Paris College of Art and Goldsmiths Partnership Arrangement MFA in Computational Arts

The School of Computing at Goldsmiths is collaborating with Paris College of Art to deliver a newly designed credit recognition and dual degree for those interested in exploring study in different contexts internationally.

You will study for 2 years, with 1 year spent at each institution. Upon completion, you will receive a degree from both institutions.

Why study through this partnership

Studying in both London and Paris gives you the chance to build a network in two of Europe's most innovative and biggest cities, which have great opportunities to start your career. This will help you stand out in a competitive job market in both the UK and France, making you more employable in a national and international market.
With the support of our dedicated Careers Service, leading faculty and an international alumni network, you’ll graduate with expertise and professional connections as you take the first steps into your chosen career.
Our single-site campus is located 10 minutes from London Bridge, and you’ll have all that London has to offer on your doorstep.
You’ll graduate with two degrees – an MFA in Transdisciplinary New Media from Paris College of Art and an MFA in Computational Arts from Goldsmiths. With two MFA degrees gained in two years, you will stand out in the European market, where most Master's degrees take two years to achieve one certificate.
Living independently in a new geographical area will expose you to a different culture, enhance your self-confidence and resilience in unfamiliar circumstances, and allow you to make new friends from around the world.
This degree develops your arts practice through the expressive world of creative computation. You will develop your artistic work and thinking through the challenge of developing a series of projects for public exhibition that will explore the technological and cultural ramifications of computation.
You will learn the fundamentals of programming and how to apply this knowledge expressively. Additionally, since computational artworks don’t necessarily involve computers and screens, we also encourage students to produce works across a diverse range of media.
You will also study contextual modules on computational art and the socio-political effects of technology. These modules provide you with the historical foundations, frameworks, critical skills and confidence to express your ideas effectively. You will have the opportunity to learn the cultural histories of technology, to reflect on computation in terms of its wider cultural effects, and to understand the way in which art provides rigorous ways of thinking.
You will be exposed to new cultures, educational settings, and diverse perspectives, including through the masterclass series, where world-class artists and curators are invited to explain their work and engage in critical dialogue with the students. This allows you to develop a wider understanding of the contemporary art scene and how your work sits within the professional art world.
The School of Computing has a wealth of specialist facilities and equipment available for students to use, including digital studios, motion capture, games labs and sonic media.

Overview of how the partnership will work

Once you have successfully completed the first year of the MFA in Transdisciplinary New Media, you’ll be able to enter into the second year of the Goldsmiths’ MFA in Computational Arts programme.

You will study Year 1 at PCA and Year 2 at Goldsmiths.

Contact

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the Joint coordinator of the MFA Computational Arts, Rachel Falconer at r.falconer(@gold.ac.uk).

Highlights from our degree shows

What you'll study

Year 1

During Year 1, you will study the first-year curriculum of the MFA Transdisciplinary New Media at PCA.

Year 2 Compulsory modules

In Year 2, you will take the following compulsory modules:

Studio Practice (75 credits)
Computational Arts Critical Studies (60 credits)
Curating Computational Art and Professional Development (15 credits)

Optional modules

You'll also choose 30 credits of optional modules from a list provided by the School of Computing.

You'll learn via small seminars and studio-based teaching—but you will be encouraged to take much more responsibility for your own work. By the end of the first year, you will have developed a plan for your main second year exhibition project and you will get appropriate level of supervision.

Your final MFA exhibition will be informed by some of the theoretical considerations discussed in seminars and studio-practice sessions. You will engage with curation and professional development for practicing artists. You will also write an essay that engages in the cultural and historical context of your work.

In addition to core modules, year two students can take two more option modules and are encouraged to audit any class offered by Computing or across Goldsmiths in general.

Teaching and assessment

Taught sessions and lectures provide overviews of themes, which students are encouraged to complement with intensive reading for presentation and discussion with peers at seminars.

Assessments build on lectures and seminars so students are expected to attend all taught sessions to build knowledge and their own understanding of their chosen discipline.

All assessed work is accompanied by some form of feedback to ensure that students’ work is on the right track. It may come in a variety of forms ranging from written comments on a marked essay to oral and written feedback on developing projects and practice as they attend workshops.

Careers

Preparing you for a successful future

The dual degree program between the Paris College of Art and Goldsmiths, University of London, equips you with the expertise needed for a successful career in the creative industries.

At Paris College of Art, you'll focus on collaborative creativity, working to tackle complex systems with teams of creative people with different talents who can bring their ideas and work together.

Goldsmiths complements this with developing your arts practice through the expressive world of creative computation.

With opportunities for hands-on experience and networking with industry leaders, this dual degree marks an important step to a successful future in the creative industries.

We have dedicated employability resources within the school to build employer relations and manage additional initiatives to support your future career opportunities. This includes regular communication of external opportunities for mentoring and work experience, and an annual Career week (a focused week of career support in the school, where you can access alumni panels and a range of industry talks).

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

Careers

Our programme opens multiple career options including:

Solo artists/performers working independently and responding to commissions
Creative technologist in digital/creative agencies
Software developer in creative industries
Educator in creative computing at all levels
Technicians in arts/computing/digital fabrication environments
Postgraduate researchers

You'll be supported from the start to the finish of this programme in order to understand the different potential career journeys you can follow, and to build a portfolio of work to demonstrate your capability to gain employment or freelance work in that area.

Graduate visas

Our Immigration Advisory Service can provide advice on graduate visas.

Entry requirements

To start the programme at Paris College of Art, students must initially have satisfied Paris College of Art’s admissions criteria for the MFA Transdisciplinary New Media and apply to PCA.

Successful applicants will have passed the first year of the MFA Transdisciplinary New Media at Paris College of Art.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees

You will need to pay the relevant tuition fee for the MFA Computational Arts programme, as reviewed and set annually by Goldsmiths. For more information about the tuition fee, please visit Tuition fee amounts.

Funding Opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

Visit the scholarships finder.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please see the programme specification on degree pathway pages for more information.

More information about your studies

Key contacts at PCA

Daniel Schug, Senior Academic Development Coordinator, daniel.schug@paris.edu
Joanna Wlaszyn, Programme Leader for Transdisciplinary New Media, joanna.wlaszyn@paris.edu

Key contacts at Goldsmiths

Sophie Parsons s.parsons(@gold.ac.uk)
Dominic Grego d.grego(@gold.ac.uk)

Programme contact information

Rachel Falconer r.falconer(@gold.ac.uk)
Rebecca Aston r.aston(@gold.ac.uk)

International students

Explore the following links for information and requirements regarding your preparation and arrival in London.

London may be more expensive than your home city. Check out London cost of living for information on basic average expenses and tips for saving money.
Stay ahead of the curve by visiting our when you arrive page for essential information on healthcare, support services and more.
Take a look at our Immigration Advisory Services for all-visa related enquiries and one-to-one chats with experts.
Unsure of where to live? Explore Goldsmiths' Halls and Accommodation for a variety of housing options.
Goldsmiths’ Multi-Faith Chaplaincy offers a non-judgmental space for all beliefs and faith traditions.

You can also visit our International students page for further support and advice.

Transitioning to Goldsmiths

Transitioning into a new university from a partnership is a wonderful and unique experience, though it comes with its own set of challenges. Understanding the effort it takes to move countries and universities, here are our top tips to make your transition into Goldsmith's smoother and more enjoyable.

To start, connect with current students through our student-led platform, Unibuddy. This allows you to chat directly with current students who have experienced the transition themselves and can help you through any doubts and queries.
Discover our wide range of Societies. Whether you’re looking for competitive sports teams or the university’s newspaper, you have a wide selection of activities to choose from.
Explore the events at Goldsmiths to get a feel for the vibrant student life and meet people from all years and subject areas. From cultural festivals to academic seminars, there’s always something happening on campus.
Check the Student Union (SU) for events and opportunities, including part-time job opportunities, non-academic support, Salsa Dance classes, and the popular Trashy Tuesdays at the SU Bar.
Lastly, don’t forget to review the International Student Handbook available on the Student Union's Website for important information on housing, arriving to the UK, support services and more.