Key details
Date
- 5 November 2025
Read time
- 2 minutes
Welcome to the World's No.1 Art and Design University.*
Build cultural experiences and understanding with an MA in Contemporary Art Practice or Curating Contemporary Art. Work collaboratively to share knowledge and culture, test your ideas, and gain unrivalled opportunities to build networks and enhance your career.
* QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Art & Design
Key details
Date
- 5 November 2025
Read time
- 2 minutes
September 2026 intake
Applications for our September 2026 intake are open now.
Featured programmes
Contemporary Art Practice MA
Challenge your thinking. Uncover new ways of responding to the world by blending theory with making. Create contemporary artworks using various media, including installation, moving image, performance, and emerging technologies.
We’ve designed this programme to help you explore the artist’s multifaceted role as a creative and socially engaged practitioner. Through individual tutorials, group critiques and collaborative events, you’ll contribute to discussions about the role of art practice in contemporary socio-political debates. And you’ll be encouraged to redefine and position your art practice.
1 year programme | Full-time study
Curating Contemporary Art MA
Learn to deliver innovative curatorial proposals with London-based arts organisations on this highly international programme designed to develop your critical awareness of curating in a global context. You’ll join a well-established and influential community of students, actively contribute to how curating is understood, practised and thought about globally.
1 year programme | Full-time study
Graduate Diploma Art & Design (Fine Art specialism)
The Graduate Diploma Art & Design prepares you for Master’s study at the RCA. The Fine Art specialism supports students aspiring to a Master's in the School of Arts & Humanities.
30 weeks | On-campus, online or dual-learning modes of study | January, May and September intakes.
Join the January 2026 cohort and graduate in time to commence a Master's programme in September. Application are open until 5 December.
Upcoming events for prospective students
Register for online and on-campus open days, portfolio Q&A sessions, campus tours and the chance to meet the RCA globally and in the UK.
Online Open Events
Online Portfolio Q&A Week: 1 - 5 December 2025
In-person events
Join us for a campus tour and experience what life at the RCA is really like. Explore our facilities, meet our community, and get a feel for studying here. Visit the link for more information and to see upcoming tour dates.
Meet the RCA around the world
RCA staff regularly host and attend events around the world for prospective students. Find out where you can meet the RCA around the World.
Canada
Montréal: 12 November
Toronto: 14 & 15 November
Mexico
Mexico City: 7 & 8 November
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah: 22 November
South Africa
Johannesburg: 25 November
United Arab Emirates
Dubai: 21 November
United States
New York: 7 & 9 November
School of Arts & Humanities
The Contemporary Art Practice MA and Curating Contemporary Art MA programmes live in our School of Arts & Humanities. Here we bring research and study in the arts together with curating, writing and the history of design.
Student profiles
View the work of graduating Contemporary Art students at RCA2025 through our online Student Profiles.
Our alumni
Our alumni form an international network of creative individuals who have shaped and continue to shape the world. These include former students such as:
- Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation
- Paola Estrella, multimedia artist, Mexico City and London (MA Contemporary Art Practice, 2021)
- Evan Ifekoya, contemporary artist, Nigeria and London (MA Contemporary Art Practice)
- Angelica Sule, film director and curator, London (MA Curating Contemporary Art, 2014)
- Sally Tallant, President and Executive Director, Queens Museum, New York (MA Curating Contemporary Art, 1998)
- Yukako Tanaka, contemporary artist, Japan and London (MA Contemporary Art Practice, 2021)
- Victor Wang, Director at Artspace, Sydney (MA Curating Contemporary Art, 2014)
Why choose the RCA?
Teaching and research expertise
The opportunity to learn from world-leading academic staff. We’re the only specialist art and design university where all of our permanent teaching and research staff are also research active and included in the RCA’s submissions to the UK Research Excellence Framework.
Renowned alumni
Our 30,000+ alumni are leaders in their disciplines, making national and international headlines. Alumni include:
- Hoor Al Qasimi
- Hurvin Anderson RA
- Christopher Bailey CBE
- Sir Peter Blake
- Sir Frank Bowling
- Sir James Dyson OM
- Dame Tracey Emin RA
- Sir Anthony Finkelstein
- Thomas Heatherwick RDI, CBE
- Dame Barbara Hepworth
- Lubaina Himid RA CBE
- David Hockney OM
- Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq
- Asif Kapadia
- Julian MacDonald OBE
- Henry Moore OM
- Erdem Moralioglu MBE
- Morag Myerscough
- Dame Magdalene Odundo
- Chris Ofili CBE
- Dame Zandra Rhodes
- Bridget Riley
- Peter Schreyer
- Sir Ridley Scott
- Douglas Stewart
- Philip Treacy OBE
A diverse creative community
The RCA is the world’s largest postgraduate-only art and design university, representing an exciting talent base and opportunities to build your network and collaborate. An RCA student might be working in industry or the arts, a career-changer, or come straight from an undergraduate course. We typically welcome students from over 70 countries.
Interdisciplinary connections
Our College and School-wide projects, activities and challenges help our students find like-minded creatives to solve major global problems, grow their networks, or find future business partners. Find out more about AcrossRCA.
Build your career
Find out more about how the RCA can help move your career to the next level with our Graduate Careers Report.
