Program Overview

BFA–Theatre, Costume Design & Production major

The Design, Production & Management programs prepare talented and committed students for the professional world of theatre and related careers in the performing arts. The curriculum stresses the development of a student as a theatre artist, focusing on collaboration, imagination, critical thinking, communication skills, problem-solving, and oral critique, as well as preparation for a professional career.

During each year of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, courses in major core principles follow a carefully integrated sequence of class exercises and production opportunities. The committed students who pursue the BFA–Theatre, Costume Design & Production major in the Design, Production & Management programs at Boston University discover who they are, what they do well, and what they are capable of doing. They learn to be collaborative theatre artists who tell important stories to today’s audiences and work productively under the rigors of the theatrical profession. Most importantly, they find their own voice as a theatre artist. Training includes a rigorous curriculum, production opportunities, and exposure to the profession. Students are regularly mentored by working professional faculty and advisors through their studio coursework; hands-on, in-process production advising; and end-of-term conferences.

Learning Outcomes

The Costume Design & Production program aims to develop a complete theatre artist by fostering a passion for theatre, storytelling, design, and the collaborative process. Through their required coursework and production assignments, Costume Design & Production students will:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of theatre as an art form and the essential role it plays in contemporary society.
• Demonstrate spoken and written critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills in an arts-based discipline.
• Demonstrate an ability to enrich creative storytelling and take artistic risks.
• Demonstrate an awareness and ability to engage in the diverse community of theatre artists.
• Demonstrate a high level of artistic, interpretive, and craft skills and techniques in costume design and production as a foundation for entering into a career in theatre and the live performing arts.

Requirements

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Costume Design & Production will ordinarily, through coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in Philosophical, Aesthetic, and Historical Interpretation as well as some of the requirements in Communication; Quantitative Reasoning; Diversity, Civic Engagement & Global Citizenship; and the Intellectual Toolkit. Remaining BU Hub requirements will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of available courses outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

Program of Study (minimum of 132 units)

First Year

• CFA FA 100 Doing, Making & Knowing: The CFA Experience (2 units)
• CFA TH 136 Theatre Collaboration 1: Equitable & Inclusive Theatre Practice (2 units)
• CFA TH 171 & 172 Language & Craft of Theatre 1 & 2 (2 units each)
• CFA TH 101 Introduction to the Study of Theatre & Performance (3 units)
• CFA TH 104 Dramatic Literature 1: Beginnings of Theatre to the Early 19th Century (4 units)
• First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 120) (4 units)
• CFA TH 165 DP&M Community Forum 1: Discovering Theatre through History (2 units)
• CFA TH 166 DP&M Community Forum 2: Contemporary Theatre Makers (2 units)
• CFA TH 157 Introduction to Design 1: Storytelling & Collaboration for Live Performance (3 units)
• CFA TH 158 Introduction to Design 2: 2D & 3D Design Fundamentals (3 units)
• CFA TH 173 2D Drafting & Visual Communication 1 (2 units)
• Drafting elective (2 units)

Second Year

• CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice (2 units)
• CFA TH 339 Production (2 units)
• CFA TH 257 & 258 Scenography 1 & 2 (3 units each)
• CFA TH 279 & 292 Costume Production 1 & 2 (3 units each)
• Approved elective(s) (2-4 units)
• Dramatic Literature elective (4 units)
• BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (e.g., CAS WR 151/152/153) (4 units)

Third Year

• CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice (2 units)
• CFA TH 339 Production (2 units)
• CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3 (3 units)
• CFA TH 343 Costume Production 3: Modern Tailoring 1 or CFA TH 357 Costume Production 7: Historical Tailoring (3 units)
• Approved elective(s) (4 units)
• BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (4 units)
• Study Abroad or additional coursework (16 units)

Fourth Year

• CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice (2 units)
• CFA TH 539 Production (2 units)
• CFA TH 475 & 478 Costume Design 5 & 6 (3 units each)
• CFA TH 473 Intro to Textiles 1 (2 units)
• Approved elective(s) (6-10 units)
• BU Hub requirement(s) outside the major (4 units)

Approved Electives (20 units)

• CFA AR 121 Foundation Sculpture
• CFA AR 131 Drawing 1
• CFA AR 132 Drawing 1: Drawing as Visual Language
• CFA AR 141 Foundation Painting
• CFA AR 193 Visual Arts Drawing
• CFA AR 221 Materials and Methods in Sculpture
• CFA AR 223 Installation Art: Subject-Object Relationship in Contemporary Landscape
• CFA TH 333 Figure Drawing
• CFA TH 343 Costume Production 3: Modern Tailoring 1
• CFA TH 344 Costume Production 4: Modern Tailoring 2
• CFA TH 348 Scene Painting 1
• CFA TH 349 Theatre in Practice
• CFA TH 350 Scene Painting 2
• CFA TH 357 Costume Production 5: Historical Tailoring
• CFA TH 358 Costume Production 6: Ladies Tailoring
• CFA TH 363 Scene Design 3
• CFA TH 368 Scene Design 4
• CFA TH 375 Costume Design 3
• CFA TH 378 Costume Design 4
• CFA TH 383 Lighting Design 3
• CFA TH 394 Lighting Design 4
• CFA TH 475 Costume Design 5
• CFA TH 478 Costume Design 6
• CFA TH 479 Costume Production 7: Advanced Draping–19th Century
• CFA TH 492 Costume Production 8: Advanced Draping–20th Century
• CFA TH 549 Theatre in Practice
• CFA TH 575 Fabric Dyeing 1
• CFA TH 576 Fabric Dyeing 2
• CFA TH 577 Millinery 1
• CFA TH 578 Millinery 2
• CFA TH 584 Designing for Opera
• CFA TH 586 Color Interaction
• Any course listed as a Dramatic Literature elective

Dramatic Literature Electives (4 units)

• CAS CL 224 Greek Literature in Translation
• CAS EN 355 Drama & Performance, 1840–1945
• CAS EN 356 Drama & Performance, 1945–Present
• CAS EN 357 Modern British Drama: A Critic’s Perspective
• CAS EN 363 Shakespeare 1
• CAS EN 364 Shakespeare 2
• CAS LR 355 Chekhov: The Stories & Plays (in English Translation)
• CAS LR 440 Russian Drama
• CFA TH 205 Dramatic Literature: 1850–1950
• CFA TH 206 Dramatic Literature: 1950–the Millennium
• CFA TH 405 Classical Theatre through a Contemporary Lens
• CFA TH 406 Contemporary Theatre
• CFA TH 440 Experiencing London Theatre (abroad)
• CFA TH 508 Contemporary British Theatre (abroad)