Summer Courses

Discover what it's like to study at the world’s leading art and design university, ranked number one for the fifth consecutive year in the 2019 QS World University Subject Rankings.

Curating Contemporary Art and Design: Theory and Practice, 2019
Photographer: © Adam Hollingworth

Curating Contemporary Art and Design: Theory and Practice, 2019
Photographer: © Adam Hollingworth
Architecture Summer School, 2019
Photographer: © Adam Hollingworth

Architecture Summer School, 2019
Photographer: © Adam Hollingworth
Graphic Design: Typography Summer Intensive, 2019

Graphic Design: Typography Summer Intensive, 2019

Summer courses range from one day to three weeks, providing unparalleled opportunities for participants to access world-class expertise, studios and facilities.

New dates for 2020 Summer Courses announced

Curating Contemporary Art and Design: Theory and Practice: 13–17 July 2020

Graphic Design: Editorial Design Summer Intensive: 13–17 July 2020

Disruptive Market Innovation Through Design: 14–17 July 2020

Architecture Summer School: 20–24 July 2020

Contemporary Art Summer School: 20 July – 7 August 2020

Graphic Design: Typography Summer Intensive: 20–24 July 2020

Previous courses include:

Designing Services & Products with Artificial Intelligence | Future Trends & Global Innovation

What our courses include

As the most influential postgraduate university of art and design in the world, the Royal College of Art is known for excellence, creativity and innovation.

Advanced level lectures and seminars by RCA academic faculty that teach on the postgraduate degree Programmes.
Notable guest speakers connected to industry and leading professional practitioners in their field.
Practical group work and exercises fostering inspiration through participation and making.
Visits to London’s major collections, museums, galleries and design studios.

Who should attend?

Our summer courses reflect our advanced level of teaching and are aimed at:

postgraduate level students or undergraduates preparing for Master’s study
career changers or those interested in art and design
professionals seeking to develop themselves by acquiring specific knowledge and skills.

We attract a global mix of participants; last year we welcomed over 53 different nationalities on our short courses.

In the heart of creative London

Founded in 1837, today the RCA is located across a three-site campus – Kensington, Battersea and White City. State-of-the-art new buildings, workshops and studios are added to the College estate annually, providing the facilities, skills and support that will produce the next generation of creatives and entrepreneurs.

‘The location of the university is remarkable because it is in central London, The V&A and the Design Museum are close. There’s so many galleries and exhibitions that one can visit. London is amazing. It's big so you can never get bored.’
– RCA Design Products student

Summer is an exciting time of year when London truly becomes a 24-hour city. Within walking distance from our campus’ you will be able to immerse yourself in British culture and experience a city of traditional and contemporary art museums, galleries and a wide array of cultural events including food festivals, open-air concerts, outdoor cinemas and world-class music festivals.

Student stories

‘I loved every minute of the Typography Summer Intensive. The course team were deeply knowledgeable, supportive and generous with their time. I'd recommend this course in a heartbeat!' Christopher Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Interaction Design, Belfast School of Art

‘The RCA offered me practical insight into the world of curating and critical thinking. By interacting with people from all over the world and from different backgrounds, the Summer School prepared me for working in an international environment. I can't wait to use the knowledge gained from the workshops and apply it to my work.’ – Alicja Ewertowska, Head of Media in Société Gallery, Berlin

‘The course was really mind-stretching, totally relevant and both introduced and challenged the conversation about the future of retail. A really helpful and enjoyable experience. It was brilliant to learn from people at the top of their game and at the forefront of culture. I left refreshed and invigorated.’ – James Watts, Interior Design: The Future of Retail, July 2018

Read more about previous participants who have shared their stories.

RCA short course videos on YouTube.

Custom summer courses

Our experts can develop custom summer courses and many of our existing short courses can be adapted, combined or customised for the particular needs of an organisation. The courses are ideally suited for groups of 15 to 30 or more participants.

Courses may be delivered at one of the RCAs central London sites, at your premises or other venues in the UK and internationally.

Learn more about custom executive education programmes.

Please contact us to discuss developing a custom programme: