Associate Degree Programs
Pratt’s Associate Degree Programs offers an exciting educational opportunity to traditional and nontraditional students through two-year Art and Design degree programs. These programs allow students to immerse themselves in an intensive two-year, career-track associate of occupational studies (AOS) or transfer-track associate of applied science (AAS) education.
Located in Manhattan, at the center of the art and design community, students have immediate access to the world’s leading design studios, museums, and galleries. This sophisticated location provides excellent opportunities for field trips, guest speakers, and internship placement. Location, opportunity, and diversity—with students of varied ages from across the country and around the world—combine to create a unique educational experience.
The faculty members, which include some of New York’s leading artists and designers, bring a combination of expertise and dedication to the classroom. They work diligently to provide students with professional experience and to inspire the confidence students require to continue their education or pursue their chosen careers. Class sizes are small and faculty members work closely with each student, helping to refine and build their skills to a professionally competitive level.
In all majors, there is a strong emphasis on teaching traditional skills and a commitment to providing students with access to the most advanced technology. The curriculum begins with rigorous foundation courses for all majors, followed by major-specific upper-level courses, and culminates in professional portfolio development, internship opportunities, and capstone projects.
Chair
Susan G. Young
Assistant Chair
Zach Whitehurst
Acting Assistant to the Chair
Laura Feng
Academic Adviser
Zachary Lucero
Office
Tel: 212.647.7375
Fax: 212.367.2480
aos@pratt.edu
www.pratt.edu/associate-degree
Faculty Bios
https://www.pratt.edu/academics/school-of-art/undergraduate-school-of-art/associate-degrees/faculty-and-staff/
The course focuses on using computers and devices as tools for personal and professional art expression. Students will cultivate a rich hands-on understanding of tools and learning terminology while building eye-hand coordination through the creation of basic digital art and time-based media. This course is a prerequisite for all digital design and interactive media courses.
User experience design is the process of enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided in the interaction between the customer and the product. This course provides students with a general overview of User Experience Design(\"UX\") and User Interface Design (\"UI\"), paying special attention to mobile usage contexts and building a career in the field.
This course will focus on responsive web and app design, utilizing user experience principles. Students will build upon previous knowledge of UI/UX to develop a deeper understanding of coding and user-centered design.
This course explores the aspects of successful digital pre-production, focusing on the fundamental principles and techniques involved in taking a print idea or digital idea from conceptual stage through to the successful production of the finished piece across both digital and print media. Dye-cutting, digital mechanics, 4-color separations, paper stocks, RGB, CMYK, Pantone color systems, coatings, embossing, thermography, foil stamping, and various types of printing presses and digital outputs are covered.
This course provides a basic overview of different aspects of lighting and digital photography. Photography is addressed in fine art, commercial illustration and design. Students learn to operate a consumer level digital camera and use imaging software. Printing techniques are also addressed. Assignments are geared toward understanding the technical and aesthetic issues that contribute to a successful digital photograph.
This course is an introduction to the study of both letterform and type as important elements of design, focusing on the relationship between typography and space as a powerful tool for the communication of ideas. Studying the letterforms themselves will allow students to recognize the important aspects of body and display text in order to employ type appropriately. Students will study the illustrative and communicative nature of letterform.
This course will continue to develop the student's ability to use oil paint to represent objects and the human figure in an environment. Students will use their conceptual understanding of the color wheel as a guide to mix oil colors effectively on their palette. They will use the 4 properties of color (hue, value, intensity and temperature) to help them create the illusion of space.
This advanced drawing class encourages the development of personal styles and individual points of view. Advanced theories of drawing shall be discussed and incorporated into projects that allow the student to explore a variety of mixed media. Serious emphasis shall be devoted to the analysis and appreciation of master drawings.
This intermediate course is a continuation of ASDG 109. Typography I. This course closely examines the letterform as an image and as an element that, coupled with the design tools of scale, color, and layout, can tell a visual story.
This advanced course is continuation of Typography II. Focusing on the refinement of the skills students developed from Typography I-II, students will exercise their understanding of letterforms and begin to apply effective solutions to more complex typographic systems.
This advanced course is a continuation of Painting I & II and allows students to paint in a variety of media, which will include both oil and water based paints, and students will be working from still life, life models, landscape, and imagination.
The Fine Arts Seminar explores ideas and issues relevant to the Fine Arts curriculum. This course addresses concerns of the studio arising from the social, historical, and intellectual parameters of the time. The concerns are formal and philosophical as well as practical. Class discussions include topics such as personalities, events, exhibitions, writing of critics and artists, values and studio practice.
The Fine Arts Studio provides an environment for students to complete their capstone projects. This course is an opportunity for students to demonstrate proficiency in their selected area of concentration. Each student will complete and present a body of work and artist statement that culminates in a public exhibition of their Capstone Project.
This is an introductory drawing course covering the basic elements and principles of drawing such as line, shape, value, texture, space, and perspective. Subject matter will include still life, landscape, and the nude model. Figure and the spatial relationships to the page will be studied. The emphasis will be on composition, line, value, volume, and negative space. Media will include pencil, charcoal, links, and a variety of other drawing materials.
This course is a continuation of Drawing I emphasizing the development of strong fundamental drawing skills, working from both still life and the model. Students will be encouraged to experiment with media and scale, with specific attention to compositional development both conceptual as well as perceptual.
Material and 3-Dimensional Form introduces students to the material, techniques and ideas that comprise the three-dimensional world of \"made\" things and natural forms. The basic abstract components-line, plane, mass, space, and composition-are examined and explored through assignments and research.
This course emphasizes visual observation through the study of color and composition. Learning to exercise critical judgment and the development of aesthetic sensibilities are also primary goals of the course. Students explore various media and the tools of expression in the continuing search for ways to communicate visually by applying design, color and concept with purpose.
A continuation of Light, Color & Design I, this course expands the study of color and composition while advancing aesthetic sensibilities and strengthening critical judgment. Assignments are more conceptually challenging, and will focus on the historical and contemporary methods of manipulating the two-dimensional surface to explore its infinite expressive possibilities.
This course is an invitation to non-programmers, students of all disciplines, and anyone who enjoys creating enjoyable experiences for themselves and others. Students will have a brief overview of the major developments in gaming, including game history and its influence on culture and business. The structure of this course follows three tracks (Narrative, Mechanics, and Systems), with the aim of cultivation a diverse and growing community of game-designers and players across disciplines. Fostering multidisciplinarycollaborations is a prime focus of this course, using well-established team-building techniques and strategies.
This class provides students with the tools to examine and conceptualize a game's underlying structure. By unlocking how addictive games work, students will gain insights into the nature of risk and reward, incentives, and behavior science.
This course highlights the central structural and aesthetic role narrative brings to game design. Stories and roleplaying predate all other art forms, and narrative-based entertainment will continue to evolve alongside every new technology that captivates our imagination. With a special emphasis on roleplaying games and world-building, students will learn the crucial building-blocks of story structure, pacing, and character development; appropriately adapting them to various types of games and technologies.
This course deals with the fundamental structural issues included in creating motion graphics and animation. Focus is on design for animation using video and graphic design techniques. Topics include storyboard, narration, and various techniques used in the industry.
This course introduces students to computer-aided Three Dimensional design and animation. Topics covered include shaping primitive objects; constructing skeletons for realistic support and movement; as well shading, textures, and simulated physics. Students will conclude the course with the ability to create believable 3D characters and objects.
This course covers the fundamental of programming, with an emphasis on object-oriented programming, one of the most popular methods for writing modular and easily extended code for games and other applications. Students will gain an understanding of the wide variety and relative strengths of available programming before focusing on one language in-depth (Python, Java, C, or similar).
This course teaches the core skills for game creation. Students design and build an original playable 3D game. The entire process for game developing is covered from conceptualization through final assembly. Art, concepts, and code are combined to bring to life a unique world of each student's creation.
The aural environment can be just as beautiful, or just as scary as any 3D environment. The predominance of surround-sound and binaural headphones make sound even more crucial to any interactive experience. Students will learn to mix, combine, and optimize the sound-scape to create immersive experiences that complement interactive design.
In this course, students will create games for web browsers, tablets and smart phones using HTML5, CSS3, and various javaScript frameworks. Students will go through the entire production process from the planning stages to best production practices to testing and delivery.
This studio course explores the area of advanced motion graphics and animation. The course is designed to move beyond the basics and focus on storytelling, narrative, acquiring technical skills and creation quality work. Students will produce several short motion graphics and animations as well as two longer projects during the course.
This course teaches the methods to create original art in 3D along with techniques to capture objects and people from the real world as scanned datasets for use in virtual environments. The art of motion is applied to the models created through the animation and rigging of characters. Students will also work with motion-captured clips that are edited, blended and then applied to original characters to tell an animated story rendered to a video and acted out within a game.
This is an interdisciplinary seminar focusing on creating believable and compelling artificial worlds for stories and games. Students will examine worldbuilding case studies such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones as they harness linguistics, city planning, cartography, and other disciplines to create their own worlds.
This class evaluates the social and psychological qualities of games and simulations in an attempt to push the medium into a new form. Students create games that investigate politics, education, and much more.
Students continue the process of building their own playable 3D game from ideas, to creation, to marketing. Students will learn business models associated with marketing and producing a game, and will learn how to balance consumer demands and financial intelligence with realizing their personal artistic vision. Skills learned in art and coding will be tempered buy an understanding of the industry business model.
This course summarizes the Game Design and Interactive Media program experience and concentrates preparation for the capstone project. The focus is on producing a professional quality portfolio which will quickly exhibit the students' design and technical skills while also exposing them to networking and job searching opportunities.
This advanced course is the capstone of the game production track, where students will bring together all the skills they developed in interactive design, game mechanics, animation, and graphic design to produce digital as well as analog and hybrid games incorporate both software and hardware components. Students will explore the uses of 3D printing and microprocessors such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi.
This is an advanced workshop where students work together to develop, test, and publish complex games, simulations, and interactive training applications. Collaborative techniques are emphasized as students draw on their experience and expertise from previous classes, evolving earlier game concepts and mechanics into marketable products.
Mobile apps pose specific challenges as the variety and capability of tablets, phones, watches and other wearable technology expand into new areas and businesses. Students will explore how gesture-and touch-based interfaces can be elegantly implemented without overshadowing their content.
This course is an introduction to the study of visual communication. Topics include conceptualization, graphic imagery, aesthetics and symbolism for the communication of information through graphic design. Visual problem solving and conceptualization is emphasized within a context of understanding of communication design history.
The course is a continuation of the study of visual communication in Communication Design I. Emphasis is places on integration the symbolic and communicative aspects of typography with visual elements to execute real-world design project briefs. Through the application of design principles and typography, projects will stress strong visual concepts while exploring hands-on media and digital techniques. Visual problem solving skills will be developed and refined with a continued emphasis on the context within design history.
This course is an introduction to the study of 2-D graphic design as a communication tool. It teaches students how to apply basic design concepts to the presentation of informative or persuasive material, and more broadly, how to visually communicate with an audience. Students will have a brief overview of the history of graphic design and graphic design theories.
This is intermediate level course is a continuation of ASGR 201: Graphic Design I. Applying basic design concepts to the presentation of informative or persuasive material, students will develop their craft in practicing effective visual communication. The course emphasizes practical assignments that examine applied problem solving and professional solutions for graphic designers. This is intermediate level course is a continuation of ASGR 201: Graphic Design I. Applying basic design concepts to the presentation of informative or persuasive material, students will develop their craft in practicing effective visual communication. The course emphasizes practical assignments that examine applied problem solving and professional solution for graphic designers. This is intermediate level course is a continuation of ASGR 201: Graphic Design I. Applying basic design concepts to the presentation of informative or persuasive material, students will develop their craft in practicing effective visual communication. The course emphasizes practical assignments that examine applied problem solving and professional solutions for graphic designers.
This advanced study of concept and implementation for advertising campaigns, large, and small space ads include an exploration of the role of marketing in advertising from concepts to computers. This course emphasizes the development of personal expression and the preparation of a portfolio.
This course is a continuation of ASGR 203. In this course students will continue to refine skills in marketing and advertising across a wide range of platforms. Understand the roles of both the Creative Director and Art Director as part of a team in the development of an advertising campaign. The course further emphasizes the key importance of the big idea, strategic research, ideation process, creation of ad copy, development and presentation of briefs and visual conceptualization to convey to advertising concept.
In this course, students are introduced to the concept and design of packaging, including color, form, type, photography, and marketing.
This course is a continuation of ASGR 207. This advanced course introduces students to true color image processing, powerful painting and masking features and color separation techniques. Other topics include templates, project management, image setting and advanced type control. Students produce portfolio pieces to illustrate their professional level of page design and production in both black-and-white as well as four-color.
This course is concerned with building a graphic designer's and illustrator's portfolio and giving the students an awareness of the crucial role the portfolio plays in career development. The course also includes information relating to the job market, types of employment available, promotional pricing strategies and other career information of interest. Assignments are geared toward individual needs. Guest speakers include representatives from the art and design fields.
This course covers designing for the grid for print and interactive applications. Topics include color, digital rendering, vector graphics and successful combinations of a variety of design software. Deign assignments are geared towards a variety of output media, including print, motion, and interactive/on-line applications.
Students receive on-the-job training in a professional setting.
Students receive on-the-job training in a professional setting.
Students receive on-the-job training in a professional setting.
Students receive on-the-job training in a professional setting.
Students receive on-the-job training in a professional setting.
Students will be introduced to oil painting media, including tools such as brushes, palette and palette knife, canvases, stretching techniques, gesso and canvas preparation, as well as basic oil color mixing and paint application. An understanding of the representation of objects in space, visual organization skills, critical vocabulary, and the techniques necessary to properly paint using oils will be covered.
This course introduces the student to illustration as a means of communication. It will cover visual problem solving, the process of illustration, and an introduction to markets: publication and advertising. Through the use of reference and research, students will learn to render in various traditional media. Key movements in illustration history will be reviewed in practice.
This course further explores visual problem solving, the process of illustration, and an introduction to markets: editorial and book markets, including surface design. Students will focus on developing illustrations in conjunction with type. Professional presentation of work will be emphasized. Key movements in illustration history will be reviewed in practice.
This course further explores visual problem solving, the process of illustration and an introduction to markets: sequential, storyboarding, and character design. Through the use of reference and research, students will learn to render in various traditional and digital media. Personal style, self-promotion, and an introduction to business practices will explored. Key movements in illustration history will be reviewed in practice.
This course further explored visual problem solving, and the process of illustration. Emphasis is on the refinement of personal style and professional practices. Key movements in illustration history will reviewed in practice.
This course deals with creating digital illustrations and developing a vocabulary using bitmap software. Students will learn the necessary skills to create a foundation for picture making, including photo composition and manipulation, special effects, and painting with digital brushes using the software latest bitmap software. Projects will be geared towards a variety of markets.
A continuation of ASIL 215 Digital Illustration I, this course deals with creating digital illustration and developing vocabulary using vector software. Students will learn the necessary skills to create images in the vector environment, including working with Bezier curves, paths, layers, line, strokes, filling shapes with color, patterns and gradients. Projects will be geared to a variety of markets.
In this course, students will be introduced to the process of creating conceptual images for illustrations. Students will be encouraged to explore different ways to convey specific ideas using symbol, metaphor and analogy. Students will learn to understand the meaning of symbols and will develop conceptual thinking to produce successful visual solutions. Assigned projects are directed to the needs of the editorial illustration, advertising or graphic design fields. Students will explore different media and will be encouraged to develop their individual vocabulary and style.
This course is concerned with developing skills in networking, developing good client relationships, contracts and fees, taxes, and creating self-initiated projects and campaigns for self-promotional purposes. Guest speakers include representatives from the art and design fields.
This course is an introduction to printmaking processes through creative concepts and image making possibilities in both relief and intaglio media. Students learn fundamental approaches to Collagraph, Drypoint, and Linocut. Black and white, and color printing are emphasized along with color registration, multiple-block printing and inking techniques.