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, design, form and function with a design master's degree. 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.
Sign up for updates on programmes and applying
Applications for 2026 intakes will open soon.
If you are considering applying for our 2026 intakes we encourage you to register for updates so we can keep you informed of admissions dates and deadlines, programme updates and events for prospective students in the UK and around the world.
Upcoming events for prospective students
Register for Open Days, Portfolio Q&A sessions, Campus Tours and the chance to meet the RCA globally and in the UK.
On-campus Open Events
Graduate Diploma Art & Design: Wednesday 15 October
School of Design (Battersea): Wednesday 29 October
School of Design (Kensington): Tuesday 4 November
Online Open Events
Graduate Diploma, for the January 2026 intake.
- Online Open Day: Wednesday 8 October, 2pm BST
- Online Study Day: Wednesday 22 October, 2pm BST
Meet the RCA
RCA staff regularly host and attend events around the world for prospective students. Find out where you can meet us:
Featured Programmes
Innovation Design Engineering MA/MSc (RCA & Imperial College)
Run jointly with Imperial College London for 40 years, this unique double Master’s programme in Innovation Design Engineering (IDE) will help you integrate design and engineering with science and enterprise. We aim to create a new type of innovator capable of tackling the complex challenges faced by society and the planet. By the time you graduate, you’ll not only have the necessary technical skills but also be fiercely curious, open-minded, empathic, and analytical.
2-years programme | Full-time study
Design Products MA
Good products address issues. Innovative design enriches lives, serves a purpose and makes the world a better place. Studying the Design Products MA at the RCA in the heart of London, you'll have the opportunity to explore your interests and create impact with your work.
1 year programme | Full-time study
If you are interested in starting the Design Products MA in 2026 or beyond and want to better understand design thinking before applying, we invite you to consider our Design Thinking & Innovation masterclass starting 15 May, 2025.
Service Design MA
Service design is a powerful design practice for social and organisational change. Operating at the intersection of innovative design thinking and business strategy, service designers create solutions to improve services for individuals, organisations and communities.
1 year programme | Full-time study
If you are interested in starting the Service Design MA in 2027 or beyond and want to better understand service design before applying, we invite you to consider our Service Design masterclass starting in November 2025.
Graduate Diploma Art & Design (Design specialism)
For those looking to transition into design, new areas of design or who are returning to study, the Graduate Diploma Art & Design prepares you for Master’s-level study at the RCA. The Design specialism supports students aspiring to progress to Master's programmes in the School of Design by focussing on spatial, three-dimensional, and material practice approaches.
30 weeks | On-campus, online or dual-learning modes of study | January, May and September intakes
See full Graduate Diploma programme details
Explore Design Student Profiles
View the work of graduating Fashion and Textiles students at RCA2024 through our online Student Profiles.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Art & Design
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.
