Digital Narrative Arts MFA

The Digital Narrative Arts MAMFA will be available either as a one year MA or a two year MFA. This programme was formerly known as the Digital Direction MA. The programme at the RCA invites you to explore storytelling at the intersection of film, performance, games, installation and sound. You experiment with emerging technologies including AI, VR, AR, real-time 3D, spatial sound and physical computing to develop immersive and interactive narrative experiences. Through critical, collaborative and exploratory research, you question how stories are created, experienced and shared, while considering urgent social, environmental and ethical concerns. Working within a global community of makers and thinkers, you develop an inclusive, socially engaged practice that explores how digital narratives can connect with questions of justice, identity and the planet. While the intensive one-year MA route focuses on developing critical and technical agency through an Independent Research Project, the extended two-year MFA route builds on this foundation to cultivate sustained creative practice and professional leadership. Programme structure: Term 1 In Term 1, you take Critical Stories, which introduces critical, cooperative and experimental approaches to storytelling, media ecologies and narrative artefacts. You work collaboratively to explore diverse forms of digital storytelling, developing creative and technical approaches that respond to urgent concerns in contemporary culture. Term 2 In Term 2, you take Immersive Enquiries, where you critically and experimentally explore immersive environments and interactive media to develop new approaches to digital storytelling. You work with emerging technologies and platforms to prototype narrative experiences while considering their social and environmental implications. You also take a choice of elective units, allowing you to extend your practice across disciplines and explore areas of personal interest. Term 3 In Term 3, you take the Independent Research Project, where you develop a substantial programme of self-directed, research-led practice. You define and pursue a contemporary digital storytelling concern through critical enquiry, experimentation and making, developing a body of work that establishes your emerging practice and future research direction. Year 2 – MFA For MFA students, Year 2 builds on the MA curriculum through Advanced Practice in Context and Advanced Practice Portfolio. You develop an advanced, self-directed practice through research, experimentation and critical reflection, exploring questions of justice, community, sustainability and global narrative practice. You also refine your creative approach, research and professional direction while developing the leadership skills needed to sustain an evolving digital narrative practice.Referring to the website: 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. About RCA: The Royal College of Art is the world’s leading postgraduate art and design university, providing students with unrivalled opportunities to develop their practice, build their networks, enhance their career and to deliver art and design projects that transform the world. For 12 consecutive years, the RCA has been ranked as the world’s number 1 art & design university in the QS World University subject rankings (2015-2026) - attracting artists, designers and communicators from across the globe.

Candidates are selected entirely on merit and applications are welcomed from all over the world. The selection process considers creativity, imagination and innovation as demonstrated in your portfolio, as well as your potential to benefit from the programme and to achieve high MA/MFA standards overall.You will normally have completed an undergraduate qualification in a relevant subject or be able to evidence equivalent professional experience in fields such as filmmaking, broadcasting, media and communication, fine art, graphic design, sound, music, illustration, theatre, writing, HCI or digital production.All candidates are required to submit an online portfolio of work to be assessed by the programme team; see below for more detail.Candidates are selected on the basis of a body of work that demonstrates an advanced understanding of the subject and sufficient technical skill to realise intentions, evidence of commitment to the subject, intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, the ability to collaborate, to engage in debate and respond to criticism, and the ability to engage in sustained and consistent study. We also look for enthusiasm for your practice and a strong sense of personal responsibility for your own learning and development.Portfolio requirementsDigital Narrative Arts addresses our urgent need for inclusive and relevant storytelling, examining the emergence of new technologies and time-based media (which means media that change over time, such as video, sound, immersive environments, mobile platforms, VR, AR, games etc) alongside the future of storytelling itself. The programme is for creative and critical practitioners with diverse backgrounds who want to experiment creatively and collectively with new narrative approaches driven by ethical, environmental, epistemological and social imperatives, and who have a passion for exploring how storytelling can inform positive change.Please submit one PDF portfolio containing documentation of no more than three projects or pieces of work that evidence your match and potential for meeting the aims of our course. We expect to see evidence of great interest in using technology to push the boundaries of storytelling, as well as the ability to bring a critical perspective to the hype surrounding such technologies.Personal statementPlease provide a 300-word written personal statement that addresses the following points:Introduce yourself, your interests and your motivations for applying to the Royal College of Art, and to this programme in particular.Briefly summarise any educational background and professional experience to date that will support your application.Tell us what you want to do in the future.Video requirements Research Proposal (MFA applicants only)As well up uploading the above portfolio, statement and video, MFA applicants should additionally upload a short written proposal of no more than two pages setting out your initial ideas and intentions for the MFA second year, as well as the specific context(s) to which your proposed MFA studies relate.