Costume for Performance & Film | BA (Hons) degree
Why this course?
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 2022). They oversee the standards and quality of our curriculum, which enriches your overall learning experience.
Course requirements
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.
Entry guide
Entry guide for more information about the range of qualifications we accept (including English language requirements for international students).
This is a full-time course that 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.
Stretch costume for dance
Year 1 (Level 4)
At Level 4 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 multi-tasking 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 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 (Level 5)
At Level 5, 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 (Level 6)
At Level 6, 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.
Video tour of our campus
See students from different courses using the facilities at our creative arts specialist campus
(5-minute video)
Contact time and study hours
A full-time student can expect to have around 2 days of timetabled teaching contact per week. You will have approximately 40 hours of timetabled teaching contact for each 20 credit module. This is supported by independent self-guided study.
Teaching and assessment methods
We use a variety of teaching methods, including:
- practical workshops
- discussions
- groupwork
- tutorials
- self-directed study
Assessment methods vary between units but could include:
- project work
- portfolios
- written assignments
Potential careers
- Costume designer for film, theatre, events
- Costume maker, milliner, tailor
- Costume supervisor
- Dyeing, printing and breaking down specialist
Our alumni work on high-profile shows and films
Click here to hear from some of our past students who are now working in industry >
Tuition fees, student loans and bursaries
Additional costs for this course
Most materials are supplied.
New students will receive a kit list of personal tools and materials costing a maximum of £200.
Open events
Book your placeFees and financial support
See more detailsHow is this course delivered?
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