Costume and Set Design BA (Hons)

You will study modules such as:

We focus on process, experimentation and risk taking within a safe learning environment. During this year you will develop a pro-active approach to your learning and receive formative feedback.

• This module provides the opportunity for all students to fully interact with the processes involved in the professional theatre environment in which you are based.

• This module provides historical and critical frameworks to examine the development of performance, technical production, and design for theatre/performance in order to understand the decisions made by theatre/performance makers, and the impact this has upon audiences. 

• This module will provide you with an insight into the fundamental skills of costume design and introduce you to costume in performance. You will begin to identify your own skills and interests within the area of costume design through experimentation, creative risk taking and practice-based study.

• This module will provide you with an insight into the fundamental skills of set design and enable you to explore what is scenography. You will begin to identify your own skills and interests within the area of set design and begin exploring your personal visual language using experimentation, creative risk-taking and practice-based study.

The focus of this year is in identifying strengths, research interests and careers aspirations, applying your skills in actual productions and in gaining professional work experience.

Spotlight on:

• This module will engage you in a deep consideration of your developing interests and skills in creative, academic and work-based contexts. You will consider critical and analytical issues in relation to research methodology and practice. You will also consider your future interests and potential employability.

• In this module you will work in an innovative manner with the spatial, technological and material aspects of performance design. You will have the opportunity to experiment through a wide range of performance design practice (immersive, site-specific, installation, participatory etc.). You will use this knowledge to design and/or realise a piece of practice and reflect critically on your practice.

• In this module you will develop further your practical skills and gain a deeper insight into aspects of costume design in a variety of contexts. As part of this, or the parallel module on Set Design, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a realised production as a designer. You will develop your ability to communicate and negotiate ideas and formulate professional design proposals whilst taking into account the requirements to work within financial, technical, and logistical constraints.

• In this module you will develop further your set design skills and gain a deeper insight into aspects of performance design and practice. As part of this, or the parallel module on Costume Design, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a realised production as a designer. You will develop your ability to communicate and negotiate ideas, and formulate professional design proposals whilst taking into account the requirements to work within financial, technical, and logistical constraints.

If you want to gain work experience, you can take an optional work placement between stages two and three to apply your academic knowledge in a work environment. During the placement, you'll study an additional qualification, the Diploma in Professional Practice which features modules such as:

• Applied Professional Practice
• Contemporary Issues in Professional Practice

This is your portfolio development and industry year, planning for next steps after graduating. The emphasis is very much on you as an independent learner and emerging professional working towards your extensive major project and research. 

• This module provides opportunity to experience professional practice related to your programme of study. This may be achieved either through an industrial placement or by engaging with a defined project related to the professional practice of an industrial sector.

• This module is focussed on ensuring you have the skills and knowledge required to seek and gain employment in the theatre industry, wider arts sector, or beyond. You will build upon the job seeking skills, such as CV writing and interview techniques as well as exploring topics such as Internet presence and social media. You will also study different types of business structures with a view to possible self-employment or running your own business.

• This module gives you the opportunity to develop a focused research project on your area of interest and developing specialism that you identified in your level 5 module Spotlight on: Research Methodologies For Theatre Production. This may take the form of practice-research, with a written component, or may be exclusively written, dependant on the relative needs of your area of research.

• In this module you will take on a key role in the instigation, creation, planning and realisation of one or more public-facing performances or productions. The produced work is intended to be an expression of your professional potential. You will be part of the creative team, working at a high level of responsibility.