Writing
MA
Overview
Critically engaged writing
Key details
- 240 credits
- 15 month programme
- Full-time study with part-time option
Develop your intellectual, literary, and technical skills.
MA Writing provides a unique opportunity to develop high-level writing, research, and analytical skills in one of the world’s most dynamic art schools. The programme combines different learning models — from workshops to seminars, group crits to personal tutorials — during which time you’ll work with many different practitioners, amongst them critics, poets, and editors.
The programme is committed to a broad definition of arts writing, from journalism and criticism to creative non-fiction, and for a wide-ranging audience, too, from the mainstream to the academic. The practice and discipline of writing are essential to our teaching, as well as engagement with other disciplines and the broad range of arts, design, and culture. Our programme encourages both individual and collaborative writing, thereby allowing you to develop your own ‘voice’ while benefiting from working productively with others.
Visit 2020.rca.ac.uk to view graduate work from the class of 2020
Gallery
Facilities
The School of Arts & Humanities is located across our Battersea and Kensington sites.
View all facilitiesYou'll benefit from being part of a vibrant art and design school environment. There are a number of bookable seminar and project spaces across the site available to all Arts & Humanities students.
Our alumni
Our alumni form an international network of creative individuals who have shaped and continue to shape the world.
- Emily Beber
- Lucy Biddle
- Alice Butler
- Patrick Langley
- David Morris
- Naomi Pearce
- Izabekka Scott and Rosanna McLaughlin
- Jonathan P Watts
More details on what you'll study.
Find out what you'll cover in this programme.
What you'll cover
Programme
MA Writing is a full-time, 240-credit, enhanced RCA MA (unlike the standard UK 180-credit MA). It is delivered in a 15-month format, from September 2020 to December 2021.
Home and EU students can opt to undertake the second part of their studies (the Final Major Project) on a part-time basis (until March 2022).
This innovative structure has been designed to give you greater flexibility to combine full and part-time modes of study. Please note the part-time option is not available to international students for visa compliance reasons.
The MA Writing programme is made up of Units provided by the programme (200 credits), the School of Arts and Humanities (20 credits), and the College (20 credits).
The programme teaching consists mainly of Critical Reading classes, Writing Workshops, Writing Exercises, and Publishing Platforms, which are delivered through seminars, presentations, tutorials (individual and group), site visits, and other means as appropriate.
Requirements
What you need to know before you apply
Candidates are selected entirely on merit and applications are welcomed from all over the world. The selection process will consider creativity, imagination and innovation as demonstrated in your portfolio, as well as your potential to benefit from the programme and to achieve high MA standards overall.
What's needed from you
Portfolio requirements
Your portfolio is a showcase of your work as an artist or designer and can be made up of images, videos or writing examples. Your portfolio helps us to better understand your application and allows you to show evidence of your ability and motivation to undertake a given programme.
Generally, we’re looking for you to demonstrate your:
- Creativity, imagination and innovation
- Ability to articulate the intentions of the work
- Intellectual engagement in areas relevant to the work
- Technical skills appropriate to the work
- Potential to benefit from the programme
Each programme is looking for different things in a portfolio. Each Head of Programme provides specific advice on portfolio requirements in the online application system. We advise you to consider these requirements carefully before submitting your application.
English-language requirements
If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need the equivalent of an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 with a 6.0 in the Test of Written English (TWE). 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 Tier 4 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 for new students
You'll find tuition fees for 2020/21 entry below.
Home and EU
Channel Islands and Isle of Man
Overseas
Deposit
New entrants to the College for MA, MRes, MPhil and PhD degrees 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 and EU
Overseas
* Total cost is based on the assumption that the programme is completed in the timeframe stated in the programme details. Additional study time may incur additional charges.
Scholarships
Scholarships
Scholarships are awarded for a specific programme and entry point and cannot be deferred without consent from the academic Programme and scholarships panel.
More information
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.
Payments
Tuition fees are due on the first day of the academic year and students are sent an invoice prior to beginning their studies. Payments can be made in advance, on registration or in two instalments.
Start your application
Change your life and be here in 2020
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
More information about entrance requirementsCheck you have all the information you need to apply.
Read our application process guideAsk a question
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more or have any questions.
[email protected]
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