Program Overview

Major in Theatre, Costume Design and Technology Concentration

The Costume Design and Technology Concentration provides opportunities for students to develop their unique artistic visions as costume, makeup, and hair designers and technicians. It offers students practice in the research, technical, and conceptual skills necessary to design and build costumes for the stage, dance, or film, including vocabulary and best practices, the universal language of clothes, primary research, and diverse aesthetic styles to build characters. Students develop an understanding of the costume designer and technician-artisan as a collaborative artist, craftsperson, and creative visionary.

Concentration-Level Learning Objectives:

In addition to four B.A. in Theatre Learning Objectives, the Costume Design and Technology Concentration includes the following unique learning objectives:

1. COSTUME DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY FOR THEATRE, FILM, and INDUSTRY: Explore the specific techniques that costume, hair, and makeup designers and technicians use to develop and communicate their ideas through research, synthesis of skills including drawing, painting, mockups, and application of emerging technologies. From realized works on mainstage shows, understand how the costume, hair, and makeup designer supports, collaborates, and interacts with the creative team.
2. DESIGN ARTISTRY: Develop an understanding of the Costume Designer as a collaborative artist, creative visionary, and craftsperson by practicing organizational, design, and craft skills to realize a show from concept to production, and building a portfolio of creative design and/or technical work.

Interview for Costume Design and Technology:

A successful interview with CSU Theatre faculty is required to enter the Theatre Design and Technology Concentrations.

Program Requirements

• Freshman:
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
  • TH 140: Text Analysis
  • TH 161: Stagecraft
  • TH 163: Costume Construction
  • TH 186: Theatre Practicum I--Crew Assignment
  • TH 192: First Year Seminar--Telling Your Story
  • Select one course from the following:
    • ART 236: Figure Drawing
    • TH 160: Drawing for Theatre
  • Select two courses from the following:
    • ART 100: Introduction to the Visual Arts (GT-AH1)
    • D 110: Understanding Dance (GT-AH1)
    • MU 100: Music Appreciation (GT-AH1)
• Sophomore:
  • AM 363: Global Fashion History Perspectives
  • TH 242: World Theatre History I
  • TH 243: World Theatre History II
  • TH 263: Costume Design I
  • TH 269B: Makeup and Hair Design I: Designers
  • TH 386A: Theatre Practicum III: Production Crew
  • TH 386B: Theatre Practicum III: Asst. Designer in Conceptual Design Process
  • Biological and Physical Sciences
• Junior:
  • TH 363: Costume Design II
  • TH 369: Makeup and Hair Design II
  • TH 386C: Theatre Practicum III: Assistant Designer Applied
  • Select one course from the following:
    • TH 301A: Theatre Design and Production Seminar: Lecture Only
    • TH 301B: Theatre Design and Production Seminar: Lecture and Lab
    • TH 301C: Theatre Design and Production Seminar: Lab Only
  • Select one course from the following:
    • TH 486A: Theatre Practicum IV: Lead Production/Technical
    • TH 486B: Theatre Practicum IV: Lead Designer--Conceptual
  • Select one course from the following:
    • TH 344: Global Dramaturgies
    • TH 345: Global Theatre
    • TH 479: Theatre in London: Travel Abroad
    • TH 487: Theatre Internship
  • Advanced Writing
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Upper-Division Electives
• Senior:
  • TH 460: Design Portfolio and Professional Preparation
  • TH 486A or 486C: Theatre Practicum IV: Lead Production/Technical or Theatre Practicum IV: Lead Designer--Applied
  • Select one course from the following:
    • TH 264: Lighting Design I
    • TH 265: Set Design I
  • Select one course from the following:
    • TH 401A: Theatre Design and Production Advanced Topics: Lecture
    • TH 401B: Theatre Design and Production Advanced Topics: Lecture and Lab
    • TH 401C: Theatre Design and Production Advanced Topics: Lab
  • Historical Perspectives
  • Upper-Division Electives

Program Total Credits:

The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be Upper-Division (300- to 400-level). Students in this concentration must satisfactorily undergo a portfolio review each spring, where their work will be celebrated and examined to provide guidance for goals for the following year. Concentration specific courses may not double-count in multiple Theatre concentrations.