Bachelor of Fine Arts (Costume)

NIDA BFA (Costume) graduates are in high demand for good reason. Tailored closely to industry needs, this immersive, practice-led course provides students with the in-depth knowledge and skills to pursue a career in costume making and costume supervising for a range of performance contexts, including theatre, film and digital media.

With full access to NIDA's dedicated creative facilities, graduates will gain a solid background in all aspects of costume making, learning from globally recognised tutors and guest practitioners who are specialists in opera, theatre and film costume. Working in small classes, students develop skills in costume cutting (pattern making), fitting and construction, fabric dyeing, art finishing and fabrication, underpinnings, leatherwork, tailoring and headwear. You will explore cultural and historical factors that have shaped the development of clothing and influence costume making.

Third-year students take responsibility as costume supervisors on student productions, collaborating with actors, stage managers and costume designers. You will also take your skills on an industry placement with a leading theatre, opera and dance company or a major film and television studio.

If you're curious about costume, make it happen with a robust skill set, valuable industry connections and priceless opportunities to collaborate on full-scale productions from brief to execution.

Learning outcomes

• Apply the creative, technical and organisational skills appropriate to a costume production professional in the screen, live performance and entertainment industries.
• Use research skills to access information from a range of sources and apply critical reasoning in the evaluation and implementation of decisions that inform practice.
• Collaborate effectively and flexibly at all stages of the costume development and production processes in a range of creative contexts.
• Demonstrate an awareness and commitment to innovative, ethical and sustainable practices in the choice of the materials, methods and techniques required for contemporary costume practice.
• Apply entrepreneurial and management knowledge and practices to diverse collaborative and self-directed projects.