Costume Studies (MA)

Department Website

Program Description

The field of costume studies is one of the most exciting areas of current visual arts research. Since 1979 the MA program in Costume Studies has focused on the history of costume and textiles in its broadest aesthetic and cultural contexts. It was the first curriculum in the United States to educate specialists in this field. An additional dual-degree option between the Department of Art and Art Professions and Long Island University Post’s Palmer School of Library and Information Science bridges theory and practice, so that students benefit from the programs’ complementary strengths in teaching information science and costume studies.

The programs offer courses that emphasize the relation of costume studies to material culture and the fine and decorative arts. The 36-unit MA curriculum includes core courses as well as electives in exhibition and museum topics, art theory and criticism, and the decorative arts. The 61-unit dual MA and MS offers many of the same core course with the additional unique combination of courses that address costume studies, and library and information science.

Faculty in the programs, some of whom are associated with museums and galleries in New York, teach courses in costume and textile history, decorative arts, and conservation. 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. Students in the dual-degree program are mentored and advised by subject specialists from local New York City libraries. A 160-hour mentoring arrangement provides students the opportunity for hands-on experiences.

Admissions

Admission to graduate programs in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development requires the following minimum components:

• Résumé/CV
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts
• Proficiency in English

See NYU Steinhardt's Graduate Admissions website for additional information on school-wide admission. Some programs may require additional components for admissions.

See How to Apply for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

The program requires the completion of 36 credits, comprised of the following:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Core Requirements
ARCS-GE 2012	Literature & Methodology of Costume Studies	3
ARCS-GE 2061	Case Studies in Fashion History: Prehistory to 1800	3
ARCS-GE 2062	19th Century Fashion: Sources and Methods	3
ARCS-GE 2063	20th Century Fashion	3
Electives
Select 21 elective credits from courses below, or other courses by advisement:		21
ARCS-GE 2064	Projects on Contemporary Dress
ARCS-GE 2069	Costume Conservation and Display
ARCS-GE 2077	History of Textiles: Ancient World to 1800
ARCS-GE 2078	History of Textiles: The Modern Era
ARCS-GE 2910	Graduate Projects: Exhibition Praxis
ARCS-GE 2911	History of Fashion Photo
ARCS-GE 2912	Contemporary Design Culture
ARCS-GE 2913	Global Fashion Systems
Thesis/Culminating Project
ARCS-GE 2022	Research in Costume Studies	2
ARCS-GE 2301	Final Project in Costume Studies	1-6
ARCS-GE 2302	Internship in Costume Studies	0
Total Credits		36

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid

1st Semester/Term		Credits
ARCS-GE 2012	Literature & Methodology of Costume Studies	3
ARCS-GE 2061	Case Studies in Fashion History: Prehistory to 1800	3
ARCS-GE 2063	20th Century Fashion	3
Elective		3
	Credits	12
2nd Semester/Term
ARCS-GE 2062	19th Century Fashion: Sources and Methods	3
Elective		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
	Credits	12
3rd Semester/Term
ARCS-GE 2022	Research in Costume Studies	2
ARCS-GE 2302	Internship in Costume Studies	0
Elective		3
Elective		3
	Credits	8
4th Semester/Term
ARCS-GE 2301	Final Project in Costume Studies	1
Elective		3
	Credits	4
	Total Credits	36

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

1. Apply research and analytical skills in professional settings, such as exhibition praxis and internship placement.
2. Conduct research and produce original scholarship on the history and theory of dress and textile by identifying and using appropriate research sources and methods.
3. 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.

Policies

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.

Steinhardt Academic Policies

Additional academic policies can be found the Steinhardt academic policies page.