HOW TO USE THE SURVEY OF COSTUME PROGRAMS

The Survey of Costume Programs was compiled for the Costume Commission of United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) as a resource for high school graduates looking for a college or university with a costume program and for college graduates who want to continue their education in Costume Design or Production at an advanced level.

HISTORY OF THE SURVEY

The schools and universities were originally contacted in the Fall of 1994 from a mailing list compiled from the membership lists of USITT and American Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) as well as Jill Charles's publication, Professional Theatre Training Schools.

Information was collected and compiled over the next year. Schools were added to the mailing list and another mailing was sent as a reminder. At the March 1996 USITT conference, the project was presented to the Publications Committee. The recommendation of the committee was to use the USITT Web Site as a means of making the information public. Because the response from undergraduate schools was so strong, the decision was made to include all undergraduate and graduate training programs in Costume Design and Production in the Survey.

All graduate schools were asked in the Fall of 1996 to update their information. Schools with undergraduate programs were initially asked to verify their information during the Spring of 1997. Revisions have been made once a year.

In the Fall of 2003, the first foreign listing was added to the Survey. Hopefully, many schools will follow.

GOALS OF THE SURVEY

The use of the Internet format allows the Survey of Costume Programs to provide up-to-date information about the Costume Design and Production programs. The survey can be edited easily and additions and corrections can be made as information is made available.

The Survey also provides universities and colleges with a way of providing information about their programs to a large audience. As links are provided, a large network of information becomes available to the student researching the available options. The goal is to make finding the information as easy as possible.

INFORMATION FOUND IN THE SURVEY

• Degrees Offered: The choices are Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Masters of Arts (MA), Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) and Other in the following areas of concentration: General Theatre with a Costume Emphasis, Costume Design, Costume Technology, Combination of Design and Technology and Wigs and Makeup.
• Name(s) of Costume Faculty With Their Area(s) of Expertise:
• List of Additional Staff in the Costume Area:
• In Your Program, A Student Could Choose to Focus in These Areas: The choices are Design, Pattern making, Management, Costume Crafts, Wigs and Makeup and Other.
• Include a Brief (No more than 50 words) Statement about the Strengths of Your Program:
• Contact for More Information: Telephone numbers, E-mail addresses and Web Sites were requested.

CAUTION ABOUT USING THE SURVEY

The information provided by the Survey is supplied by the schools. The burden of confirming the information rests with the prospective student.

Each entry has a date of the last revision. Schools with information older than two years are dropped from the Survey until they update their information. 65% of the schools in the Survey responded providing current information in 2007. The oldest information is dated 2005.

There are schools that have not responded to the Survey. They may feel that they don't want to publicize their programs in this way. Those looking for information on those programs will have to resort to other means.

USING THE SURVEY

You may select "Questions and Answers: Choosing a Graduate School" for information relating to the process of finding a program that suits your needs.

If you choose "Regional Index to the Costume Design and Production Programs", a list of eight regions and states will appear. Click on a region, such as "Mid-Atlantic States" and a list of schools in that area will appear. Choose the school you are interested in and the entry from the Survey will appear. If you are looking for a specific school, you may choose the name from the "Alphabetical Index".

When provided, the university's Web Sites and E-mail of the faculty have been linked. By selecting the Web Site given you will find even more information about the school. With the E-mail link, you will be able to request more information without leaving the Survey.
Of course, you may get a hard copy of the information by downloading at any time.

PROVIDING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR CORRECTIONS TO THE SURVEY

If you experience difficulty in using the links in the Survey, please contact Judy Adamson as listed below.

If you would like to add your university or college to the survey, you may fill out the blank questionnaire in "How to Add your School to the Survey."

Revisions may be sent to Judy Adamson, CB #3230, Center for Dramatic Art, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3230. E-mail: jadamson@email.unc.edu 

Questions and Answers: Choosing a Graduate School 

Regional Index to the Costume Design and Production Programs

Alphabetical Index to the Costume Design and Production Programs

How to Add your School to the Survey