Overview
Creating new worlds through storytelling and conversation
Key details
- 180 credits
- 45 (FT) or 90 (PT) week programme
- Full-time or part-time study
School or Centre
Location
- White City
Next open day
- 4 Dec 2023
- Book or view all open days
Application deadline
- 14 Feb 2024
Develop new ways of experiencing, interacting and communicating on this new Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
The MFA Communication programme interrogates the fundamental ways in which communication shapes our lives, and uses this knowledge to develop new ways of experiencing, interacting and communicating with the world. The programme makes space for conversation, inter-cultural exchange, new ideas and diverse voices. You will explore social, political, environmental and philosophical implications of communication practices and how these may be manifested within the your chosen field of practice.
When you enter the programme you may have an existing practice in creative disciplines such as Visual Communication, Illustration, Animation, Film and Television, Digital Direction, Extended Reality, User Interface Design, Information Experience Design, or Sound Design. You will be encouraged to take a critical approach to your discipline, as the programme invites you to locate your existing practice in interdisciplinary contexts, and to innovate in ways that challenge disciplinary boundaries.
The programme also provides opportunities to extend professional networks and to locate your professional work in the context of your study, through the option of industry-embedded and Research Project units, where you carry out projects embedded in industry, supported by tutors at RCA.
Teaching will include burst teaching and hybrid delivery, within the School of Communication and across the RCA's Battersea and Kensington campuses where students are encouraged to choose electives from other Schools. Students are encouraged to consider themselves part of an multi-disciplinary network of students spread across the RCA's Schools and the programme will stress the importance of opportunities to network and collaborate with peers on different programmes.
Applications for the September 2024 intake are now open.
Explore further
Catch the replays from our latest online Open Day
Listen to RCA Podcast Series 1, Episode 3: The boundaries of communication to hear from Barbara Brownie, Assistant Dean of the School of Communication, a distinguished design theorist - from space wear to 3D animations, and the new MFA Communication.
Gallery
Staff
Facilities
The RCA has facilities at Kensington, Battersea and White City. MFA students will also benefit from being supervised by world-leading academics at the forefront of arts and humanities research and practice .
View all College-wide facilitiesYou will also have access to College-wide workshops on an individually planned and negotiated basis. Please note, this programme isn’t for those who want to try out a range of bespoke technical resources.
What you'll study
Flexibility and choice are at the heart of the offer, with a combination of Core and Elective units enabling you to create a bespoke programme of studies that best suits your approach, context and interests.
What you'll cover
How you'll learn
The MFA Communication programme will be delivered using burst-teaching and hybrid delivery. Burst teaching takes place on campus, and provides you with opportunities to form a community of peers and develop a sense of belonging at RCA. Outside of these periods, online group and individual tutorials will support your learning and ensure that you have regular remote contact.
The programme's core units will be mainly delivered on campus, with some electives available online. Online resources will further contribute to your learning.
Programme structure (full time)
Terms 1 and 2 will include common Communication units within the School of Communication, alongside electives that may be chosen from any of the College’s Schools. In the common units you will come together with other Communication students to collaborate on projects addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Alongside the common units, your choice of electives will provide opportunities to personalise your journey, and broaden your horizons by exploring subjects beyond the School and critically reflecting on their relationships to your own discipline. In term 3, you will apply what you have learnt in a substantial Research Project, where you will also be supported to independently disseminate and position your work in public contexts.
By choosing electives, you will be able to determine your own journey through the programme. You will graduate with a unique set of experiences and expertise, enabling you to locate yourself at the forefront of new and emerging industries, and to contribute to leading and shaping new industries as they emerge. You will be given the tools to become a pioneer in emerging sectors, applying your skills at the intersection of disciplines and with multi-disciplinary teams. You will also be supported to identify and pursue opportunities for public output during and beyond your programme of study.
Programme structure (part-time)
The part-time programme is delivered at a rate of two units per term, across two years.
Terms 1 and 2 include common Communication and elective units within the School of Communication. In the common units you will come together with other Communication students to collaborate on projects addressing the UN’s Sustainable development Goals. Meanwhile, a choice of School electives will allow you to deepen your engagement with a chosen practice within Communication. During term 3, part-time students engage in professionally-oriented units including an industry-based project with the option to embed this project in your current place of employment, recognising that many part-time students will be currently employed in relevant industries.
In the second year of study, you will study two electives from across the RCA. Your choice of electives will provide opportunities to personalise your journey, and broaden your horizons by exploring subjects beyond the School and critically reflecting on their relationships to your own discipline. Meanwhile, you will propose, develop, and realise a Research Project, which is spread across the second year of study in order to structure your journey towards your final project.
By choosing electives, you will determine their own journey through the programme. You will graduate with a unique set of experiences and expertise, enabling you to locate yourself at the forefront of new and emerging industries, and to contribute to leading and shaping new industries as they emerge. You will be given the tools to become a pioneer in emerging sectors, applying your skills at the intersection of disciplines and with multi-disciplinary teams. You will also be supported to identify and pursue opportunities for public output during and beyond your programme of study.
Electives
You will select elective units to determine your own journey through the programme, choosing from a range of electives that are available across all Schools and campuses, and online. Available electives may include:
Term 1
- Interventions (School of Communication, on campus)
- Digital Storytelling (School of Communication, online)
- Education for Change (Academic Development Office, online & blended options with mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Collaboration and Inter-disciplinarity as Method (Academic Development Office, online & blended options with mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Housing and Social Reproduction (School of Architecture, mix of online and on campus sessions)
- Mobility and Debility (School of Architecture, mix of online and on campus sessions)
- Design Innovation: Models and Life Cycle (School of Design, mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Design Ethics: Design for Good Practice (School of Design, online)
- Performing Practice (School of Arts and Humanities, on campus)
- Health and Care: Futures of Care (School of Arts and Humanities, online)
- Material Engagements: Embodied Practice (School of Arts and Humanities, on campus)
Terms 1 and 2
AcrossRCA (30 credits) (Academic Development Office, majority online, but some on-campus sessions)
Term 2
- Industry Embedded Project (School of Communication, online)
- Sound (School of Communication, on campus)
- Public Engagement as Method (Academic Development Office (MRes), mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Developing Research Proposals (Academic Development Office (MRes), mix of online
- Making Pedagogies (Academic Development Office (MEd), mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Capital’s Shadow (School of Architecture, mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Milieu Milieu Me (The Economy) (School of Architecture, mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Design Resilience: Sustainability (School of Design, mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Design Innovation: Venture Creation (School of Design, mix of online and on-campus sessions)
- Sites and Situations: Spatial Feelings (School of Arts and Humanities, on campus)
- Synthetic Encounters: Shapeshifting the Digital (School of Arts and Humanities, online)
Depending on demand and availability, not all electives will be available. You'll be asked to rank your preferences and allocated to electives based on those preferences.
Requirements
What you need to know before you apply
Candidates are selected entirely on merit. We welcome applications from all over the world, as well as from mid-career artists and career changers. The selection criteria will consider creativity, imagination and innovation as demonstrated in your portfolio or equivalent professional experience, as well as your potential to benefit from the programme and achieve high MFA standards.
You will need to demonstrate that you have the ability to engage in the study of Communication at Master's level, including existing technical skills to produce work at Master's level within a creative arts discipline.
What's needed from you
Portfolio requirements
Your portfolio can take one of two formats:
Upload your portfolio or showreel
- Your portfolio or showreel should demonstrate an established practice in a field relevant to Communication.
- You may provide an existing portfolio or showreel, or develop one for application to your chosen programme and pathway.
- Your portfolio should include notes or commentary alongside practical work. If your practice is not directly aligned with the creative arts, your commentary should show that you have considered how your previous work has prepared you for study on the programme.
- Include evidence of process and experimentation.
- Portfolio documents should be in PDF form and no longer than 10 pages.
- Showreels should be no longer than 3 minutes.
Link to an online portfolio or recent work
- The linked site must not require a password/login for access, and your name must be visible at the link to evidence that the work is your own.
- If a team produced the linked work, you should provide a short statement describing your contribution to the project.
- Linked recent work should show engagement with themes or technologies associated with your chosen pathway.
Video requirements
As part of the application process, you will need to submit a video of no more than 2 minutes.
Please record and upload a short (1-2 minute) video of yourself, that outlines your motivation for applying to the MFA Communication and why you have chosen this particular programme.
You do not need to edit the video or include any visual aids, and we will not be assessing its production quality. An informal face-to-camera recording made on your phone is sufficient.
English-language requirements
If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need the equivalent of an IELTS Academic or UKVI score of 6.5 with a 6.0 in the Test of Written English (TWE) and at least 5.5 in other skills. Students achieving a grade of at least 6.0, with a grade of 5.5 in the Test of Written English, may be eligible to take the College’s English for Academic Purposes course to enable them to reach the required standard.
You are exempt from this requirement if you have received a 2.1 degree or above from a university in a majority English-speaking nation within the last two years.
If you need a Student Visa to study at the RCA, you will also need to meet the Home Office’s minimum requirements for entry clearance.
Fees & funding
For this programme
Fees
Fees for September 2024 entry on this programme are outlined below. From 2021 onward, EU students are classified as Overseas for tuition fee purposes.
Home
Overseas and EU
Deposit
New entrants to the College will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit in order to secure their place. This will be offset against the tuition fees for the first year of study.
Home
Overseas and EU
Progression discounts
For alumni and students who have completed an MA or MA/MSc at the RCA within the past 10 years, a progression discount is available for MFA, MDes, MArch and MEd study. This discount is £2,000 for full-time study, or £1,000 per year for two years of part-time study. This also applies if you have taken an MRes qualification between 2013 and 2023.
Scholarships
Scholarships
The RCA scholarship programme is growing, with hundreds of financial awards planned for the 2024/5 academic year. Examples of financial awards offered in 2023/24 are given below.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship
For: All MA programmes, MArch, MFA, MDes, MRes & MEd
Eligibility criteria: Students from Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, USA
Eligible fee status: Overseas fee status
Value: £7,000 towards fees
The Deputy Vice Chancellor’s UK Scholarship
For: All MA programmes, MArch, MFA, MDes, MRes & MEd
Eligible fee status: Home fee status
Value: £5,000 towards fees
The RCA UK Disabled Students’ Scholarship
For: All MA programmes, MArch, MFA, MDes, MRes & MEd
Eligibility criteria: Students who identify as D/deaf or disabled
Eligible fee status: Home fee status
Value: £6,000 for living costs
Sir Frank Bowling Scholarship
For: All programmes excluding short courses
Eligibility criteria: Black or Black British Caribbean, Black or Black British African, Other Black Background, Mixed - White and Black Caribbean, Mixed - White and Black African
Eligible fee status: Home fee status
Value: Full fees & maintenance
The Vice-Chancellor’s UK Cost of Living Scholarship
For: All MA programmes, MArch, MFA, MDes, MRes & MEd
Eligible fee status: Home fee status
Value: £5,000 for living costs
More information
Additonal fees
In addition to your programme fees, please be aware that you may incur other additional costs associated with your study during your time at RCA. Additional costs can include purchases and services (without limitation): costs related to the purchase of books, paints, textiles, wood, metal, plastics and/or other materials in connection with your programme, services related to the use of printing and photocopying, lasercutting, 3D printing and CNC. Costs related to attending compulsory field trips, joining student and sport societies, and your Convocation (graduation) ceremony.
If you wish to find out more about what type of additional costs you may incur while studying on your programme, please contact the Head of your Programme to discuss or ask at an online or in person Open Day.
We provide the RCASHOP online, and at our Kensington and Battersea Campuses – this is open to students and staff of the Royal College of Art only to provide paid for materials to support your studies.
We also provide support to our students who require financial assistance whilst studying, including a dedicated Materials Fund.
External funding
There are many funding sources, with some students securing scholarships and others saving money from working. It is impossible to list all the potential funding sources; however, the following information could be useful.
Start your application
Change your life and be here in 2024. Applications now open.
The Royal College of Art welcomes applicants from all over the world.
Before you begin
Make sure you've read and understood the entrance requirements and key dates
More information about eligibility and key datesCheck you have all the information you need to apply.
Read our application process guideConsider attending an Open Day, or one of our portfolio or application advice sessions
See upcoming sessionsPlease note, all applications must be submitted by 12 noon on the given deadline.
Ask a question
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more or have any questions.
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