Design wigs and makeup for the stage

In the Wig and Makeup Design & Technology major, you’ll explore and expand your artistic and visual expression while gaining practical experience in this growing field.

You’ll receive training in wig construction and styling, makeup design and application, styling of actors’ hair, and creation of makeup prosthetics. You’ll collaborate with actors, directors, designers and technicians, as well as our professional makeup shop staff. By working closely with faculty members and production teams, you’ll create and design wigs and makeup for multiple public productions by The Theatre School.

Learn from a distinguished award-winning faculty of professional designers and artists, both in the classroom and through individual guidance and advising during production work. Faculty will share formal and informal feedback during portfolio presentations and exhibits of your work each year.

Classes

Coursework

• Costume Crafts: Painting and Dyeing
• Drawing for Designers
• History of Costume, Hair and Makeup
• History of Dramatic Literature
• Media for Designers
• Portfolio Preparation
• Portraiture for the Wig and Makeup Artist

Resources

• Major Requirements
• Schedule of Classes
• Department Website

• Combined bachelor's + master's degree offered

Career Options

Common Career Areas

• Hair stylist
• Makeup artist
• Makeup designer
• Makeup technician
• Special effects makeup designer
• Wig designer
• Wig master
• Wig technician??

Major Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

First Year		Hours
DES 112	DRAWING FOR DESIGNERS II	2
TEC 200	COSTUME TECHNOLOGY INTRODUCTION	4
DES 286	FIGURE DRAWING FOR THEATRE	4
Principles of Design Sequence:
DES 141	ELEMENTS OF DESIGN	4
DES 142	PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN	4
DES 143	SCRIPT ANALYSIS	4
History of Dramatic Literature Sequence (Arts and Literature Requirement):
THE 204	HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE	4
THE 205	HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE	4
THE 206	HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE	4
Wig & Makeup Design and Technology Sequence:
DES 215	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 1	4
DES 216	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 1	4
DES 217	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 1	4
Three Quarters of Theatre Crew		6
TEC 107	THEATRE CREW
Second Year
DES 220	INTRODUCTION TO COSTUME DESIGN	4
History of Costume, Hair and Makeup Sequence:
DES 260	GLOBAL HISTORY OF COSTUME, HAIR, AND MAKEUP	4
DES 261	GLOBAL HISTORY OF COSTUME, HAIR, AND MAKEUP	4
Rendering for Designers Sequence:
DES 384	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS I	3
DES 385	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS II	3
DES 386	RENDERING FOR DESIGNERS III	3
Wig & Makeup Design and Technology 2:
DES 315	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 2	4
DES 316	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 2	4
DES 317	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 2	4
Theatrical Collaboration Sequence:
DES 641	THEATRICAL COLLABORATION	3
DES 642	THEATRICAL COLLABORATION	3
Production Practice I Sequence; Choose three from the list in consulation with the Advisor		9
DES 271	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
DES 272	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
DES 273	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TEC 271	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TEC 272	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TEC 273	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
Third Year
Costume Crafts Sequence:
TEC 254	COSTUME CRAFTS:DYEING AND PAINTING	4
TEC 255	COSTUME CRAFTS: GENERAL CRAFTS	4
TEC 256	COSTUME CRAFTS: MILLINERY	4
Wig & Makeup Design and Technology 3 Sequence:
DES 415	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 3	4
DES 416	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 3	4
DES 417	WIG & MAKEUP DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY 3	4
Survey of the Arts for Theatre Sequence:
THE 381	SURVEY OF THE ARTS FOR THEATRE	4
THE 382	SURVEY OF THE ARTS FOR THEATRE	4
Production Practice Sequence II:Choose two from the list in consultation with the Advisor		8
DES 371	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DES 372	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DES 373	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
TEC 371	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
TEC 372	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
TEC 373	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
Fourth Year
DES 290	PORTRAITURE FOR THE WIG AND MAKEUP ARTIST	4
DES 320	ADVANCED MAKEUP	3
DES 486	PORTFOLIO PREPARATION	3
Production Practice III; chose two from the list in consultation with the Advisor		10
DES 471	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DES 472	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DES 473	DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TEC 471	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TEC 472	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TEC 473	TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
Design/Technical Electives		11