Structure

A designer must have technical skills as well as an artistic and theoretical background. For that reason the Scenography study programme has a broad subject package. You will acquaint yourself with different ways of drawing to outline your ideas: sketching, technical drawing, drawing from  life and CAD-drawing. Building maquettes is also included. You follow subjects like art history, art appreciation, theatre history, dramaturgy, spatial research and music appreciation to develop an artistic and theoretical basis. During your study, you attend performances during the evening, read scripts and do preparatory work. On average a maximum of 30 hours of class and project time is scheduled and approximately 12 hours is reserved for preparation.

The first year
The first year of the study programme counts as a propaedeutic year. The goal of the propaedeutic phase is mutual orientation. As student you orientate yourself in the field of scenography, including both set design and costumes. The teachers use this year to assess if you have sufficient potential to become a scenographer and can fulfill the study programme’s exit qualifications. Learning goals are theatre design and design drawing and painting. If you are positively assessed at the end of the first year, you will obtain a foundation year diploma and may continue your studies. If you do not comply with the set requirements, a negative binding study recommendation may be given.

The second year
In the second year you continue to work on realizing your learning goals from the first year (designing for theatre and design drawing/painting) in combination with second year learning goals: spatial design and production aspects . You regularly collaborate with students from other study programmes in the Theaterschool. Working on themes like ‘man, space and time’ and ‘philosophy of art’, help you to develop your expressive, specialist and collaborative qualities.

Final phase
The third and fourth year are to a large extent dominated by external apprenticeships so that you gain experience regarding the practical side of design. In consultation with the artistic director of the study programme, you choose an apprenticeship in The Netherlands or abroad that suits your personal development.

During the third year you work with fellow students on a production by a choreography or theatre directing student. You will also work as an assistant with large theatre companies or during projects under supervision of the designer in charge.

In the final year you will work independently on a smaller project under supervision of the study programme’s artistic director. Ultimately you will make a professional presentation of your work in a museum or gallery for the benefit of your future work field.

Diploma
After successfully completing all components of your study programme, you will receive your bachelor diploma  and the title Bachelor of Theatre (BTh) in Scenography.