Theatre Design Major

Lizzy5851
Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:54:55 +0000

@kcdunlap - Out of the schools we considered, the “artsiest” schools with the strongest Costume Design programs were probably CalArts and Purchase. We didn’t visit UNSCA or Univ of the Arts in Philly, but I think that the artsy vibe is strong at those schools too (with solid Costume Design programs).

Carnegie Mellon has a great mix of very artistic and very bright students - a very creative program, but I wouldn’t call it “edgy” in the way that CalArts (Valencia, CA) or Purchase presented.

One great way to find the strong programs is to research the past few years of costume design award nominees from stage, film, and TV (Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Golden Globe and Design Guild awards) and where they studied. We did that and then used it as a starting point to find the programs that are graduating top talent and strong networks of designers.

Another tip: try to visit schools when they have a show in production. Attending a performance is a great way to get a sense of the training, product and reputation of the program. We saw a show at almost every school when we visited, and it was VERY telling and had a HUGE influence on my daughter’s decision in the end.

I hope that helps. Best of luck to you!