Address: New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom
Art and Design, Media and Communications, Social Sciences
Goldsmiths, University of London stands in New Cross, in the London Borough of Lewisham, south-east London. It grew out of the Goldsmiths’ Company’s Technical and Recreative Institute, which the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths opened in 1891. In 1904 the Institute passed to the University of London and became Goldsmiths’ College, the forerunner of today’s Goldsmiths, University of London.
The main building, now called the Richard Hoggart Building, opened in the 1840s as the Royal Naval School, before the Goldsmiths’ Company acquired the site. Later additions include the Ben Pimlott Building of 2005, with art studios; the Professor Stuart Hall Building of 2010, which houses Media and Communications and the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship; and the Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art, which opened in 2018 in the former Laurie Grove Baths.
Teaching and research range across the arts, design, computing, media and communications, the humanities and the social sciences, with subject areas such as Art, Design, Computing, Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, Psychology, Music and Media and Communications. Among its alumni is the artist and film-maker Steve McQueen.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Ergonomics and UX, Industrial Design, Software Engineering, Sound Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Part of University of London. Strong connections with London’s creative and cultural industries. Research often interdisciplinary and critically engaged.
Research:
Renowned for research in arts, humanities, media, cultural studies, psychology, and social sciences. Fosters interdisciplinary and critical approaches, with strengths in creative computing.
Famous Alumnis:
Damien Hirst, Steve McQueen, Mary Quant, Blur (band members), Bridget Riley
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1600
Current students***:
10500
Foreign students***:
35%
Cumulative former students***:
75000
Pros
Leading institution for arts, humanities, and creative practice, vibrant and radical atmosphere, located in London, strong focus on critical thinking.
Cons
Highly specialized in arts and humanities, less focus on traditional STEM compared to some other London universities, can be perceived as very niche.
Best For
Creative and critically-minded students, particularly those interested in arts, humanities, media, and social sciences, often with a focus on creative computing, in a dynamic London setting.
Birkbeck, University of London is another London institution, in Bloomsbury, listed for arts and humanities, social sciences and law.
Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester pairs art and design with education and business, which echoes the creative focus of Goldsmiths.
University of Sussex, at Falmer near Brighton, is listed for development studies, social sciences and American studies.
Canterbury hosts the University of Kent, listed for law, social sciences and arts and humanities.
University of East Anglia is listed for creative writing, environmental sciences and international development.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Toronto Metropolitan University, in Toronto, Canada, is listed for media and communications, entrepreneurship and engineering.
Roskilde University in Roskilde, Denmark, is listed for interdisciplinary studies, social sciences and environment.
In New Zealand, Victoria University of Wellington lists architecture and design innovation alongside business and government.
RMIT University, in Melbourne, Australia, covers design and social context as well as business and law.
University of Technology Sydney, in Sydney, Australia, lists business, engineering and IT, design and health.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Who set up Goldsmiths, and how did it come to the University of London?
The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths opened the Technical and Recreative Institute in New Cross in 1891. The Institute was handed to the University of London in 1904 and renamed Goldsmiths' College.
Which part of London is the campus in?
It is in New Cross, in the London Borough of Lewisham in south-east London. The Richard Hoggart Building, which opened in the 1840s as the Royal Naval School, is the main building.
What can be studied there?
Teaching covers the arts, design, computing, media and communications, the humanities and the social sciences. Subject areas include Art, Design, Computing, Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, Psychology, Music, and Media and Communications.
What opened in the former Laurie Grove Baths?
The Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art opened there in 2018. It adds a contemporary art venue to the New Cross campus.
Are any well-known artists among its former students?
The artist and film-maker Steve McQueen is among its alumni.
Which buildings were added in the twenty-first century?
The Ben Pimlott Building of 2005 contains art studios. The Professor Stuart Hall Building of 2010 houses Media and Communications and the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship.
Where can applicants find course fees and entry requirements?
Fees and entry criteria differ by course and by home or overseas status. The official university website and its admissions team publish the current figures and deadlines.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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