Royal College of Art

The Royal College of Art is the world’s leading art and design university, having been continuously ranked number one in the QS university subject rankings for art & design every year since 2015. Our postgraduate programmes enable students to tackle complex issues, push the boundaries of their practice, build networks and find their voice as a professional in a changing world.

Committed to creating the next generation of artists, designers, researchers, creators and innovators, the RCA’s world-leading academic and technical staff will guide and challenge students to push the boundaries of their practice. As the world’s largest community of postgraduate art, design and architecture students, you will be part of a collective of inspirational creative peers opening up new opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. Based around the four Schools of Architecture, Arts & Humanities, Communication and Design, the broad range of disciplines on offer is based on a strong foundation of practice-based research and integrates STEAM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics - providing a unique and transformative experience.

We offer a Graduate Diploma pre-masters conversion programme, a portfolio of MA, MA/MSc and MRes taught masters as well as MPhil/PhD doctoral degrees. MA and MRes programmes are primarily 1-year full time with some 2-year and part-time programmes available. In 2023 the College is launching new programmes including MFA, MDes and MEd in Creative Education. 

RCA Short Courses offer an impressive portfolio of online and on-campus short courses, summer schools, and executive masterclasses developed by leading academics and industry experts for designers. Each year they attract a global mix of artists, critical thinkers, curators, writers, architects and interior designers from over sixty countries who wish to move their practice forward, either as a career change, professional development or skills refreshment. Subjects include architecture, communication design, contemporary art, curating, interior design, service design, design thinking, creative leadership, and human-centred design.