The programme offers a unique opportunity to study the history of design and material culture in the context of both the high level of design practice undertaken by students at the RCA and the superb collections of the V&A Museum. As you will see, this year’s graduating students have brought an impressive breadth and distinctiveness to the study of design history.

Students approach the history of design both through its objects and its contexts – social, cultural, economic, political, technical and aesthetic. We offer three specialist pathways within the course: Renaissance (1400–1650); Asian (1450–now) and Modern (1650–now). Our aim is to improve the quality of research and debate surrounding design and its practice, and to extend historical enquiry to include the objects and processes of design as a form of primary source material.