Arts Thread

Ultimately, design is about human beings, individually and collectively, supplying propulsion to idealistic, aesthetic, and practical ideas, and the passion of creating, understanding, and sharing the work we do. Pratt’s Master’s program in Industrial Design is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report and DesignIntelligence. There are millions of people all over the world waiting for the enlightened and entrepreneurial participation of designers, waiting to hear the insights that come from our years of work and study—real interventions that can touch the lives of all citizens of the world via the language of design, showing what's possible in life. The Industrial Design Department at Pratt is united in a common, rigorous pursuit of creativity, explored through projects large and small, and translating ideas into a wide variety of forms, systems and structures. A strong legacy feature of the Master of Industrial Design is that it welcomes students without previous bachelors degrees in Industrial Design. These students not only come from related fields of architecture and interior design, but also from fine art, biology, economics, neuroscience, engineering and music. We choose an amazingly diverse group of students and encourage them to exploit their previous academic pursuits and experience, and they do so while gaining a solid understanding of current design thinking. Moreover, the field of industrial design has evolved tremendously to include areas of social media, branding, strategy and research in new ways. This is especially true in New York, where, paraphrasing the Center for an Urban Future, “students in design and architecture have become critical catalysts of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.” New national accreditation standards reflect this change, mandating that programs address design complexity, innovation, technology and relationships, all in a global context. Clearly, recent Master of Industrial Design graduates have succeeded according to these standards, opening new and interesting territory for their talents, incorporating their previous backgrounds and interests in their work, and entering the professional sphere with conviction, intelligence, and skill. Our current challenge is to build on this momentum, with advanced academic support and a global view in order to lead the field of industrial design to an even higher level of excellence. The expertise of the Master of Industrial Design faculty spans furniture, lighting, architecture, exhibition, products, graphics, tabletop, video, automotive, medical equipment, packaging, and surface design. While each faculty member within the program has his or her particular path, there is a growing understanding that, in the expanding design profession, disciplines often cross lines. As such, Industrial Design students and faculty share a common goal: to encourage individual growth to its highest potential. Pratt also maintains strong ties to industry through corporate-supported programs, bringing essential industry knowledge into the classroom. Internships in design consultancies and corporate offices are encouraged, and have proved to be valuable learning experiences that cannot be duplicated in a purely academic setting.