MA, BA (Hons), PGCE, FHEA
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- BA (Hons) Costume
BA (Hons) Costume
Our BA (Hons) Costume degree teaches the mastery of professional costume-making, tailoring and supervising for film, theatre and events. You'll be at the heart of the wardrobe department creating bespoke and historical costumes.
- Duration: 3 or 4 years full-time
- Placement year: Optional 1 year
- Course code: W452 (UCAS)
- Institution code: A66 (UCAS)
- Duration: 3 or 4 years full-time
- Placement year: Optional 1 year
- Course code: W452 (UCAS)
- Institution code: A66 (UCAS)
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Overview
On BA (Hons) Costume, you'll master the skills you need to become a professional costume maker, tailor and supervisor for the film, theatre and events industries.
BA (Hons) Costume course information
BA (Hons) Costume offers a comprehensive approach to the study, interpretation and creation of costume. You'll become skilled at producing accurate historical recreations of costumes as well as expressing imaginative flair through creative and conceptual costume making. In addition, you'll learn the art of tailoring and couture dressmaking.
Costume supervision is integral to the course and can be described as interpreting a two-dimensional costume design into a three-dimensional costume through sourcing and procuring garments. This exciting role places you at the heart of live productions, as you'll be key to ensuring the smooth running of the wardrobe department.
Our costume courses are award-winning too. The former BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design course was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its ‘distinguished degree-level education in costume design for the UK’s leading creative industries’.
On BA (Hons) Costume, you'll work on exciting costume making and costume supervisory projects. You'll become skilled at producing accurate historical recreations of costumes, contemporary costume and tailoring, as well as expressing imaginative flair.
As well as technical skill, you’ll learn that great costume production depends on your ability to interpret ideas, in addition to being able to place your practice in a wider historical and cultural context. We place real emphasis on research and a deep understanding of social history to support the creation of costumes that tell a narrative within performance. Collaboration is a key aspect of the course and you'll work alongside students from the BA (Hons) Design for Costume and Performance, BA (Hons) Film Production, BA (Hons) Make-up for Media and Performance, and BA (Hons) Acting courses on stage and film productions.
Placement year
All undergraduate courses at AUB offer an optional placement year, to be taken between your second and third years of study.
If you’re unsure about this optional placement, you don’t need to decide now. Once you’re here and studying with us, the course team will discuss the placement options with you, so when the time comes, you can make a decision that’s right for you.
Exchange and international summer programmes
Students on BA (Hons) Costume have the chance to broaden their horizons through exciting exchange and international summer programmes. These opportunities allow you to study abroad at one of our brilliant partner institutions, experience different cultures, and enhance your academic journey.
Student gallery
Meet the BA (Hons) Costume course team
You’ll be taught by experienced teaching staff during your time at AUB. Find out more about their specialisms and research interests by exploring their profiles below.
Costume is a vital and exciting part of the storytelling process within performance, from stage to screen and beyond. A costume subconsciously communicates social and cultural clues, backstory and personality to the audience, aiding the performer in their delivery of a character. BA (Hons) Costume teaches you extensive costume cutting and construction skills, whilst developing interpersonal and transferable skills that will enable you to work collaboratively in industry.
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Application process
Meet our Industry Patron – Carol Lingwood
Meet the Industry Patron for BA (Hons) Costume – Carol Lingwood.
Carol is a freelance costume production manager, costume supervisor and assistant designer who works across theatre, film and events.
Her career started in the workroom at BBC TV and then she worked as a costume maker and then costume supervisor in rep theatre in the UK. In 1989, she assumed the position of costume supervisor and later Deputy Head of Costume at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and, most recently, as Head of Costume at the National Theatre, London (1999–2022).
Studios and resources
Students on the BA (Hons) Costume course benefit from specialist facilities and equipment, tailored to the studies of the course which reflects industry practice.
Costume archive
Use our extensive costume collection spanning 400 years to inform your knowledge of historical dress
Our costume archive includes garments, accessories, sewing patterns and ephemera spanning four centuries. It is utilised regularly to inform teaching, learning and research. Access to extant garments provides students with first-hand knowledge of period cut and construction methods, fabrics, decoration and aesthetic detail, which is vital to historical costume reconstruction. Our collection includes items donated by theatrical costumier, Paddy Dickie, elite garments from the Hooton Pagnell family and a teaching collection belonging to Shelagh Lovett Turner. Items range from a Pearly King jacket to a Victorian mourning bodice made by the court dressmaker to Queen Alexandra.
Teaching, learning and assessment
The course objectives are met by deploying a wide variety of teaching and learning methods, including projects, lectures, seminars, group critiques and tutorials.
Each unit is assessed separately, and the assessment forms part of the unit. Assessment both provides a measure of your achievement, and also gives you regular feedback on how your learning is developing.
What our BA (Hons) Costume graduates are doing
Graduates from BA (Hons) Costume are employed at some of the most prestigious organisations in the UK and internationally, including the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Pinewood Studios, Sky, Netflix, Glyndebourne, Royal Opera House, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Some graduates have careers as:
- Costume supervisor for theatre or film
- Head of Running Wardrobe
- Costume maker
- Costume prop maker
- Costume buyer
- Costume standby for film
- Costume assistant for film
- Costume tailor
- Alteration hand – film and theatre
- Curator
- Museum conservator
- Costume academic
- Textiles teacher
- Teaching assistant
- Dresser
- Stylist
- Milliner
- Couture dressmaker (bridal and fashion)
Trips and visits
As part of BA (Hons) Costume, you may also get the opportunity to take part in course trips. Previous trips have included:
- New York
- London
*These trips are optional and some may incur additional costs