With so many film, television and theatrical productions, music events, photoshoots and fashion shows here in the South West, there is a need for talented production artists and designers with a flair for bringing ideas to life.
This course can help you begin or progress your career in hairstyling, cosmetics, prosthetics and special effects by providing you with the opportunity to enhance your technique alongside studies of the key practices and practitioners underpinning the disciplines.
You will be given space in our recently-renovated and professionally-equipped studio to develop your skills. You will then work on ‘live’ briefs with your peers across creative arts courses at UCW and Bath Spa University on their numerous shows and shoots throughout the year.
UCW Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Production students have also recently worked on casualty and incident simulation training exercises for Avon and Somerset Police and Avon Fire and Rescue.
They have also recently taken part in masterclasses with industry experts including acclaimed prosthetics and make-up special effects artist Stuart Bray, who has worked on TV shows including Dracula, Game of Thrones and the Walking Dead.
You will put together an extensive portfolio of your work, learn important promotional techniques and work towards a final project to demonstrate both your artistry and understanding of your chosen areas of interest.
Given this focus on the application of techniques from disciplines across the production arts, this course is suitable for students from a range of backgrounds in areas including art and design, hair and beauty, and fashion.
It is taught in the recently-refurbished University Centre at our Knightstone Campus. You will also have access to the teaching and learning facilities and higher education library at the redeveloped Winter Gardens, which is also in the centre of Weston.
Students are also invited to attend optional exhibitions and performances in the UK and abroad at an additional expense, and as well as benefiting from our lecturing team’s professional experience and industry contacts, you will also be taught by visiting experts and have the chance to attend guest lectures in a range of related areas.
If you have any questions, get in touch with the course leader Sandy Day or UCW’s HEART student services team. It would also be great to meet you and show you around at our next Open Day.
Students who pass this course will be awarded a degree from Bath Spa University. The agreement between Bath Spa University and UCW is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure academic standards are maintained.
Each student on this course is required to spend £500 per year on specialist kit and consumables. This price is subsidised by UCW, with an actual cost of approximately £1,000. These items are purchased by UCW on behalf of students. Payment plans and
additional financial support may be available.
Please click here to make your payment for kit costs.
Tuition fees:
2021 entry full-time tuition fees: £8,500 per year.
2021 entry part-time tuition fees: £6,375 per year.
The tuition fees also include:
- The use of UCW equipment.
- Attendance at guest lectures at UCW.
- Annual £10 printing and photocopying allowance for full-time students.
- The use of UCW computer equipment at any of our campuses and access to Microsoft Office 365 while you are enrolled with UCW.
- The loans of books from our libraries.
- Access to all of the UCW student support and careers services.
As well as the above kit costs, the fees do not include:
- Optional exhibition visits at an approximate cost of £35 each.
- Optional residential visits at an approximate cost of £50 (UK) and £100 (overseas) per night.
- While UCW endeavours to cover the costs of all artistic materials, there may be additional expenses for specialist and/or consumable products.
- Fees for submitting your work to design competitions.
- Extra printing and photocopying above the £10 limit.
- The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
- Transport between our campuses, and to/from your partner university and any work placements. We encourage students to take advantage of termly bus passes to reduce transport costs.
- Accommodation and other living expenses.
UCW publishes its Tuition Fees Policy on the Wider Information Set page of this website.
You may also be eligible for additional financial support, depending on your circumstances.
All of the modules on this course are compulsory. Successful completion of all of the modules will lead to the award of a degree at Level 6.
Year 1
- Introduction to Portfolio Building (20 credits)
- Technical Skills: Hair (40 credits)
- Technical Skills: Make-up (40 credits)
- Technical Skills: Prosthetics (20 credits)
Year 2
- Portfolio Building (40 credits)
- Production Process: Application (20 credits)
- Production Process: Design (20 credits)
- Production Process: Research (20 credits)
- Production Process: Techniques and Testing (20 credits)
Year 3
- Independent Research Project (20 credits)
- Production Practice 1 (20 credits)
- Production Practice 2 (20 credits)
- Professional Placement (20 credits)
- Transformational Image Piece (40 credits)
This course is taught via a combination of lectures, seminars and practical workshops. UCW’s Higher Education Library Plus (HE.LP) team also deliver a series of sessions on degree-level research and academic writing to all first-year students. When not in scheduled lecturers and seminars, students are expected to continue learning through independent self-study. This involves reading relevant literature, working on individual and group projects, and undertaking research in preparation for coursework and exams.
This course has an average of 13.5 hours of scheduled teaching per week.
Assessment is via an even combination of practical exams and coursework. There are no written exams on this degree.
Please click on the Course Handbook button to find out more about the course, including how it is delivered on a part-time basis.
Graduates are eligible to apply for postgraduate courses in hair, make-up and prosthetics and may also be able to progress to Level 7 qualifications in related areas across the creative, visual and theatrical arts.
As well as being qualified to apply for formal production arts roles, graduates of this course are also equipped with the skills and knowledge to help them achieve a successful portfolio career in the television, film, theatre, fashion and photography industries.
Industry insight
More than 2 million people were employed in the creative industries in 2017 (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport).
A minimum of CDD at A Level, or a BTEC Extended Diploma at MMP, or equivalent, preferably in a related area, or a VTCT Level 3 Diploma in Hairdressing Studies or Theatrical Hair and Special Effects. Applications from those studying two A Levels or alternative Level 3 qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants are also required to submit a portfolio of creative work and attend an interview.
