Pratt Institute was founded in 1887 by a self-made oil entrepreneur and philanthropist. The school has 22 undergraduate degree programs, 25 graduate degree programs and a collection of advanced certifications in several disciplines. Pratt students major in everything from graphic design and illustration to architecture to fashion and digital arts. Courses are taught by working professionals, and the main campus, in Brooklyn, is the jumping off point for intensive engagement with the art communities in New York City.
Parsons was founded in 1896 by Impressionist painter William Merritt Chase. The school was eventually refocused to also include first-of-its-kind design programs under the stewardship of Frank Alvah Parsons, whose name became synonymous with the school. In 1970, Parsons joined The New School, a progressive institution of higher learning, which reflected Parsons' dedication to progressive social design. Parsons offers 27 undergraduate, associate and graduate degree programs in art design and history, art media and technology, constructed environments, fashion and design strategies. The disciplines are organized to be cross-curricular and collaborative, so that graduates are well-grounded in a spectrum of art and design practices. Mentorship with a faculty of working professionals is emphasized.
FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology, offers undergraduate and graduate programs in interior design, fashion design and merchandising, toy design, fabric styling, computer animation, photography, illustration and a host of other design and marketing fields. The school merges a strong liberal arts program with professional craft training and active connections to industry. Classes are taught by working professionals in the fields of fashion, marketing design and communications. FIT is part of the State University of New York system and has a study abroad program.
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art was established in 1859 with a unique mission and configuration. Wealthy industrialist Peter Cooper set up the school to discover and nurture talent from all classes of society, and all students, regardless of income, attend the school on full scholarship. Cooper Union offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture, fine arts and engineering. Over the years, the school has consistently ranked in the top tier of American academic institutions and its graduates have won numerous distinctions, including the Rome Prize, Guggenheim Fellowships, MacArthur Fellowships, a Nobel Prize and other prestigious acknowledgments. Cooper Union's iconic Great Hall in Greenwich Village has been the scene of speeches by eight presidents, including Abraham Lincoln.