In recent years, costume, dress and textile studies has expanded into one of the most exciting areas of current interdisciplinary research, spanning material and visual culture, historical methods and cultural theory. The MA program in Costume Studies reflects these developments and offers courses that emphasize the study of dress and textiles across historical and geographical contexts. The 36-credit curriculum includes core courses as well as electives in history and analysis, exhibition and museum topics, art theory and criticism, and the decorative arts.
Multiple faculty in the program are associated with museums and galleries in New York. Students are exposed to collections of costumes, accessories, and related objects at leading institutions, including the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the New York Historical Society. The internship component of the program enables students to gain firsthand work experience and make valuable professional contacts.
Dual Degree Option
A dual-degree option between the MA program in Costume Studies and LIU's Palmer School of Library and Information Science bridges professional librarianship and research in dress and textiles. The 61-credit dual-degree MA/MSLIS program offers the same core courses and elective options at NYU with the additional combination of courses that address library and information science.
Career Opportunities
There are many options available for those who graduate with an MA in this rapidly expanding field, such as curators, collection managers, and exhibition consultants, museum administrators, auction house specialists, private dealers and appraisers, archivists and historical researchers, educators, writers, journalists, critics. Graduates of the dual-degree MA/MSLIS program also have the option to enter careers in university and museum libraries.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
Conduct research and produce original scholarship on the history and theory of dress and textile by identifying and using appropriate research sources and methods.
Analyze the relationships between dress and textiles and various fields of studies, such as politics, economics, social history, technology as well as the visual, applied and performing arts.
Apply research and analytical skills in professional settings, such as collections management, exhibition research and development, and publishing.
Policies
Program Policies
Grade Minimum/Repeat Policies
Costume Studies students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in good academic standing. Any student whose minimum cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be reviewed by the Committee on Student Progress (COSP) for Notice of Academic Alert or Notice of Academic Concern.
Effective Fall 2026, students must obtain a C+ or higher in any required core ARCS-GE courses to count toward their degree progress. These courses can be attempted twice. Attempts include final grades of C or lower in required ARCS-GE courses as well as course withdrawals; term withdrawals/leaves of absence do not factor into the number of attempts.
Students who obtain a grade of C or lower in required ARCS-GE courses will be reviewed by COSP for Notice of Academic Alert or Notice of Academic Concern. Students who are not able to complete and pass ARCS-GE courses with at least a C+ grade after two attempts will be reviewed by COSP for Notice of Academic Concern or dismissal.
Costume Studies students are not allowed to take any of their required courses pass/fail.
Grading
Costume Studies students are awarded credit using the following scale:
A = 4.0 credits/units
A- = 3.7 credits/units
B+ = 3.3 credits/units
B = 3.0 credits/units
B- = 2.7 credits/units
C+ = 2.3 credits/units
C = 2.0 credits/units
C- = 1.7 credits/units
F = 0.0 credits/units
Internship Policies
The 0-credit ARCS-GE 2302 Internship in Costume Studies course is a requirement for the program. Internships can take place in a variety of settings including museums, galleries, publishers, foundations, fashion houses, libraries, archives, and other institutions. Students work closely with the internship coordinator to assess their progress and define goals. Internships should be arranged during the term before interning.
In order to receive work authorization and receive any form of payment (including hourly wage, travel reimbursement, and stipends), international students must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) via the NYU Office of Global Services (OGS).