Application deadline: January 5, 2019
Pratt Institute’s interdisciplinary MFA in Fine Arts is accepting applications now for the fall 2019 semester. The program is ranked among the top fifteen nationally out of almost 300 graduate fine arts programs by U.S. News and World Reports.
Pratt’s MFA program offers an advanced interdisciplinary education for artists. Driven by exploration and enriched by the abundance and inspiration of New York City, critically engaged faculty respond to each MFA student’s individual practice, supporting their development and enabling an intense and transformative immersion in the diverse cultures of contemporary art making.
Pratt’s MFA degree is in Fine Arts rather than any specific medium or discipline. Though many students are committed to an area of interest—whether painting and drawing, printmaking, sculpture, or integrated practices—they are free to explore other forms and approaches as their work evolves. The curriculum is both rigorous and flexible, offering wide latitude for exploration while fostering critical perspectives and a deeper understanding of the histories, issues, and cultural contexts that inform art practices today.
MFA faculty members are active professional artists distinguished by their numerous national and international exhibitions. Faculty and students build close relationships through structured studio visits, seminars, and informal conversations. These relationships create a vital community and support network that endures long after graduation.
The MFA facilities are outstanding! Located in Brooklyn’s Pfizer Building, graduate students have individual studios for both years of the program with dedicated fabrication shops, temporary exhibition spaces, seminar rooms, and a student lounge.
The MFA community is diverse, committed, socially-engaged and vibrant! The department holds frequent events to facilitate discussions about contemporary issues and collaborates with arts organizations to reach beyond the gates and actively participate in the cultural life of the broader community. The Fine Arts Visiting Artists Lecture Series (VALS) brings renowned artists to campus to give public lectures and to conduct individual studio visits with MFA students.
MFA students host open studio events and mount individual thesis exhibitions while also presenting their work in a curated exhibit at a Pratt’s Manhattan Gallery. Pratt Artists League (PAL, the fine arts graduate student club) also invites artists, curators, and critics for visits, and organizes open studio events along with additional student-generated programming and exhibitions.
Pratt’s MFA alumni thrive and remain actively connected to the department which continues to support and celebrate their achievements as Artist Citizens.
Visiting artists and critics: Shaun Leonardo, Rico Gatson, Troy Michie, Jill Magid, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, Omar Lopez-Chahoud, Joe Armheim, Christopher K. Ho, Nova Benway, Scherezade Garcia, Karen Wilkin, Alexi Worth, Lavar Munroe, Christian Viveros-Fauné, Regine Basha, Faye Hirsch, Holly Block, Rochelle Feinstein, Yael Kanarek, Pradeep Dalal, Dread Scott, Sara Reisman, Carrie Moyer, Ben Davis, Rujeko Hockley, James Hyde, Anika Yi, Lorna Simpson, NARCISSISTER
Applying: View application requirements.
Scholarships: Graduate scholarships are available to incoming domestic and international students based on merit.
Request information: Join our mailing list to receive a full-color catalog filled with student work, curricula, and more.
Pratt Institute is ranked among the top design schools by BusinessWeek and fifth in the world out of 50 art and design colleges by QS World University Rankings by Subject. Top-ranked programs, a distinguished faculty of professional artists and designers, and an ideally located campus in Brooklyn, New York, make Pratt an excellent choice for graduate study.
