Sound MA

Entry requirements

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and from all over the world.

RCA alumni come from a wide range of backgrounds and industries, bringing diverse experiences including those unrelated to art, which enrich the creative community and drive fresh perspectives.

As part of your application, you may need to submit:

· A portfolio showcasing your work and artistic vision.

· A personal statement (around 300 words) describing your interests, motivations, and future goals.

· An introduction video (maximum 2 minutes) to introduce yourself and explain your artistic approach and project ideas.

To help you prepare your application, we host regular portfolio and video Q&A sessions. Please visit the RCA website to learn more about these events and to register.

Please refer to the programme webpage for the most accurate and up to date information on entry requirements for this programme.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Sound MA at the RCA is a new programme, with its first intake in the 2027/28 academic year. The programme explores how sound works across different disciplines and how listening and sound-making can create new creative, social and political possibilities. Students experiment with projects such as audio documentaries, sound installations and immersive soundscapes, using methods like recording, composition, broadcast, installation and performance. The course also examines how sound connects people, communities and environments, shaping how we understand the world and ourselves.

Programme structure:

Term One

In term 1 and in the Polisonics unit, you will explore communal and experimental listening, sonic ecologies and socio-sonics, while engaging with concepts such as Insurgent, Forensic and Deep Listening through collaborative sound projects.

You’ll also take Sonic Bodies unit in term1, where you will develop an embodied approach to sound practice and examine how racialised, disabled, gendered and socially marked bodies produce and experience sound.

Term Two

In term 2, the Ensemble unit will develop your understanding of sonic tools and approaches to both collaborative and individual sound composition, giving you an opportunity to professionally showcase your work with one of the programme’s creative partner venues in London.

There are two Electives in this term. In the first elective unit, you will be offered a choice of two units No Such Thing as Empty Space, where you will explore the politics of sonic space through engagement with concepts such as psychacoustics, and Listening Commons, where you will explore expanded notions of broadcast, distribution and community listening activities.

For the second Elective you will choose between a set of School-wide and College-wide electives available to you at the RCA

Term Three

In term 3, you complete the Independent Research Project which allows you to explore an area of sound practice through experimental sound-making, technical exploration and/or community collaboration. The project supports the development of a substantial body of creative and theoretical work, which you will present in a public exhibition or showcase.

AcrossRCA During the first two terms, you participate in the AcrossRCA college-wide unit, collaborating with students from other programmes on a self-initiated themed project that addresses cultural, social, environmental or economic issues.

Core Skills The Core Skills unit supports the development of academic and professional skills for your personal projects and beyond in your professional practice and career. It focuses on key skills for your discipline through three themes: Making Meaning (focusing on critical thinking and research), Making Together (focusing on collaboration and inclusive practice), and Making Public (focusing on communication, engagement and leadership).

Please refer to the programme webpage for the most accurate and up-to-date information about the programme, its structure, modules and any updates or changes.

Information for international students

Please refer to the programme webpage for the most accurate and up-to-date information on English language requirements.

You can also find further details on English language requirements, approved English language tests, equivalent IELTS scores, exempt criteria, and more through the link below.

https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-to-study/english-language-requirements/

Fees and funding

Please refer to the programme webpage for the most accurate and up-to-date information on tuition fees, deposits, and additional costs for both home and overseas/ EU students.

Beyond financial support, many of these scholarships also provide networking opportunities with peers, partnership organisations and professional bodies to enhance your experience.

You can find more information about available scholarships and their eligibility criteria here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-to-study/funding-your-studies/rca-scholarships-and-awards/