Graduate Diploma in Art

Goldsmiths is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Graduate Diploma in Art, beginning September 2026.

The Graduate Diploma in Art is a dynamic, twelve-month, studio-based programme that provides a pathway for those who wish to study at postgraduate level but may not hold traditional academic qualifications. It offers a guaranteed route into a Goldsmiths Art Department MFA or MA programme.

Designed for graduates from diverse and interdisciplinary backgrounds, as well as self-taught artists and those trained in other fields, the course supports the development of individual practice within a fine art context. Students are encouraged to experiment, expand their creative thinking, and build a strong portfolio for advanced study.

International students are also supported through additional English language and study skills classes.

We welcome creative practices involving drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, performance, art writing, curation, textiles, fashion, photography, sound, digital media, and video, along with poetry, spoken word, art history, and theory. We currently have several members of our Graduate Diploma in Art community who have studied in alternative art school programmes, as well as those whose work engages with activism, philosophy, ecosystems, and emerging technologies. The programme is ideal for those who wish to dedicate a year to developing both their studio practice and their art writing. The Department’s specialist Art Practice Areas provide support for a wide range of processes that complement and extend traditional disciplines.

The Graduate Diploma in Art offers new access routes to Goldsmiths MFA Fine Art, MA Art and Ecology, MA Artists’ Film and Moving Image, and MFA Curating. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma provides entry onto one of these four postgraduate programmes. Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to study alongside postgraduate peers, spending time in their studios, seminars, and critical studies spaces. Graduate Diploma students attend postgraduate lectures while also taking part in their own bespoke seminar sessions. This integration brings you directly into the studio-based postgraduate community within the Department of Art.

 The programme supports the development of a critical understanding of your own practice, as well as the contemporary artistic, academic, social, and political contexts in which it exists. It includes a specialised programme of critical studies seminars, along with access to the postgraduate taught lecture series. Studio practice is taught through an intensive programme of individual tutorials, collective forums, and research visits. The Graduate Diploma provides an exceptional opportunity to gain skills, knowledge, and networks that are vital for advancing your professional artistic practice through the development of an Artists’ Text Portfolio for MFA and beyond. We place strong emphasis on collective learning, co-creating an educational environment through collaboration and peer-to-peer engagement. Participants bring a shared sense of community and the ability to work effectively in groups.

The programme’s location in South East London, close to some of the world’s leading artistic and scientific institutions, offers an ideal base from which to explore the city and encounter London in new and purposeful ways. We have an exciting external programme that includes ongoing collaborations with curators, galleries, and performance spaces. There are three exhibition opportunities each year. The programme also teaches professional skills through visits, talks, and workshops led by practitioners, providing real-world insights into the kinds of innovation, negotiation, and knowledge required to realise a successful art practice.

Students are supported by the Programme Leader Dr Elle Reynolds, Senior Tutor Dr Joseph Noonan-Ganley and independent curator Dr Kirsten Cooke, as well as a Junior Fellow and academic visitors and artist practitioners in the field. Established visiting artists and curators include: Tyler Coburn, Emma Edmondson, Gary Farelly, Peter Gomes, Warren Harper, Onyeka Igwe, Elsa James, Liz Murray, Kyung Hwa Shon. 

Application
For more information on the programme and how to apply online, please visit the Goldsmiths website. Please contact Elle Reynolds e.reynolds@gold.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your application.