Costume Design and Construction, BA (Hons)

This specialist degree emphasizes the development of costume design and construction skills, enabling students to transform creative concepts into professional costumes for theatre, film, television, dance, opera, and other performances. Key features include balanced training in design and construction, access to a fully equipped studio, participation in live industry projects (such as collaborations with Curve, Leicester, and Lichfield Garrick Theatre), work placements with organizations like Scottish Opera and Birmingham Royal Ballet, visits to exhibitions at the V&A Museum, international study trips, exchange opportunities (e.g., at RMIT in Australia), and accreditation by The Textile Institute. The program is ranked highly, including 12th for Art and Design in the UK (Complete University Guide 2021).Assessment is entirely coursework-based, with ongoing feedback and grading per module. Graduates secure roles in prestigious companies like Angels Costumiers and the BBC, or freelance positions in stage and screen, including projects for Outlander and Marvel features. Facilities support creative exploration, and modules span introductory design, contextual studies, and advanced explorations in years one through three, with optional electives in year two.

[Year One]

• Design for Stage and Screen: Introduction (80 credit points)

• Contextual Studies: Introducing Research (20 credit points)

• Skills Passport (20 credit points)

[Year Two]

• Exploration (Costume Design and Construction) (60 credit points)

• Contextual Studies: Research and Impact (20 credit points)

• Co Lab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking (20 credit points)

• Optional module (20 credit points). You will also choose one module from below:

Millinery: Object and Narrative Telling Stories Character Ideation Materials and Making Material Stories Storyboarding: Visualising the story, enhancing the narrative Ethical Design Model Making: Object and Narrative [Final year]

• Exposition (Costume Design and Construction(100 credit points)

- Contextual Studies: Research and Professional Practice (20 credit points)