V&A Museum and Royal College of Art
Kensington Gore
London SW7 2EU
United Kingdom
Discover history through the lens of design. Jointly delivered between London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal College of Art, the History of Design MA is a unique master’s programme straddling two of London’s leading cultural organisations. This partnership allows students to enjoy privileged access to museum spaces.
Ranked number one for History of Art, Design and Architecture programmes (2023–25) in the QS World University Rankings.
Develop your own voice
Our research-led teaching empowers our students to become independent thinkers and future leaders in sectors such as museums and cultural organisations, design and media, as well as journalism and consultancy. By our end-of-year symposium, you’ll also be writing and presenting your research confidently and professionally.
Students explore diverse and global topics from fashion and textiles history to graphic, architectural and urban design. Histories of theatre and performance and the material culture of photography are a regular focus. Digital materialities and technologies are as relevant to us as histories of craft, making and the decorative arts.
Recent graduates have focussed their research on—New York brides; Seventeenth century pageantry; Twentieth century Polaroids; English sacred wells; Cinemas in colonial Bombay; Black Lives Matter murals; Funeral planning in early modern England; 21st century DIY Chinese lantern kits; Caribbean dress cultures; Life-saving hammocks and Development of the AI sparkle icon.
Funding and scholarship support
RCA and V&A offer a wide range of funding opportunities to support study, including a variety of tuition fee and living cost scholarships, for both UK and international students. Applying by the round two deadline will give the best chance of getting a scholarship. Find more information about available scholarships and their eligibility criteria on our website.
UK and Irish students may be eligible for the UK Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme. American students may be eligible for US private loans.
Key admissions dates
Applications for September 2026 entry are open with the next admissions deadline on Tuesday March 17 at 12pm (UK time). The final round of applications closes on Wednesday June 3 at 12pm (UK time).
