is available via our bio.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/6
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia!

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
@prattischool “Artists’ Archives: Rome/New York” class visited @museomaxxi where Giulia Pedace and Giulia Cappelletti of Arte Archive Centre shared the museum’s acquisition, description, and curation process, unveiling some true archival gems along the way. A huge thank you to our hosts, Giulia & Giulia! #artistsarchives #archividartista #prattschoolinrome #archivewalls
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/6
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹

#artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
Students from @prattischool “Artists' Archives: Rome/New York” course led by @cpattuelli returned from their Italian spring break adventure. Stay tuned for upcoming posts detailing their site visits to the institutions that preserve Rome’s artistic legacies. A heartfelt thank you to @museomaxxi, @lagallerianazionale, @iccdfotografie, @archiviofrancoangeli and @archivio_elisabettacatalano for an unforgettable experience – grazie mille! ✨🎨🇮🇹 #artistsarchives #archividartista #prattischoolinrome
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/6
We are very pleased to announce the creation of the Advanced Certificate in Children's and Young Adult Library Services beginning in the Fall '24 semester.  Unique to this certificate is the Creative Making option, which allows students  to select one design or arts-oriented course to complete the program in order to gain hands-on, practical experiences with new materials and technologies useful for arts and design programming with children or youth. More information via the link in our bio. 

Image of students in INFO 678 Growing Up Digital working on designing a better web for kids in 2019.
We are very pleased to announce the creation of the Advanced Certificate in Children's and Young Adult Library Services beginning in the Fall '24 semester. Unique to this certificate is the Creative Making option, which allows students to select one design or arts-oriented course to complete the program in order to gain hands-on, practical experiences with new materials and technologies useful for arts and design programming with children or youth. More information via the link in our bio. Image of students in INFO 678 Growing Up Digital working on designing a better web for kids in 2019.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
4/6
On this Giving Day, consider supporting @prattischool Fellowships that fund students to engage in significant work at NYC's cultural institutions. Learn more about our Giving Day via the link in our bio.
On this Giving Day, consider supporting @prattischool Fellowships that fund students to engage in significant work at NYC's cultural institutions. Learn more about our Giving Day via the link in our bio.
1 week ago
View on Instagram |
5/6
Happy Spring Break! Students and faculty present at Pratt's Research Open this past Friday, and a group of students/faculty/staff head to Rome for the course Artist Archives': Rome/New York. This news and more in the March '24 @prattischool newsletter; link available in our bio.
Happy Spring Break! Students and faculty present at Pratt's Research Open this past Friday, and a group of students/faculty/staff head to Rome for the course Artist Archives': Rome/New York. This news and more in the March '24 @prattischool newsletter; link available in our bio.
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
6/6

From the Catalog