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The Theatre School’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Wig and Makeup Design & Technology is designed to train students for professional careers as wig and makeup artists. The four-year curriculum simulates the professional experience and process for both designers and technicians in the fields of the wig and makeup arts.  Students of the program will receive professional training in wig construction, period hair styling, makeup application and design, and makeup prosthetics that will enable them to work professionally in a variety of entertainment fields, including theatre, opera, film, and television. Wig and makeup students will practice their craft on realized theatrical productions and learn to collaborate with directors, dramaturgs, other designers and technicians, and our professional wig/makeup and costume shop staff.

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies 52
Major Requirements 142
Total hours required 194

Learning Outcomes

Core Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Identify and describe the historical and theoretical significance of a range of theatrical artists, works and artistic approaches from antiquity to the present, encompassing a broad range of periods, cultures, and styles.
  • Synthesize and apply elements of their education and training to the preparation, rehearsal, and presentation of theatrical productions with discipline, respect, and maturity.
  • Identify and explain their theatrical work in the context of the cultural and social impact of the arts.

Program Specific Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Read and interpret theatrical text and apply research, imagination, and personalization to create a unique, insightful, and compelling design concept in collaboration with other artists.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the history hair, makeup, clothing, and fashion in the context of social and cultural development.
  • Demonstrate and apply expertise in wig and facial hair construction, period hair styling, stage blood mechanics, makeup design and application, and makeup prosthetics.

Liberal Studies Requirements

Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.   

Plan of Study Grid
First Year ProgramHours
Chicago Quarter
LSP 110 DISCOVER CHICAGO 4
Focal Point
Not Required
Writing
WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 4
WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 4
Quantitative Reasoning
MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 4
Sophomore Year
Race, Power, and Resistance
LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4
Junior Year
Experiential Learning
Not Required
Senior Year
Capstone
Not Required
1

Students must earn a C- or better in this course.   

2

Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain.  The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned  in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135MAT 136MAT 147MAT 148MAT 149MAT 150MAT 151MAT 152 MAT 155MAT 156MAT 160MAT 161MAT 162 MAT 170MAT 171MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

  • THE 204 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE
  • THE 205 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE
  • THE 206 HISTORY OF DRAMATIC LITERATURE

Historical Inquiry (HI)

  • 1 Course Required

Math and Computing (MC)

  • Not Required

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

  • 1 Course Required

Religious Dimensions (RD)

  • 1 Course Required

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

  • 1 Lab Course or 1 SWK Course Required

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)

  • Not Required

Other

  • Choose 1 course from the above learning domains as an elective

Notes

Specified required courses within Liberal Studies may have grade minimums (e.g. C- or better). Please consult your advisor or your college and major requirements.​​

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.  

Major Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
First YearHours
DES 112 DRAWING FOR DESIGNERS 3
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
THEATRE CREW
Second Year
DES 220 INTRODUCTION TO COSTUME DESIGN 4
DES 360 THEATRICAL COLLABORATION 3
Global 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
Production Practice I Sequence; Choose three from the list in consulation with the Advisor 9
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE I
Third Year
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
Production Practice Sequence II:Choose two from the list in consultation with the Advisor 8
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE II
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
TEC 450 MONSTER MAKING 4
Production Practice III; chose two from the list in consultation with the Advisor 10
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
DESIGN PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION PRACTICE III
Design/Technical Electives 8

Work on The Theatre School’s production season extends outside of the university’s academic calendar.  Some production assignments may require participation up to two weeks before the beginning of fall quarter, during a portion of the winter break, or during spring break.  Specific details pertaining to different programs, specific assignments, and options for students not able to participate outside of the university’s academic calendar are available in the Theatre School Student Handbook and the Theatre School website.