The costume designers’ primary responsibility is to be part of the design team that transforms the words of a play into visual imageries.

They are involved in developing conceptual and artistic ideas that will be used to guide the imageries for a production. The conservatory encourages its students to discover their own processes of formulating design ideas and to develop a discriminating standard for their own endeavors. Above all, it prepares them for creative and meaningful professional lives in the broad range of theatre activities.

Designers learn to visualize the world of plays through the garments and clothing the actors wear while collaborating with directors, actors, other designers and technicians, and the professional staff and students in the costume shop. Students learn from a distinguished faculty of professional designers and artists, both in the classroom and through individual guidance and advising during production work.

Students receive formal and informal feedback from faculty through portfolio presentations of their work each year. In addition, classes in costume technology are also available—the costume technology artisan takes the costume designer’s vision and physically creates them. The four-year curriculum in many ways simulates a costume designer’s and a costume technician’s professional experience and process.

In addition to meeting  General Education requirements and other degree requirements, all undergraduate theatre design/technology majors concentrating in costume design must complete the following requirements (101 credits). ACT 1250 (freshman year) and ACT 2100 may be counted toward the liberal arts requirement (30 credits minimum) for the BFA.

Freshman Year: 25 credits

The freshman year requirements are the same for all undergraduate theatre design/technology majors.

Sophomore Year: 32 credits

Junior Year: 25 credits

Senior Year: 19 credits