The Royal College of Art provides a unique educational experience in art and design, to a community of carefully selected and exceptionally talented students. Our aim is to nurture their creativity and their ability to innovate, to develop their practical and intellectual skills and to expand their horizons. All our courses are taught by distinguished artists, designers and thinkers, and students have an unrivalled opportunity to study art in a design environment, and design in an art environment.

The College is exclusively postgraduate. We offer MA, MPhil and PhD degrees that not only prepare students for careers in the cultural and creative industries but also equip them to challenge and influence the development of the businesses, professions and industries that they will join. We are also committed to a two-year Master’s programme, which is unusual in UK Higher Education. We believe it takes two years of intense study and practice to achieve ‘Mastery’. In the first year, the primary focus of teaching is on enabling a student to find his or her own voice; the second year is about developing that voice and discovering how best to use it.

‘You’re surrounded by creativity every day. It’s a perfect environment for developing your talents.’ 
MA student, 2008

Each year our students are asked what they value most about their experience at the College. Every year, the number one answer remains the same: the people, the community. The College provides the opportunity to learn, explore and experiment within a diverse, international community of postgraduate and professional artists and designers. We aim to provide an experience that makes the fullest use of this amazing resource.

‘The RCA is a diverse melting pot of creativity… it is the most exciting design laboratory in the world.’
David Adjaye, Architecture and Interiors graduate, 1993

Our approach to education is founded on three principles:

We believe that the responsibility for a postgraduate education is a mutual one, shared between student and College. The emphasis is always on the individual. We expect every student to be highly motivated, able to demonstrate independence and a maturity of approach that involves defining his or her own goals. In return, we aim to provide a challenging and supportive environment that enables every student to meet his or her personal ambitions.

We want our students to be able to produce innovative work that demonstrates a mastery of both the intellectual and technical processes involved in its creation. We believe that it is this integration of thinking, research and practice that allows our students to find their voices. As part of this ambition, all first-year studio-based MA students engage in a Critical & Historical Studies programme that encourages debate on contemporary themes from historical, philosophical and critical perspectives.

‘The RCA was a hugely important experience. It was there that I really figured out who I was as a designer.’
Erdem Moralioglu, Fashion Womenswear graduate, 2003

We are committed to providing educators who practise what they teach. Our academic staff comprises distinguished artists and designers who retain one foot in their professional worlds and continue to excel in their fields. Many departments connect directly with business and industry through sponsored projects, where briefs are provided and projects critiqued by industry partners.

The College’s academic staff is complemented by highly experienced technicians and an impressive network of pre-eminent visiting staff. We also offer a range of centrally delivered services that provide expert care before, during and after attendance at the College, in areas such as disability support, English language skills and professional practice.

‘The tutors are totally committed to getting the absolute best from each student and are very skilful in identifying strengths and weaknesses.’
MA student, 2009

For more information, see the RCA Experience.