BA (Hons) Costume Production
BA (Hons) Costume Production offers a fresh approach to the study of design, realisation and construction for costume. Working from classic and contemporary texts, music and storytelling, you’ll become skilled at producing bespoke costumes for a range of performance genres, whether for stage, screen or live-action events.
Throughout the course, our dedicated Workshop Labs provide extensive resources and support from expert technicians, helping you explore skills including pattern cutting, tailoring, corsetry, costume props, and print and dyeing techniques.
<ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Degree: BA (Hons) Costume Production</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">UCAS codes: 3-year degree PW34 / 4-year extended degree W451</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">UCAS points: 104–120</p></li></ul>
<p>Our BA (Hons) Costume Production course offers a fresh approach to the study of design, realisation and construction for costume. Working from classic and contemporary texts, music and storytelling, you’ll produce bespoke costumes for a range of performance genres, whether for stage, screen or live-action events.</p>
Sophie Prings costume in action for 'The Actors Wheels' production of Faustus | Photo credit: Claire Tregaskis
<p dir="ltr">Throughout this course, our dedicated Workshop Labs will provide you with extensive resources, alongside support and guidance from expert technicians, allowing you to explore skills such as:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Pattern cutting</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Tailoring</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Corsetry</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Costume props</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Print and dying techniques</p></li></ul>
The things I loved best at university were the live briefs and outside collaborations. In my first year, I created a Victorian dress to go on display for the National Trust as part of a costume exhibition in Castle Drogo. We also worked on a theatre production with another local university, making and altering costumes backstage for the productions King Lear and Clockwork Orange, which taught me so much.
Megan Proctor
<p dir="ltr">You will work on live projects with professional designers and performers, providing essential experience of industry practices. This may take the form of heritage, stage or film work. <br /></p>
Costume Production students have access to a wide range of facilities.
<p dir="ltr">Your learning will be guided by a dedicated team of creative professionals who have worked for theatre and TV companies, including Netflix, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and West End productions.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You will also gain valuable insight from visiting professionals such as Paul Farnsworth (Lend Me a Tenor), Lucinda Wright (The Witcher) and Michelle Carragher (Game of Thrones), as well as a close relationship with Theatre Royal Plymouth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In TV and film, our students have contributed to Netflix’s Bridgerton series and the BBC’s EastEnders. They have also worked behind the scenes of smash-hit touring productions of Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, Wicked and The Lion King.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This course encompasses cultural, social and political contexts for costume, enabling you to create costumes for public exhibitions and commissions from heritage societies, such as the National Trust and The Box, Plymouth.<br /></p>
The Actors Wheel production of Faustus. Photo credit: Claire Tregaskis
<p>100% of our BA (Hons) Costume Production students responded positively to the National Student Survey (NSS) 2025 questions “How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?” and “How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?”.</p>
Marie has such a passion for what she does, and the diversity of the modules provided so many opportunities to learn so many different skills to find what we really loved within our discipline.
Zoe Brooks
<ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Learn technical skills and acquire specialist knowledge of costume design and construction techniques used in the profession.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Collaborate with other students across the university including Film & Screen Arts.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Have opportunities to enter competitions, such as World of Wearable Art (New Zealand), and The Costume Society’s Patterns of Fashion Award.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Gain a deep understanding of sustainable practices for both costume design and making.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Benefit from opportunities to design and produce costumes for real clients in outward-facing projects.</p></li></ul>
<p>It offers a fresh approach to the study of design, realisation and construction for costume, producing bespoke costumes for stage, screen and live-action events.</p>
<p>You’ll work from classic and contemporary texts, music and storytelling.</p>
<p>You’ll work in dedicated Workshop Labs with extensive resources, supported by expert technicians.</p>
<p>You’ll explore skills including pattern cutting, tailoring, corsetry, costume props, and print and dying techniques.</p>
<p>Yes. You will work on live projects with professional designers and performers, gaining essential experience of industry practices through heritage, stage or film work.</p>
<p>Your learning is guided by a dedicated team of creative professionals with experience in theatre and TV companies including Netflix, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and West End productions.</p>
<p>Yes. You’ll gain insight from visiting professionals including Paul Farnsworth (Lend Me a Tenor), Lucinda Wright (The Witcher) and Michelle Carragher (Game of Thrones), and benefit from a close relationship with Theatre Royal Plymouth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Students have contributed to Netflix’s Bridgerton series and the BBC’s EastEnders, and worked behind the scenes on touring productions including Strictly Come Dancing, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, Wicked and The Lion King.<br /></p>
<p>Yes. The course encompasses cultural, social and political contexts for costume, including creating costumes for public exhibitions and commissions from heritage societies such as the National Trust and The Box, Plymouth.</p>
<p dir="ltr">100% of BA (Hons) Costume Production students responded positively to the NSS 2025 questions “How often do teaching staff make the subject engaging?” and “How often does your course challenge you to achieve your best work?”.<br /></p>
<p>Career opportunities include Prop Makers, Costume Interpreters, Designers, Costume Assistants (Film & TV), Stylists, Buyers, Costume Supervisors, Theatrical Milliners and Heritage Professional.</p>
<p>All students at Arts University Plymouth can access specialist support via our Student Support Team. Our trained advisers offer information and guidance on student finance and funding, disability support, counselling and more.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here</a> to read more about the support we offer.</p>
<ul><li><strong>Email: </strong><a href="mailto:COSTUME@aup.ac.uk">costume@aup.ac.uk</a></li><li><strong>Instagram: </strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aup_costume/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@aup_costume</a></li></ul>
<p>After successful completion of BA (Hons) Costume Production, your progression options at Arts University Plymouth could include some of the postgraduate courses listed below. As a graduate of the university, you will be entitled to a discount of 15% on postgraduate study fees if you choose to progress onto one of our MA programmes.</p>
