Costume

Why Choose Us?

Unique Course Offering: This is the only costume course in the UK that combines theatrical and film projects throughout the degree programme.
Collaboration in a Creative Environment: You will collaborate with filmmakers, makeup artists, and actors as part of the esteemed Bournemouth Film School (accredited by CILECT and Screenskills) and engage in stage productions in our two theatres. Enjoy exciting projects across multiple disciplines within a vibrant creative community.
Specialisation and Portfolio Development: Experience all avenues in film and performance costume before specialising in Costume Design, Making, or Supervision. Graduate with an industry-ready portfolio showcasing your work.
Networking with Industry Professionals: Throughout the course, you will network with distinguished alumni and industry tutors who can facilitate your career in costume design and production.
Award-Winning Education: We are proud to be winners of the Queen’s Award (2017) for ‘distinguished degree-level education in costume ... for the UK’s leading creative industries’.

Unleash Your Creativity
The creative industries in the UK are highly regarded, and you will develop skills and a professional mindset to thrive in competitive environments. The course encourages you to test the boundaries of your creative and technical abilities, inspired by an experienced teaching team and a wide network of industry collaborators.

What to Expect
The award-winning Costume course is structured over three years, offering involvement in live productions from first-year to graduate films, aiding in portfolio development for future careers. You'll build core practical and theoretical skills in costume design, making, and history in your first year. The second year allows you to specialise in one of three pathways:

Costume Design: Focusing on research, ideas, concepts, and the creation of designs
Costume Making: Developing advanced techniques in tailoring and construction.
Costume Supervision: Managing costumes for productions, including sourcing and budgeting.

Cultivating Career-Ready Skills
Our extensive industry connections boast alumni like Oscar-winning designers and contributors to celebrated productions such as The Crown, Bridgerton and Deadpool. Between your second and third years, you can take a Professional Placement Year, securing your own placement with course team guidance, gaining valuable workplace experience and expanding your network. Recent placements include Dorset Opera Festival and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake.

Sustainability
Sustainable practice is core to the course. Students learn to make environmentally conscious choices in design and production, including training in carbon calculators to assess environmental impact. Opportunities for gaining Albert accreditation in sustainable production practices further enhance industry readiness.

A Legacy of Excellence at Bournemouth Film School
Studying BA (Hons) Costume at Arts University Bournemouth connects you with BFS, a leader in the Screen and Creative Industries for over 60 years. Our teaching model places students in real-world production settings, enhancing employability and nurturing practical skills.

The Future Starts Here
In 2025, BFS will begin a significant expansion, reimagining possibilities within the screen industry. Our BFS Funding Futures program fosters creativity through collaboration with schools, graduates, and industry partners. Seize the opportunity to study where creativity, collaboration, and innovation converge. Enroll in our BA (Hons) Costume course at Arts University Bournemouth and join a legacy of storytellers and creators ready to shape the future.

At Arts University Bournemouth, you’ll study at one of the UK’s leading specialist creative universities, joining a vibrant, collaborative community built around art, design, media, and performance.

With students and staff from over 60 countries and more than 30 creative courses across four specialist schools, AUB's a place where creativity and new ideas are encouraged and individuality is celebrated. From film and fashion to animation, design, architecture, and performance, you’ll develop practical skills and industry knowledge through hands-on, studio-based learning.

You’ll be preparing for a future in the UK’s creative industries sector - one of the country’s biggest employment sectors and worth £124 billion to the economy every year.

With guaranteed accommodation for all first-year students and set near award-winning beaches, AUB also offers an inspiring location where creativity can thrive both on and off campus.