STUDENTS & LECTURERS

MA in History of Design

MA in the History of Design

The V&A/RCA MA in the History of Design is a programme offering three 2-year Master's degrees jointly run in a partnership between the Research department of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the School of Humanities at the Royal College of Art. The MA degree has three specialisms:

• Asian Design History - 1400 to the present
• Design and Material Culture 1650 to the Present
• Renaissance Decorative Arts and Culture 1400-1650

Based in the world's leading museum of decorative arts and Britain's only postgraduate university specialising in art and design, the course introduces students to the skills of object based analysis and the context of design practice.

Within the V&A, the course forms part of the Research department. Students are based in a specially designed suite of course rooms and can take advantage of the collections of the V&A which provide a highly stimulating context for object study on the course.  Our students also enjoy privileged access to the rich holdings of books and manuscripts in the National Art Library at the V&A.  The RCA connects students with the latest developments in design culture.

All specialisms draw from the facilities of the museum and college, and from the expertise of respective curatorial and teaching staff. A series of research seminars with speakers of international standing discusses the latest developments in academic and curatorial research. Study visits to European destinations in the autumn and spring terms extend cultural references and broaden research horizons.

For information on funding go to Bursaries and Scholarships .

Course Bulletin

The latest V&A / RCA Course in the History of Design Bulletin  includes student essays, details on the Degree Recipients, staff research outcomes and alumni news.
Downloadable pdf file, Adobe Reader required

 

V&A/RCA History of Design

Asian Design History - 1400 to the present

This course offers an exceptional opportunity to study the world of Asian design and material culture at an advanced level, taking into account the local cultures of China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, the connections among these regions, as well as their relationships to Britain, Europe and the Americas. Objects in the world-renowned Asian and European collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum provide a remarkable opportunity for  direct study.

The course combines a rich taught programme with considerable opportunities for original research. Students are introduced to a range of approaches to the subject and develop considerable research, writing  and analytical skills.  All classes are presented in small-group, seminar format.

Course brochure for Asian Design - 1400 to the present (PDF file, 517Kb)

V&A/RCA History of Design

Design and Material Culture 1650 to the present

The course Design and Material Culture 1650 to the present draws upon the latest thinking for interpreting design, including cultural and gender studies, the research tools of social and economic history, as well as new methodologies for the study of everyday life and material culture.

The course has been in existence for over twenty years. Our graduates teach in universities and art schools around the world, curate collections of design and decorative arts, and work as journalists, editors and producers in the media.

The course welcomes applications from those with little previous experience of design history as well as students with related undergraduate degrees to become subject experts in a variety of genres of design.

Themes addressed include the designed object in the context of the museum, material culture studies, fashion history and theory, craft and design criticism, and the history of taste.

 

Brochure for Design and Material Culture 1650 to the present 
(PDF file, 484Kb)

V&A/RCA History of Design

Renaissance Decorative Arts and Culture 1400-1650

The MA course Renaissance Decorative Arts and Culture 1400-1650 offers a unique opportunity to pursue postgraduate study in one of the world's outstanding collections of Renaissance art and design.

The Renaissance course draws on the latest research in Renaissance studies to foster innovative approaches to the study of Renaissance objects. Italy provides a natural focus, but the course also addresses the Renaissance in Northern Europe. Tuition is built around the V&A's vast Renaissance collections, and students have direct contact with museum objects through seminars, handling sessions and store visits.

First-hand analysis of museum objects is a central feature of the MA
Students on the Renaissance course undertake individually tailored work placements in the V&A, which provide practical experience of working in a professional museum environment. Our graduates now work as curators, lecturers and journalists in Britain, Europe and North America.

The Renaissance course welcomes applications from candidates with a good humanities degree. Further information about the course can be obtained from the Renaissance Decorative Arts and Culture: 1400-1650 page on the Royal College of Art website.

Brochure for Renaissance Decorative Arts and Culture 1400-1650 (PDF file, 416Kb)

Further Information

For information on funding go to Bursaries and Scholarships.
Information about the MA in History of Design on the RCA website

For further details on these courses contact:

Katrina Royall
Course Administrator
k.royall@vam.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 2574
Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 2592
k.royall@vam.ac.uk