Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Costume Design and Costume Technology

The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Costume Design and Costume Technology is designed to give students the opportunity to train as costume designers as well as theatrical draper/cutters, crafts persons, and costume shop managers, while providing them opportunities to practice their art and craft. The four-year curriculum, in many ways, simulates a costume designers, and costume technician's professional experiences and processes. As designers, students learn to visualize the world of plays through the costumes and accessories actors wear, while the technology courses will teach students to turn those designs into reality. Students learn a variety of design and technical skills including: life drawing, Photoshop, media for designers, sewing, pattern making, cutting, fitting, millinery, mask making, etc. They also take a progression of business management coursework. Students collaborate with directors, dramaturgs, other designers and technicians, and our professional costume shop staff in work on productions in addition to their class work. Only students who have completed their freshman year as either a Costume Design or Costume Technician major are eligible to apply for this degree. Learning Outcomes - Students will be able to: Identify and describe the historical and theoretical significance of a range of theatrical artists, works and artistic approaches from antiquity to the present, encompassing a broad range of periods, cultures, and styles. Synthesize and apply elements of their education and training in classes, rehearsals, and productions. Participate in theatrical production in a professional manner, with discipline, respect, and maturity. Demonstrate the role of the theatre practitioner as an active member of society and of the cultural and social impact of the arts. Program Specific Outcomes - Apply General knowledge of theatre history, dramatic literature covering a broad range of historical periods, cultures, and styles, and major theatre artists on both a national and international level. Utilize his principles and vocabulary of performance, directing, design, and a thorough grounding in the theory of their particular area of specialization. Write with competency in a variety of writing styles from casual to formal. Fully engage with knowledge through the ability to access, analyze, and evaluate information and ideas from multiple sources in order to identify underlying arguments and assumptions and to formulate conclusions. Utilize existing knowledge to generate and synthesize ideas in original, creative, and imaginative ways. Articulate clearly the process of transforming the written text into the theatrical event. Design, develop, and execute a noteworthy intellectual and/or creative project. Develop a profound understanding of the role of the artist in society. Develop an understanding of the cultural and sociopolitical context of theatre from the perspective of both historical and contemporary practice. Develop strong self-discipline, self-motivation, and an ability to work independently. Work collaboratively and effectively within a group process and with creative artists from all theatrical disciplines. Understand the interrelationship of what it means to be human and what it means to be a theatre artist. Develop an understanding of and a respect for a multiplicity of cultural and artistic perspectives that may be different from their own. Understand the availability and/or scarcity of global resources for sustainable future Set goals for future work that are the result of rigorous self-appraisal and reflection. Articulate their skills and knowledge as they represent themselves to external audiences. Work both independently and collaboratively. Use technology to create, communicate, and synthesize their ideas.