B.A. in History of Art and Design Pratt Institute

The History of Art and Design Department’s mission is to develop a broad knowledge of cultural artifacts with a global perspective that enlightens students’ understanding of the current historical environment and their place within it. As students at Pratt Institute develop their skills in their chosen fields, the study of art and design history will enrich and deepen the resources they are able to apply to their work, whether as designers, artists, writers, and scholars who pursue art and design history at a higher level. Through the study of art and design within historical and social contexts, students examine style and content, materials and techniques, and issues of gender, social class, patronage, economics of the market, politics, and religion. Critical inquiry skills are strengthened through evaluation, analysis, and comparison.

The B.A. program within History of Art and Design affords a deeper grounding in the philosophy, literature, and criticism of the history of art and design. Students take specifically designed foundation courses, including the art history survey classes. They continue with an additional 42 credits in the History of Art and Design, 57 in Liberal Arts (English, Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, and Foreign Language), 19 in Studio, and 14 as free electives (132 total credits). History of Art and Design majors are strongly advised to take courses in all areas and to have a seminar experience. Undergraduate majors may be admitted to 600–level (graduate) HA and HD courses with the permission of the professor and the chairperson. In general, majors will be advised to select studio electives in a variety of media, including photography.

Students entering with an Advanced Placement score of four or five in art history may apply for exemption from the first semester survey and are allowed to substitute an elective in the survey area for second semester of survey. Entering freshman who have done well in a full-year art history survey course (but did not get a four or five score or did not take AP art history) may also apply to the chairperson of the History of Art and Design Department to substitute upper-level electives in each survey area for the required courses.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Undergraduates are competent in a broad range of knowledge in the history of cultures and their art.
• Undergraduates understand that the meaning of works of art is connected to changes in social, political, and economic contexts through time.
• Undergraduates will be able to demonstrate the necessary writing skills to analytically observe and describe works of art and the research skills to place art in its social context.
• Undergraduates in the B.A. degree will be familiar with a foreign language after four semesters of study.
• Undergraduates will have gained a solid foundation that enables them to successfully apply for study in the discipline at the graduate level.