If you want a career working with hair, make-up and special effects in the entertainment industry this course is for you.

You will gain a wealth of practical skills in hair and make-up, and will work on live projects such as the Pantomime and other in-college theatre performances, create gruesome creatures for a live action horror maze and casualty scenes for live exhibitions.

In the second year you will learn more advanced technical skills including professional production planning and you will learn how to establish yourself as a self-employed make-up artist, giving you the business knowledge and skills to promote yourself in the industry. This exciting career-led course covers the application of specialised make-up and synthetic hair for theatrical and media purposes. You will put the workshop skills you learn into practice and document your progress in sketch books to document evidence in order to complete the units on this course.

Full-time students aged 16-18 will follow a study programme at City College which includes:

• The main subject qualification
• Work experience which is effective, relevant, and includes careers fairs, site visits, guest speakers and introduces you to the expectations of the real demands of work English and maths where students have not yet achieved GCSE grade 4 or above in these subjects
• Additional activities such as tutorials and work-related learning, to help further develop the personal skills relevant to your progression goals
• These four elements should combine to provide stretch and challenge to prepare you for progression to employment or further study.
• UCAS Tariff – Earn up to 168 UCAS points for university entry

Across the two years of this course you will learn the following:

• Professional practice for backstage hair and make-up artists
• Critical and contextual research
• Engaging with an audience through hair and make-up design
• Application of theatrical and media make-up and hair for performance (stage, TV, film, fashion)
• Hair styling and wig fitting for performers
• Fantasy and structural hair
• Special effects make-up
• Moulding and applying prosthetics
• Period make-up and hair design
• Body art and tattoo covering
• Professional production planning

If you successfully complete the first year of study you will gain a Level 3 Diploma qualification.

In order to progress to the second year you will need to pass the first year of study.

Students will have access to our purpose-built make-up studio as well as backstage areas when working on live shows.

The Level 3 Diploma in Theatrical and Media Make Up is a fantastic programme that mixes both the theory and practical skills needed for a career in the make-up industry.

This course is ideal for those who are interested in the media, make-up, fashion and theatrical industry.

The Level 3 Diploma is an enhancement for those who already hold a Level 2 in Hair and Media Make-up. The Diploma will teach advanced skills which will progress you to an advanced level and give the creative and technical know-how to build your professional portfolio and progress into employment.

The content of this qualification is comprised of all the required elements to work effectively as a make-up artist including airbrush make-up for the face, camouflage make-up, fashion and photographic make-up and media make-up. These units are all mandatory.

The programme consists of the following topics:

• Health and safety in the salon
• Cosmetic make-up science
• Media make-up
• Style and fit postiche
• Photographic make-up
• Anatomy and physiology for make-up services
• Airbrush make-up
• Cosmetic camouflage
• False eyelash application

Most lessons will take place in college with the addition of some lessons online if required.

In addition to your full-time make-up course every student has an individual study programme which ensures that you develop the right skills and experience to progress onto either higher education or gain employment. What is included in your individual study programme will vary depending on what you have already achieved and your career aspirations.

For example, if you have not yet achieved GCSE grade 4 (grade C) in maths at 16 you will continue to study this alongside your vocational qualification.

Work placement will form an essential part of your individual study programme and all students will be expected to complete an appropriate work placement related to their full-time course.

This course is designed to deliver and perfect the core and basic skills required to be a make-up artist, an integral part of that being hairdressing techniques required for the industry. This courses will be a stepping stone into the industry or higher education. Work experience and competition opportunities are an integral part of the courses.

Modules:

• Essential hairdressing skills to work within the industry
• Face painting
• Body painting
• Basic and photographic makeup application
• Health and safety
• Client care

Courses are free for 16-19 who have not studied higher than GCSE's. Even if you have studied a different course at college or sixth form we may still be able to help. Speak to the admissions team for more information. There maybe free or reduced costs for adults, contact the admissions team to see if you are eligible.