With a long-standing commitment to quality face-to-face education that challenges students creatively, critically, and ethically, experiential learning opportunities are central to the academic experience.
The School regularly develops and cultivates collaborative relationships and strategic partnerships with a range of organizations that expand research and learning opportunities for students and faculty. Recent examples include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frick Art Reference Library, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Center for Puerto Rican Studies, American Jewish Historical Society, Greenwood Cemetery, Interference Archive, New York Hall of Science, NYC Department of Education, NYC Media Lab, Brooklyn Connections, Columbia University Libraries, and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics. Unique experiential opportunities afforded by the School of Information include:
Fellowships
Our competitive Fellowship program is a two-semester scholarship designed to provide students exceptional professional-level experience. Fellows receive tuition scholarships and are required to complete 120 hours of on-site work per semester at one of our many partner institutions.
InfoShow
Showcasing student work to the New York professional community and the wider public through InfoShow—the annual showcase of student work—is also central to a School of Information graduate education.
International Study
The School of Information enriches the student experience through international study, which includes a spring break course in Rome.
Practicum / Seminar
The Practicum is taken for graduate credit (INFO 698, 3 credits) and features a project drawn from 120 hours of on-site work experience supervised by an information professional. Students can choose from a wide range of practicum sites that reflect their area of interest, such as one of New York City’s great libraries, archives, museums, non-profits, information design firms, publishers and other corporate content providers.
Ethics & Technology Forum
The annual School of Information Ethics and Technology Forum brings thought leaders into conversation with the Pratt Institute community to discuss the most pressing issues on this topic.
Project-Based Courses
The School curriculum offers students multiple opportunities for practical, hands-on learning. Many courses include project-based collaborations with local libraries, archives, museums, start-ups, non-profits, and other external organizations, while other courses are held off-site at some of NYC’s leading cultural institutions. Example courses include:
- INFO 625 Management of Archives and Special Collections
- INFO 634 Conservation Lab
- INFO 652 Reference & Instruction
- INFO 644 Usability Theory & Practice
- INFO 645 Advanced Usability & UX Research
- INFO 665 Projects in Digital Archives
- INFO 682 Projects in Information Experience Design
- INFO 685 Digital Analytics: Web, Mobile and Social Media