ABSTRACT
Learning to be a prop builder involves a mix of formal education, on-the-job training, and personal practice. A prop builder is both an artist and a craftsperson; an education through a liberal arts system, a vocational training program, or a conservatory school all have equal merit. The skills one needs can be learned by studying a myriad of other trades. High school or secondary school is not too early to start professional prop makers education in prop making if that is where their interests lie. Only a few universities offer props as a specific undergraduate program. Among the best known are the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Graduate programs exist that focus on props. Graduate programs can be expensive, and it is most likely the addition of a graduate degree will not raise the income enough to justify the cost.
