普瑞特艺术学院

The mission of the Undergraduate Communications Design Department at Pratt is to prepare students to be versatile and astute communicators; critical and conceptual thinkers; and inspired and responsible cultural producers. We value the development of a rich design process and the open exchange embodied in a studio culture that values individual perspectives, critique, visual literacy, media fluency, experiential learning and innovative formal outcomes. Our curriculum equips independent thinkers with the conceptual and practical competencies they need to engage audiences, explore technologies, develop visual languages, challenge preconceptions, redefine problems and identify opportunities as communication designers and successful creative professionals.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program:

1. Students will be able to give form to content, using a wide range of media platforms, employing conceptual thinking, design, communication, and presentation skills to craft effective messaging and complex ideas and systems appropriate for a given audience. They will possess the knowledge and skill to make contributions to the profession, the community and the world.

2. Students will be able to apply established and emerging communication design technology effectively and within the contexts of conceptual practice, design thinking and innovation, including a range of practice-based 2-, 3- and 4-D competencies in both print and digital media.

3. Students will be able to analyze and articulate the design problem, take risks, challenge preconceptions, experiment and test ideas, materials and media appropriate to concept development and effective messaging. When so inclined, they will be able to translate their ideas and innovations into entrepreneurial endeavors or social causes.

4. Students will be able to work collaboratively with professionalism, confidence and skill, selecting from a range of internships and other experiential educational opportunities and combining business acumen with design, craft, technical and media skills in the final execution of concepts appropriate to projects.

5. Students will be able to demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of contextual, contemporary and historical design and societal issues; define their position as creative practitioners in relation to those issues; and incorporate them into coherent and critically engaged research methods that support independent and collaborative communications design practices.

GRAPHIC DESIGN EMPHASIS

Students who select the graphic design emphasis take a series of upper-level studio courses that explore topics and modes of practice such as typographic and identity systems, visual rhetoric, interactivity, experience design, sustainability and inclusivity. Projects encourage critical inquiry, collaborative processes and experimentation with multiple technologies and platforms.

ILLUSTRATION EMPHASIS

Students who select the illustration emphasis take a series of upper-level studio courses that explore topics particularly relevant to image-based communication such as advanced storytelling, socio-political commentary and authorship. Courses throughout the major encourage experimentation with multiple technologies, platforms and techniques. Electives provide opportunities to explore a wide spectrum of contemporary illustration practice including graphic novels, animation and 3D modeling, independent publishing, editorial illustration, children’s books, concept art and illustrated typography.

ADVERTISING ART DIRECTION

Students who select the advertising art direction emphasis will focus on creative projects, strategies and research across a variety of media platforms particularly relevant to branding and contemporary advertising campaigns.