The Royal College of Art Post Experience Programmes (PEPs) are aimed at, amongst others, artists, designers, craftspeople, communicators, teachers and managers. Tailor-made to update or extend art/design capabilities, the Programmes provide individual study within the College, full-time or part-time, for periods ranging from four weeks to one year. They are specifically designed to offer individual opportunities for developing advanced competencies, learning new skills and techniques, and for intellectual stimulus.

Post Experience Programme candidates come to the College from all over the world. Many are sponsored by forward-looking employers, using the PEPs as a key element in staff development. Others are self-supporting, seeking personal enhancement.

Candidates may apply to study in any of the College’s taught programmes. If accepted, they benefit not only from teaching by top professionals but also from working alongside some of the world’s most able postgraduate students and researchers. The PEPs are designed to be as flexible as possible in order to meet the needs of the candidate.

Post Experience Programmes can be designed to cover the work of any one or more of the College programmes. The availability of places will depend on the College being able to match the candidate’s study proposal.

Post Experience Programmes may be of any agreed length from four weeks up to one academic year.

The Programme comprises periods of study planned to meet individual proposals in any one discipline. The terms and conditions for admission to a Post Experience Programme, the instruction provided under it, the pattern of attendance required and the terms and conditions for the award of a Certificate, on its successful completion, may vary and are agreed before admission by the College.

A typical Post Experience Programme might include a proposal to learn new skills or processes, to gain experience in computer-related design or manufacture, or could be a proposal to develop new applications for current technology. Alternatively, a Programme might be devised to transfer existing skills into a new discipline.

Candidates must submit a detailed and clear statement of objectives and aims for the time they wish to spend at the College, as well as a list of resources (human and technical) they expect to use. Candidates must have achieved a high standard of work in their specialist field, even though their application to a PEP might not be in this specialism.

It is understood that the candidate should have a good command of the English language as teaching is in English and students need to be able to learn and to debate ideas.

Admission to all PEPs will be at the discretion of the Head of Programme concerned, in consultation with the appropriate Dean of School. Candidates on the Post Experience Programmes should not expect to transfer to a Master’s Degree course. Eligibility for admission to the College’s Master’s Degree courses is detailed in the College Prospectus.

The Post Experience Programme Application Form must be submitted together with a comprehensive portfolio and Curriculum Vitae. Candidates’ applications must relate to the courses offered by the College. Whilst applications may be submitted at any time of the calendar year, provided sufficient notice is given to the College in order for the necessary arrangements to be made prior to the start of any Programme, the majority of Programmes, for practical reasons, fall within term-time.

If you are interested in applying, please call the Registry Administrative Assistant + 44 (0)20 7590 4134.