Key details
Date
- 6 November 2024
Read time
- 2 minutes
Welcome to the World's No.1 Art and Design University.*
Push the limits of technology and design with a Master's in Digital Direction or Animation in the School of Communication. Join students from a range of backgrounds looking to enhance their creative practice and gain unrivalled opportunities to enhance your career, build networks and solve global challenges.
Key details
Date
- 6 November 2024
Read time
- 2 minutes
Applications for the September 2026 intake are open.
January 2026 intake
A number of programmes have an intake in January 2026 including the Communication MFA, Communication MPhil/PhD and Graduate Diploma Art & Design (Communication specialism).
Featured programmes
Animation MA
Animation is a dynamic visual communication paradigm. Join us to develop your creative expertise to influence how audiences see and understand the social, political and cultural animated worlds and experiences you create.
1 year programme | Full-time study
Digital Direction MA
On the RCA Digital Direction MA, you’ll explore how technologies like VR, AR, AI, games engines, spatial sound and mobile platforms impact diverse storytelling practices, traditions, cultures and audiences. And you’ll look to emerging developments as you consider meaningful ways to communicate with others.
With us, you’ll learn to view the world critically, cut through hype and misinformation, and collaborate with others to experiment with how immersive and interactive storytelling can create positive and enduring change.
1 year programme | Full-time study
Graduate Diploma Art & Design (Communication specialism)
The Graduate Diploma prepares you for Master’s study at the RCA. The Communication specialism supports students aspiring to the Animation MA, Communication MFA and Digital Direction MA.
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.
On-campus Open Events
School of Communication: Thursday 6 November
Online Open Events
Online Portfolio Q&A week: 1-5 December 2025
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.
Seoul, South Korea
- Sunday 2 & Monday 3 November
- Thursday 6 November
India
- Bangalore: 1-4 November
Canada
- Montréal: 12 November
- Toronto: 14 & 15 November
Mexico
- Mexico City: 7 & 8 November
Netherlands
- Eindhoven: 6 November
Saudi Arabia
- Jeddah: 22 November
South Africa
Johannesburg: 25 November
United Arab Emirates
- Dubai: 21 November
United States
- San Francisco: 2 November
- New York: 7 & 9 November
Ready to take the next step?
The Animation MA and Digital Direction MA live in our School of Communication which 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.
Find out more about the School of Communication
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 Toby Auberg, Wu-Ching Chang, Ian Gouldstone, Lena Dobrowolska, David Glueck and Saleh Kayyali.
Explore Animation and Digital Direction Student Profiles
View the work of graduating Animation and Digital Direction students at RCA2025 through our online Student Profiles.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Art & Design
Ready to take the next step?
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 28,000 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
- Bridget Riley
- Peter Schreyer
- Sir Ridley Scott
- Douglas Stewart
- Philip Treacy OBE
- Dame Zandra Rhodes
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.
