Programme Specification

1. General Information

Award Programme Title Duration Mode of Study

MA (RCA) Textiles 2 Years Full-time

Awarding Institution Royal College of Art

Teaching Institution Royal College of Art

Professional Accreditation N/A

Qualifications Framework Level 7

Date of most recent validation March 2015

Programme Specification Date 2018/19

2. Philosophy of the Programme

Textiles at the RCA operates at the intersection of design, craft and fine art and we embrace
this mix of thinking to collectively challenge the role of the 21st century Textiles Practitioner and
our contribution to our future world.
Our diverse practice across the Programme, which includes commercial designers across
many sectors, individual craft practitioners, gallery based practitioners and, more recently,
smart textiles innovation fosters a vibrant studio culture where debate across our range of
practice stimulates critical questioning of the discipline and of the industry.

Our two-year MA Programme fosters the development of a personal creative identity

through a combination of individual, personally driven initiatives, collaborative work,
industry-orientated and interdisciplinary projects.
Students apply to one of five MA Textiles specialisms of Print, Knit, Mixed Media, Weave or
Soft Systems and are challenged to critically engage with the processes and methods of
making/production to demonstrate their creative capability and challenge the accepted
boundaries of Textiles practice.

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At Textiles RCA, as a community of practitioners, we share a common approach of thinking
through making, frequently uncovering new insights through material exploration. Working at
1:1 scale in a discipline with infinite possibilities of material assembly and intricacy demands
expertise in ‘the make’. We support and encourage our students to hone their
making/production skills, both hand and digital, and to use these as a point of departure with
freedom to explore new expressions without boundaries.
We encourage our students to develop an agility in their thinking and creative capability with
colour and materials that is as flexible and adaptable as the very nature of textiles in order to
be equipped to respond innovatively to the unknown. Our graduates are fluent in the language
of materials and go on to influence the tangible and intangible materiality of our lives across a
range of sectors.

3. Educational Aims of the Programme

The MA Textiles Programme aims to:

• provide a stimulating postgraduate learning environment, which encourages creativity,
diversity, and independent study;
• encourage new perceptions and innovative work;
• direct and encourage the understanding of research and its applications to design at
postgraduate level;
• equip designers with an advanced technical knowledge of specialist skills and
techniques and encourage an awareness of new technology;
• foster an awareness of the creative, sociological, cultural, commercial and sustainable
context of textiles;
• encourage students to have a strong interest in the context of their work;
• encourage students to enter into an advanced level of critical appraisal;
• develop students’ ability to communicate their ideas coherently and intelligently;
• encourage involvement with the postgraduate culture of the College as a whole.

4. Intended Learning Outcomes of the Programme

Able
A. Intellectual Engagement
to:
A1. Develop innovative ideas that challenge the understanding of their practice and
the discipline of textiles.

A2. Demonstrate an awareness of the creative, sociological, cultural, commercial

or sustainable context of textiles and how it relates to their practice.

A3. Demonstrate an understanding of research and its applications to designers at

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Able
A. Intellectual Engagement
to:
postgraduate level.

A4. Develop the ability to engage in written and verbal analysis of their own work
and that of others.

A5 Demonstrate critical analysis with regard to the development of their own

work.

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Able
B. Technical Skills
to:
B1. Produce work at an advanced level that integrates thought, creativity and
technique.

B2. Develop textile skills through experimentation and research into both
traditional and emerging materials and processes.

B3. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the specialist skills and techniques

required to create, exhibit and document their work.
B4 Demonstrate an advanced capability for the creative use colour and materials

Able
C. Professionalism
to:
C1. Develop a high level of professionalism in design production and the
communication of their work.

C2. Define a personal creative identity and position themselves in, or in relation to
the textile field.

C3. Take responsibility for directing their studies through setting goals and
managing time and resources effectively.

C4. Participate as an active, thoughtful and responsible member of a community.

C5. Develop their ability to work independently and as part of a team.

5. Programme Structure and Curriculum

Programme Description

The Textiles Programme offers 5 specialisms of Printed, Knitted, Woven, Mixed Media
Textiles and Soft Systems. Students base their study within one of the specialisms.

Across the specialisms, the Programme endeavours to extend the students’ knowledge
and experience of the breadth of Textiles throughout the first year using both individual
and team project activities. These can be delivered in conjunction with external industry
partners to offer opportunities for professional engagement and practice.
Collaborative work is strongly encouraged in the School and across the College.
The second year is devoted to independent study and the self-driven creation of work

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which challenges the boundaries of the discipline and builds on the individual’s creative
identity.

Collaborative work across the Programme, School and College is encouraged and
supported.
The Programme is comprised of 6 x Studio Units over the two years, as follows:

Studio Unit 1 (20 Credits)

Thinking through making: Materials, Tools + Narratives

This unit of study places the student within their Textiles specialism (Knit, Weave, Print,
Mixed Media, Soft Systems) and asks the student to critically engage with the processes
and methods of making/production. This includes aspects of materials, tools and models
of practice. The students undertake a series of technical challenges associated with the
craft foundation and making aspects of their Textiles specialism.
The student is expected to demonstrate understanding and competency with regard to
these specialist skills in the production of the body of work for assessment.
As the unit progresses the student is required to develop a unique and individual response
to the project brief that goes beyond technical competency and demonstrates their
creative capability to challenge the accepted boundaries of Textiles practice. Students will
develop their own conceptual frameworks for the development of their individual work.
This is evidenced in a body of work that has an individual and unique expression in the use
of colour and materials and demonstrates technical competency. The body of work will be
presented and assessed towards the end of Term 1.

Studio Unit 2 (30 Credits)

Contextual Application + Location.

This unit of study mixes the students across their Textiles specialisms (Knit, Weave, Print,
Mixed Media, Soft Systems) and asks the student to elect a contextual platform to explore
and challenge the location of their practice.
Elective platforms are offered that broadly reflect significant areas of Textile practice
(Currently they are Colour, Materials and Finish or CMF , Body, Space, Gallery & Futures).
There are both common and distinct approaches across the different platforms. Students
need to recognise where there are overlaps between the platforms and where distinct
understanding and approaches are required.
Elective project briefs are set for the contextual platforms that may be delivered in
conjunction with another programme, industry or external partner.
The student is expected to demonstrate appropriate understanding and competency with
regard to their elected area of practice in the appropriate development of ideas and
production of a body of work for assessment that responds to the given brief.

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The context project work will be presented and assessed at group critiques either at the
end of Term 2 or early in Term 3, depending on Easter dates.

Studio Unit 3 (10 credits)

Individual Creative Identity
This unit of study builds on the knowledge, skills and experiences learnt through Studio
Units 1 & 2 and asks the students to develop their individual creative identity through a
period of independent study.
This will include the development of new research, proposals for the innovative
development of the ideas and the ability to critically analyse their own work and that of
others.
The students are asked to present their work at group critiques in Term 3. During these
crits the work will be assessed and students will be asked to comment on their overall
progression during year 1.

Studio Unit 4 (40 Credits)

Evolution and Resolution

Studio Unit 4 asks the students to design their own creative brief and define a set of
outcomes for presentation at the end of the term 4.
This can be an individual or collaborative programme of work.
The parameters of the brief are set by the individual student(s), with the support of their
personal tutor, but must include the following:
Original visual research.
Contemporary and relevant conceptual, contextual and cultural questions pertinent to the
discipline of Textiles.
A strategy for creative risk taking.
A methodology for the development of the work.
Bibliography.
The location of their work in relation to Textiles practice.
The work will be assessed at the Individual Progress Review at the end of the Term 4. The
Progress Review panel will include the personal tutor and at least one other member of
staff. The panel must have one member at Senior Tutor level or above.

Studio Unit 5 (20 Credits)

Breaking Boundaries Part 1: Challenge + Innovate
Studio Unit 5 is a project that asks the students to identify their potential point of
difference and/or potential area for innovation that challenges both themselves and the
discipline. It is a period for risk taking before consolidation of the work in the final Studio
Unit.
The students are responsible for setting their own scope of work, managing their time and
resources effectively.

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They must be able to articulate their point of difference and/or innovation at the end of the
Studio Unit. This will take the form of an individual presentation at a progress review in
Term 5.

Studio Unit 6 (60 Credits)

Breaking Boundaries Part 2: Create, Critique + Consolidate
Studio Unit 6 is the final Masters project and asks the students to identify, develop and
present a cohesive body of work that encapsulates and demonstrates their Masters level
expertise.
As an independent research project, the students are responsible for setting their own
scope of work, managing their time and resources effectively.
The body of work can be an individual or collaborative project, or series of mini-projects
within a defined, overarching theme.
Students must be able to demonstrate a sustained trajectory of progression through the
unit that encompasses creativity, critical analysis, consolidation and resolution of their
ideas.
The parameters of the final major project are set by the individual student(s), with the
support of their personal tutor, but must include the following:
A formative personal statement.
Original visual research.
Contemporary and relevant conceptual, contextual and cultural questions pertinent to the
discipline of Textiles.
A strategy for creative risk taking.
A methodology for the development of the work.
A defined outcome or deliverable demonstrating an individual creative identity.
A summative, reflective, self-evaluation statement.

The work will be assessed at the Final Examination in Term 6.

The examinations will be conducted in line with the College’s regulations.
Verbal feedback will be given after the exam with an overall comment of level achieved
(Very poor, poor, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent).

Each of the specialisms have unique and specific curricula content in Studio Unit 1 and are
described below:

Knitted Textiles Specialism:

Knitted Textiles is the exploration of textiles through an engagement with the structural,
conceptual and technical possibilities offered by knitting and the use of soft, linked
structures. Knitting is a process laden with cultural preconceptions and industrial
expectations, students are expected to challenge these perceived boundaries alongside
challenging themselves, their current knowledge, creativity and skills. Students are
encouraged to take creative risks and are expected to be innovators in their field. Students

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are free to determine the context of their work; there are no limitations and no boundaries.
The specialism encompasses all forms of knitting processes and production spanning the
range from hand-knitting and crochet, through to domestic and dubied machines to digital
automated industrial machinery (Shima Seiki). The first year commences with technical
projects covering hand, machine and digital knitting. Students learn how to undertake
shaping and 3D knitted construction. Students are encouraged to explore the
opportunities offered by collaborative practice and expected to make links with the
appropriate audiences and industries for their work.

Woven Textiles Specialism:

Woven textiles is one of the largest and most vibrant textile industries globally, spanning
the handmade to the cutting edge of new materials and manufacturing techniques and
systems.

Within the Textiles Programme, the woven textiles specialism explores dynamic and varied
methods of woven technique from handloom to industrial jacquard. The first year begins
with an advanced technical project covering both hand and jacquard weaving. During the
1st year year students explore, research and innovate in terms of yarn, materials, dying
techniques and finishing processes. Students are encouraged to explore the opportunities
offered by collaborative practice and expected to make links with the appropriate
audiences and industries for their work.

Mixed Media Specialism:

Mixed Media represents an experimental and interdisciplinary approach to Textiles that
links a broad range of practices, techniques, materials and methods of working. The
history of the specialism lies with embroidery and stitched textiles and core technical skills
in these areas continue to provide a valuable foundation in the first year of the programme.
Students are introduced to hand, machine and digital processes alongside 3D modelling,
sculptural and digital fabrication techniques.

As a specialism we focus on radical experimentation, material testing and transformation.

We encourage an exploratory, non-linear approach that embraces the conceptual and the
magical, allowing a space for the incidental and accidental processes of discovery that
foster a culture of research through making. Students are encouraged to explore the
opportunities offered by collaborative practice and expected to make links with the
appropriate audiences and industries for their work.

Printed Textiles Specialism:

Printed textiles at the RCA captures a vast and varied cross-section of creativity within the
design Industry. It is a method of thinking, making and manufacture that questions the
notion of surface; its identity and purpose. This constant negotiation of the surface
nurtures the breadth and exploration of both process and materials and students are
encouraged to question and challenge the possibilities and pre-conceptions of print and

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textiles and redefine these by pushing these boundaries through experimentation.
The first year includes building the skills and knowledge associated with the discipline
including advanced making techniques, theories around colour, perception and line,
alongside industry linked collaborations and continued development of personal lines of
enquiry. Students are encouraged to explore the opportunities offered by collaborative
practice and expected to make links with the appropriate audiences and industries for
their work.

Soft Systems Specialism:

Soft systems focuses on smart textiles and the developments in soft materials (fibres,
filaments, yarns, gels,
liquids, coatings, moldable materials and flexible films, virtual materials) and digital
assemblies and places creative practice at the forefront of the innovation ecosystem to
question the materiality of our lives and pioneer new ways of thinking and new ways of
making that transcend digital and physical boundaries informed by a robust background in
material knowledge and emerging fabrication technologies.
Students use a creative experimental approach to propose and prototype new
architectures for responsive and adaptive textiles.
During the first year, students develop their knowledge of the classes and characterisation
of materials through technical projects.
Digital fabrication of and new technologies for processing materials are explored both
theoretically and practically,
alongside traditional textile processing platforms. Material experimentation focuses on
aspects of e-textiles, physical computing, responsive properties and self-assembly with
biomaterials.
Students are encouraged to explore the opportunities offered by collaborative practice
and are expected to make links with the appropriate audiences and industries for their
work.

Professional Development

Professional Development is defined in relationship to the Textile discipline and delivery is

embedded within the core curriculum, specifically:

Individual and team project activities. These can be delivered in conjunction with external
industry partners to offer opportunities for professional engagement and practice.
Lectures and tutorials with practising artists and designers
Individual and/or group professional practice tutorials that include the development of a
personal professional strategy.

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Critical & Historical Studies

The RCA provides a unique environment for postgraduate art and design students to
reflect upon and develop their own practice, and to engage with students from their own
and other disciplines. The role of Critical & Historical Studies (CHS) is to support the
studio programmes in enabling these critical engagements to take place. The courses
offered by CHS to first year studio-based MA students propose an intellectual framework
within which they can begin to establish a coherent relationship between theory and
practice.

There are a series of College-wide seminars and lectures. The first series will relate to your
particular discipline (though it is possible to elect to join a series being offered to students
on other programmes) whereas the second series will be more broad-based and cross-
disciplinary in nature.

A CHS tutor will give you individual tutorials to support the development of a dissertation
which is submitted following a dedicated writing period. The dissertation should be
between 6,000 – 10,000 words in length – this is a major piece of work and you will be not
be able to submit for the Final Examination until you have passed this assessment.

6. Learning and Teaching Methods

Introduction

Year one is based upon a taught programme that includes building the skills and
knowledge associated with the discipline including advanced making techniques, theories
around colour, perception and line, alongside industrially orientated projects and the
continued development of personal lines of enquiry. Students are required to participate in
a School wide ‘Grand Challenge’ in Terms 1 and 2 and encouraged to explore the
opportunities offered by collaborative practice and expected to make links with the
appropriate audiences and industries for their work.

The following learning and teaching methods are used in Textiles to monitor student
progress:
• Individual and group Tutorials
• Lectures
• Technical Workshops
• Masterclasses
• Group Seminars
• Project Critiques and Presentations
• Progress reviews
• Work in Progress Exhibition

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• Work Experience (optional)

Progress Reviews

In order to assess your progress, depth of learning and development, you are asked to
make a formal presentation of your Studio Unit work to a review panel of staff in terms 1, 2,
3, 4 & 5. This is also to identify areas requiring further work and to give clear guidance for
future direction. Written feedback will be given and you are responsible for following up the
guidance given.
In advance of your Progress Review, you are required to complete a Self-Analysis
Assessment Form. This form is intended to allow you to assess yourself and consider your
progress in preparation for your presentation in the review. This is part of the reflective
process of self-development actively encouraged by both the Programme and College.

Tutorials

This is the main teaching method used on the Programme, and through investigation and
debate aim to guide you to identify your personal learning requirements to guide you in the
development of your work. Tutorials may vary in accordance with work undertaken.
Students may request tutorials from other staff in the School or College.
Group Tutorials occur at key moments to generate open debate and peer group learning.
The groups may include staff and students from other disciplines.

Group Seminars

Seminars focus on contextual practice. Your contribution must demonstrate the

development of ideas, contextual practice and related current work.

Project Critique and Presentation

Group or individual critiques with staff and external visitors from industry are, where
possible, arranged to encourage participation in critical analysis and to enhance
professional presentation and communications skills. They may vary in format from
portfolio presentation to displays of work.

Work Experience

A period of work experience may be arranged as appropriate, to provide further knowledge

of industry. Students are expected to be pro-active in organising any placement and the
programme cannot guarantee to place students. The placement will be national or
international and matched as closely as possible to individual students’ profile and
development needs.

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The work experience may take place in the summer vacation between first and second
year, and should be arranged in agreement with the Personal Tutor and Head of
Programme.

7. Assessment

General

Regulations for assessment and progression can be found in the College Regulations,
sections 2.7 – 2.10.

The College-wide assessment criteria for the evaluation of student achievement can be
applied across all studio-based MA programmes to ensure consistency in assessment
across the College and from year to year. It is very important that students read these so
that they understand the basis on which they will be assessed at Interim and Final
Examination.

Students’ work will be assessed at 3 points in the first year. The combined assessments
inform the Interim Examination Board at the end of year 1. Students must pass the first
year to enable them to progress to the final year of the programme.
Students’ work will be assessed at 3 points in the second year. The third, and final
assessment in the second year is the final examination where students are expected to
demonstrate a holistic view of their Masters study across the two years in relation to their
final studio unit.

Interim Examination

Each student will be assessed after each unit against the learning outcomes, leading to
summative assessments and ensuring that students have the opportunity for feedback
moving from one project to the next.

The Interim Assessment Review is a formal review of each student’s work that evaluates
progress part way through his or her studies, and determines progression to the second
year. The interim assessment review is conducted with a board consisting of relevant staff,
where students are not present, reviewing the student’s summative assessment of the
year.
The criteria employed at this review is:

Pass: Criteria for passing the year, is to pass every unit and will be subject to CHS
results (first available in September)

Referral: follow current regulations to be achievable within one term. Fail up to 30

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CREDITS (i.e. a fail or below satisfactory) by end of term3 will result in a referral project.

Borderline Referral/Fail at Interim Assessment Review Boards discretion.

In the cases where students fails between 30- 40 credits (i.e. fail or below satisfactory)
the interim review board will make a decision of whether this is a fail or can be redeemed
with
a referral. Here mitigated circumstance with evidence can be considered.

Fail: Students failing 40 credits or more, will result in automatic failing the year.

Project referral project:

If the referral is related to Programme specific units, project is supported by programme
staff at equivalent and appropriate for failed credits and addressing their learning
objectives.
If the referral is related to School wide units, the referral project is supported by school
wide staff at equivalent and appropriate for failed credits and addressing their learning
objectives

The outcomes from this review goes to the Academic Board for Concessions & Discipline,
with the recommendation that a student does or does not progress. If a student’s Personal
Tutor is not present at the Interim Examination Review, their report contributes to the
overall assessment.

Final Examination

The Final Examination is the culmination of a MA degree. Each student’s work is assessed
by a panel of academics, and a sample of a cohort’s work is reviewed by an External
Examiner. You will be required to give a presentation of your work to the Examination
Board. The work should consist of:
• A portfolio of work created in Studio Unit 6, supported by key pieces of work
completed by the student during the programme. Supporting work also includes
visual research, sketch and notebooks.
• If your Personal Tutor is not present at the Final Examination, their report
contributes to the overall assessment.

The Final Examination is in two parts:

a) A Viva-Voce, which takes place in the final term of a programme of study
b) A School Examination Board, chaired by the Dean of School, will be held to
recommend results to the Academic Board for Concessions & Discipline for
ratification.
If at Final Examination a student’s work is considered to be a borderline fail, the student

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may be required to retrieve the work within an academic term, or at a referral examination
within 12 months. For more information, please see the RCA Regulations.

8. Admissions

Cross-College Requirements

• Entry is based on a high standard of final-year undergraduate work (as reflected in

portfolio or degree classification), or on advanced work of an equivalent level. Your
work must also demonstrate a maturity and readiness to undertake postgraduate
studies.

• You must normally have obtained a good relevant undergraduate degree or an

equivalent qualification. The College recognises as an equivalent qualification any
degree, diploma, certificate or other evidence of formal qualification awarded by a
university or other higher education establishment where the award is made
following the successful completion of a course of at least three years’ study, the
programme of study being open, as a general rule, only to persons holding a
certificate awarded on the successful completion of a full course of upper
secondary education. Other qualifications may be approved, providing that the
Academic Board for Concessions and Discipline (ABCD) is satisfied that the
applicant has the ability to pursue the programme of study successfully.
• The ABCD is empowered to make judgements about the extent to which
qualifications or experience gained elsewhere may be accepted in partial fulfilment
of its requirements.
• Upon entry to any of the College’s programmes you should be able to demonstrate:
1. The potential to benefit from and contribute to the programme of study or
research for which you are applying.
2. Prior knowledge and experience indicating the potential to achieve the
independence necessary for postgraduate study in a specialist discipline.

3. Enthusiasm and aptitude to confront the issues to be addressed in

preparation for a future professional career.
• Applicants should normally be aged over 21 years by 1 September of the proposed
year of admission.
Candidates for all MA courses are assessed on their existing qualities as demonstrated in
their work and in their interview, as well as on their potential to benefit from the course and
to achieve MA standards overall. The assessment will consider: creativity, imagination and
innovation evident in the work; ability to articulate the intentions of the work; intellectual

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engagement in relevant areas; appropriate technical skills; overall interview performance,
including oral use of English.

Programme-Specific Requirements

Applicants should have:

• a BA in Textiles or a related Art and Design subject, or equivalent experience
• For Soft Systems only: a BA in Textiles, BSc or BEng, or equivalent experience
• a personal proposal for the intended direction of their MA study.
Passion, commitment and a strong sense of personal responsibility for one's own learning
and development are essential for MA study.
Portfolio
• All candidates are required to submit an online portfolio of work to be assessed by the
Programme’s academic staff team.

Candidates who do not speak English as their first language are required to produce
evidence that within the previous two years they have achieved at least 93 in the TOEFL
internet test with an additional writing test score of TWE 24 or an IELTS exam score of 6.5
with 6 in writing.

9. Quality Indicators

Refer to the Academic Development Handbook for more details of the College’s
quality and standards procedures.

• All academic programmes at the Royal College of Art are revalidated on a six-yearly
cycle. Revalidations involve external subject experts and internal panel members
appointed by the College’s Academic Standards Committee (ASC).
• Programmes are required to submit an annual Review. The primary purpose is to
evaluate the quality of the learning experience of students enrolled on both its MA and
Research Programmes to enable Senate to ensure academic standards are maintained
and enhanced.
• External Examiners are appointed for a maximum of three years to ensure that:
- the academic standard for each award is set and maintained at an appropriate level
and that student performance is properly judged against this;

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- the standards of awards are comparable with those of other UK higher education
institutions;
- the process of assessment and examination is fair and has been fairly conducted.
• An Internal Moderator is appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of ASC to
ensure that there are appropriate mechanisms in place for the objective assessment of
student work and to ensure comparability of examination practices between
programmes within the College.
• Students have the opportunity to provide feedback through regular Student Forum
meetings and programme monitoring meetings (at least one each year considers the
delivery of the MA programme and the External Examiner report); and through an
annual College-wide MA student survey. A Student Representative Council brings
forward issues from Course Forums and programme-level meetings to the President
and Vice-President of the Students’ Union who then, where appropriate, present these
issues at College committees or to the Senior Management of the College.

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