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Level 4+
BA (Hons) Costume Design for Performance & Film
COURSE OVERVIEW
UCAS Course code: W451
This specialist course focuses on costume design and construction for the entertainment industry. You’ll develop skills in design through character exploration and illustration techniques. Making techniques taught include period pattern cutting on the flat and on the stand (underpinned by history of costume sessions), design for dance (stretch), tailoring and millinery.
Key features
- Course includes design, construction and supervision skills
- Opportunities to work on live and filmed performance
- Excellent industry links and high-profile work placement opportunities
- Outstanding workshop facilities and equipment, with most materials supplied
- High contact time with staff
- Cross-course collaboration with actors, directors, make-up artists, set designers
Validated by University of the Arts London (UAL)
This programme is validated by University of the Arts London (UAL). UAL are a leading education provider in the creative arts, ranked second in the world for art and design (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023). They oversee the standards and quality of our curriculum, which enriches your overall learning experience.
This course supplies high contact time with staff, most materials, and outstanding workshop facilities and equipment, to enable you to hone your skills to an industry standard. All staff members teaching on the course have current industry experience.
We are equally interested in developing both your design and practical skills. We run workshops in a wide and diverse range of specialisms from pattern cutting through to tailoring, millinery and costume prop-making. Fabric manipulation, printing, dying and breaking down, as well as costume supervision, are all areas we teach and encourage students to develop skills in.
History of Costume sessions provide a solid foundation from which to experiment and innovate.
We are highly collaborative in our approach and work closely with other departments, including hair and make-up, props, set design, performers and technical departments. There are opportunities to do live projects, a balance of shows in our fully equipped theatre space and outside commissions. The range of performers we work with is diverse, from dance through musical theatre to highly experimental devised work. We believe strongly in industry links, work experience and ensuring future employability.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Each application will be assessed individually, including a review of your grades, interview, portfolio/audition and any experience.
Typical entry requirements are below but offers may vary:
- a relevant A-Level
- or Level 3 Extended Diploma
In exceptional circumstances, if you do not meet our entry requirements, your application may still be considered if you demonstrate additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:
- related academic or work experience
- the quality of the personal statement
Portfolio and interview
You will also be required to provide a portfolio and interview for this course. Your portfolio should include examples of design artwork as well as finished garments or samples of needlework.
Our alumni work on high-profile shows and films.
Potential careers
- Costume designer for film, theatre, events
- Costume maker, milliner, tailor
- Costume supervisor
- Dyeing, printing and breaking down specialist
We use a variety of teaching methods, including:
- practical and creative studio-based workshops
- discussions
- lectures/seminars
- tutorials
- small group study
- self-directed study
- study trips
Assessment methods vary between units but could include:
- presentations
- practical work
- journals
- research proposal
- sketchbooks/drawings
- written assignments
Year 1
In Year 1 you will design for a Shakespeare play (with collaboration opportunities with hair and make-up and set) and in addition attend a series of history of costume and style classes supported by historic pattern cutting classes on the stand.
You will cut and construct an Elizabethan costume from one of your designs with fabric choices and fabric manipulation techniques being key. This is an opportunity to use our excellent print room facilities and learn relevant textile techniques, such as screen printing, laser cutting, and dye and breaking down for character.
Managing and multitasking on live projects will allow you to explore inter-discipline practice and applying existing skills within a wider context. You will initially assist Level 5 (Year 2) students to learn all about production and backstage processes and etiquette and then move on to design and lead in smaller scale productions.
There will be filmed opportunities as part of this in addition to site specific ventures that will include related prop-making skills such as mask making.
Year 2
You will be developing your pattern cutting, making and design skills further, starting with accurately cutting and constructing a Victorian ladies’ corset, bustle/crinoline, petticoat, skirt and bodice out of calico. Precision will be key.
In design sessions, you will be exploring how your calico costume can be added to afterwards through inventive and textural approaches to embroidery and patchwork/applied fabric manipulation. There will be specialist skills training in millinery, tailoring and working in stretch, which will then be applied to project work.
Specialist job roles on a major musical will be allocated depending on your own individual career aspirations. You will be supported in finding and securing work placement and developing your CV and portfolio accordingly.
There is the opportunity in negotiation with tutors to undertake a unit of study within a related discipline such as hair and make-up.
Year 3
In addition to completing a dissertation, you will undertake project work that further extends skills in relation to future career aspirations. We will focus on building your portfolio accordingly and towards your final degree show.
There will be opportunities to apply this to live and collaborative performance where appropriate.
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Financial support
The applicable fees for this course, including any available discounts, will be listed in the information above.
How to apply
Once you have created an account, you can easily apply to your chosen course and track the status of your application at any time.
HOW THE APPLICATION PROCESS WORKS
Step 1
Set Up Your Account
You’ll be prompted to create an account which will allow you to log in to our Application Tracker website whenever you wish. This will provide you with important information and you can also track the progress of your application.
Step 2
Apply
Complete each step of the application form and then submit your completed form. We’ll let you know when we’ve safely received it with an acknowledgement email.
Step 3
Application Review Meeting
Before offering you a place at college, we’ll meet with you (either in person, by telephone or online). We’ll send you a link to our booking page where you can select a time that’s convenient for you.
Step 4
Accept Your Place
Offers will be sent to you via the email address you have provided. The offer will be conditional, based on predicted GCSE grades. You’ll need to accept your offer within 14 days to secure your place.
Step 5
What next?
Once you receive your GCSE results, you’ll need to get in touch with the college to inform us of them and start your enrolment process.
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