Art and Design

Why Art and Design at Kingston

Kingston School of Art stands out through its Thinking Through Making philosophy, which transforms studio spaces into experimental grounds. The university ranks in the UK’s top 10 for Art & Design according to Complete University Guide 2026, spanning everything from fashion and graphics to interior and furniture design. Its graphic design students have secured 52 international awards over five years, including RSA, D&AD, and ISTD honors—achievements made possible by comprehensive workshop access that lets them freely combine technologies and materials.

3D Design and Innovation

The 3D Design Innovation BA (Hons) merges digital technologies with sustainable thinking and entrepreneurial methods. Students work with Arduino prototyping, CNC machinery, and ecological materials while developing business skills. Through Adventure Learning, they tackle real challenges for communities and companies, creating socially meaningful solutions. Industry integration comes via lectures from practitioners at design bureaus and marketing agencies, shaping their understanding of professional trajectories.

Art Direction in Creative Industries

Creative and Cultural Industries: Art Direction BA (Hons) focuses on visual communication for advertising and branding through live client work. Students participate in StudioKT1, a student-run agency executing paid projects for companies like Unilever and Mozilla Foundation. The program covers typography, photography, interactive solutions, and packaging, while blending commercial briefs with experimental projects—preparing graduates for both agency environments and independent practice.

Fashion at Kingston University

The fashion department ranks fourth in Guardian University Guide 2026 and sits among just three British schools in Fashionista’s global top 25. Business of Fashion awarded it four distinctions for quality, influence, learning experience, and long-term value. Fashion BA (Hons) guides students through the entire design process—from research to garment construction in specialized ateliers. Access to knitting workshops, digital printing, and experimental techniques helps them develop signature styles grounded in cultural and historical industry contexts.

Graphic Design

Kingston leads London universities in graphic design according to Guardian 2026. The practice-based Graphic Design BA (Hons) develops expertise in branding, editorial design, interactive solutions, and sustainable practices through live projects. Partnerships with RSA, Science Museum, Amnesty International, and British Film Institute give students experience solving challenges for cultural institutions and nonprofits. Graduates leave with portfolios spanning typography to UX design, plus methodologies that let them influence business environments and social communities.

Interactive Design

The newest program, Interaction Design BA (Hons), explores how people engage with technologies, spaces, and each other. Unlike purely technological courses elsewhere, it centers on embodied experience and sensory perception. Access to digital fabrication labs and immersive media facilities supports work on interactive storytelling and inclusive design strategies. Students progress from understanding the body as a perceptual instrument to creating solutions for complex social networks, building portfolios suited to rapidly evolving creative landscapes.