We look at each application individually, considering your grades, interview (along with your portfolio/audition) and any relevant experience. We typically expect students to have achieved 48 UCAS points or PPP in a Level 3 Diploma / Extended Diploma. Mature students who don’t meet these standard entry requirements may be able to show us their potential through relevant experience. Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not have GCSE English will be asked to take an IELTS assessment or equivalent and will need to achieve an overall score of 6.0, with 6.0 in the writing element and at least 5.5 in all other sub elements.
Entry requirements
Why this course?
The broadest blend of theatre, media and SFX—industry-embedded hair and make-up training driven by live production. No boundaries, no rulebooks—just hands-on creation and collaboration across stage, screen and spectacle, working alongside actors, technicians, costume, props and production teams. Responding to industry demand, this degree trains you across fashion/editorial, theatre and screen.
Become a creative make-up and hair artist ready to shape the future of the media industry. Through technical mastery, bold creative experimentation and collaboration with industry professionals, you will develop the expertise to bring distinctive artistic visions to life. Combining hands-on practice with critical engagement in contemporary and emerging industry trends, you will explore sustainable approaches, innovative techniques and evolving professional opportunities. As you build confidence in material experimentation, critical reflection and analytical thinking, you will establish a resilient creative identity, entrepreneurial mindset and professional skillset that will prepare you to thrive in a dynamic and ever-changing industry.
You will engage in a rich blend of practical workshops, research, and professional development, refining your expertise in Hair, Make-up, Special Effects, Postiche, and Wig Making. The course encourages experimentation, collaboration, and personalisation, allowing you to develop a unique creative identity. With access to theatre spaces, photographic studios, and cross-disciplinary projects, you will work alongside peers from Theatre, Music, Art, Design, and Media, enhancing your collaborative and professional skills.
This course is designed with industry engagement at its core. You will benefit from guest lectures, live briefs, and industry-led projects, gaining insight into real-world professional practices. Opportunities for work placements, industry networking, and collaborative projects with external partners provide essential experience for your future careers. The course team actively maintains connections with industry and alumni, ensuring that you have access to relevant opportunities and career guidance.
Further information
For creative problem-solvers who enjoy hands-on craft and fast-paced production days. You want breadth—from beauty to SFX—and the confidence to deliver high-standard looks for stage, set and studio.
You will establish a strong foundation in practical techniques, historical and cultural contexts, and professional industry standards. Through a combination of technical workshops, theoretical exploration, and collaborative projects, you will develop key skills essential for professional practice in Make-up and Hair for Theatre and Media. You are encouraged to both use traditional and digital tools and critically evaluate appropriate usage.
The curriculum encourages critical thinking, research-led approaches, and hands-on experimentation, ensuring you gain a comprehensive understanding of your craft within contemporary creative industries. The curriculum emphasises advanced specialisation, critical thinking, and professional development, ensuring you graduate as industry-ready practitioners with strong portfolio and research skills.
- Design research, continuity and documentation
- Fashion/editorial and camera-ready make-up
- Professional practice, health & safety and law
- Prosthetics, casting and SFX applications
- Wig knotting, postiche and period hairstyling
Graduates move into theatre/film/TV make-up, wig and SFX roles, fashion/editorial and retail artistry, or progress to postgraduate specialisms and advanced studio practice.
Our teaching and assessment methods are designed to keep learning dynamic, engaging and hands on. You’ll experience a mix of:
- Practical and studio-based workshops to refine your skills
- Group discussions to exchange ideas and insights
- Critiques to help improve your work
- Lectures and Seminars to explore concepts and techniques
- One-on-one tutorials for tailored feedback
- Group study and peer reviews to collaborate and learn from others
- collaborative work in shows and productions
- Independent study to deepen your knowledge and creativity.
Assessment methods are tailed to each unit and may include:
- Completing project work
- Delivering presentations
- Keeping journals of your creative journey
- Developing a research proposal
- Writing assignments to showcase your understanding
Wit this variety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow and demonstrate your skills in ways that suit your strengths!
- Tutorials
- Small group study
- Self-directed study
- Study trips
Assessment methods are tailored to each unit and may include:
- Presentations (of practical work)
- Journals
- Research proposals
- Sketchbooks / drawings
- Written assignments
With this variety, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow and demonstrate your skills in ways that suit your strengths and challenge your creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability.
Flexible Exit Awards
This programme is designed as a three-year course leading to the award of a BA (Hons) degree. It is delivered through a flexible 1+1+1 structure, with each year representing a distinct stage of learning and achievement. This approach allows students to progress through the programme in clearly defined phases while retaining the flexibility to exit at the end of any academic year if their circumstances change.
Students who complete the full programme will be awarded a BA (Hons). However, students who choose to leave the course before completion may be eligible for an interim award that formally recognises the credits they have successfully achieved.
Level 4 (Year 1) Students who successfully complete 120 credits at Level 4 and then leave the programme may be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).
Level 5 (Year 2) Students who successfully complete 240 credits, and then leave the programme may be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE).
Level 6 (Year 3) Students who successfully complete 360 credits, will be awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons).
This flexible 1+1+1 model ensures that students who do not complete the full degree can still receive formal recognition for their achievements, while those who continue through all three years graduate with a BA (Hons) qualification.