Pratt School of Information and Library Science
The school of information leads back to 1890, with history rooted in the excellence and innovation of library and information sciences education. Pratt prides itself on fostering a student-centered environment. This environment will allow students to participate in a vibrant academic community- fostered by face to face learning and teaching within classrooms that are home to some of the most advanced technology available. The students groups on campus work to enrich the lives of students with workshops, guest lectures, site visits, tours, and networking events that can expand a professional network. The full time faculty are recognized researchers and scholars in the field of information, spanning numerous careers. The part time faculty is representative of NYC's most notable practitioners as well as recognized leaders within their own areas of expertise.
This institution allows students to foster deep connections to NYC's diverse professional communities, as Pratt has the only School of Information within NYC. The location is convenient, and provides students with great opportunities to connect with the sprawling information community and subsequently obtain professional positions within NYC's most prominent cultural institutions, media companies, nonprofits, and other organizations that are within the quickly expanding information and technology niches. Pratt works closely with many institutions within NYC like MoMA, Metropolitan Museum, New York Public Library, and Brooklyn Museum, allowing for students to have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of hands on projects, and this also allows the students to choose the internship site that best fits with their own personal and academic experiences and career goals.
Master of Science in Library and Information Science
This comprehensive graduate program is ALA accredited and will prepare students for careers in libraries, archives, cultural institutions, government agencies, and other information-intensive organizations. The MSLIS program offers a wide variety of courses, giving students access to get the knowledge and skills related to all things related to data. To complete the program, students will be required to complete 36 credit hours, broken up into 12 courses worth 3 credits each. 4 of these will be required courses, and 8 will be electives. These electives have to be completed with a B average or better. The program as a whole is designed to be completed in 2 years' time, while taking 3 courses per semester, or completed in 3 years' time while taking 2 courses per semester. To reduce the lengthened time, the students may opt to take part in summer courses. It should be noted that international students have to be enrolled full time.
Along with the courses to be taken, students will have to submit an e-portfolio that will demonstrate how they have met the 5 learning outcomes of the program: research, communication, technology, user-centered focus, and reflective practice. To be considered for entrance into the program, students must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university, a superior scholastic record, and evidence of maturity and leadership potential for their desired profession, along with 2 letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources. The student must also submit a statement of purpose to describe their interest for the program as well as their personal goals.
