Make up and Hair Artistry
- HNC
- 1 Years
- Variable
- 14 September 2026
- Undergraduate
- University College Birmingham
Course summary
OVERVIEW
Are you passionate about creative hair and make‑up and ready to begin your journey into the creative industries? This Make-up and Hair Artistry HNC is designed to help you develop a strong foundation for a career in film, television, theatre, fashion and media, or progression to further study.
On this course, you will build essential professional hair and make‑up skills, while learning how hair and make‑up contribute to character creation and visual storytelling. You will explore both historical and contemporary practices, enabling you to design bespoke looks and respond confidently to creative briefs in line with industry expectations.
You will be introduced to specialist areas, including special effects (SFX), prosthetics and digital techniques, with opportunities to explore how emerging technologies are shaping the future of the industry. Teaching is highly practical and delivered through hands‑on workshops, research‑led projects and creative design development.
Throughout the course, you will also develop transferable skills such as creativity, problem‑solving, teamwork and adaptability, supporting progression into employment, freelance practice or progression onto the Make‑up and Hair Artistry HND.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
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INDUSTRY‑FOCUSED TRAINING – Develop core professional skills through industry‑inspired training that reflects current workflows across film, television, fashion and the wider creative industries
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REAL‑WORLD CREATIVE BRIEFS – Work on practical, industry‑style briefs that mirror real working environments, helping you understand professional expectations and build confidence from the outset
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PRACTICAL HANDS-ON SKILLS – Gain essential technical expertise through hands‑on learning in specialist facilities, using professional products and industry‑standard make‑up and hair techniques
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PORTFOLIO‑BASED LEARNING – Begin building a professional portfolio throughout the course, supported by tutors with extensive industry experience, ensuring your work meets current industry standards
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INNOVATION & SPECIAL EFFECTS – Explore contemporary practices including introductory SFX, prosthetics and digital design processes, encouraging creativity, experimentation and forward‑thinking approaches used in film, TV and fashion
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CAREER AND PROGRESSION OPPORTUNITIES – Study within a growing creative hub with strong links to the film and TV industry, benefiting from industry engagement, guest speakers and enrichment opportunities, with clear progression routes into employment, freelance practice or further study, including progression onto the HND
FACILITIES
Our creative courses provide a balance of theory, digital and practical training. You will have the opportunity to develop a range of skills on campus in our specialist, purpose-built facilities.
CAREERS AND PROGRESSION
Examples of careers you could pursue following this course:
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Film and TV make-up artist
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Wigs, hair and make-up technician
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Make-up artist advertising and editorial
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Teacher of hair and make-up
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Special effects prosthetic supervisor
For updates please refer to our website www.ucb.ac.uk

This Higher Technical Qualification is approved against occupational standards decided by employers.
Learn more about Higher Technical QualificationsModules
TBC
Assessment method
Estimated breakdown of assessment for this course:
Coursework – 60%
Practical assessment – 40%
Written exams - 0%
The demonstration of practical ability will be assessed through a range of coursework and practical assessment methods.
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Entry requirements
UCAS Tariff32 points
A levelEE
Access to HE DiplomaP: 45 credits
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)PP
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T LevelPass (D or E)
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
Historical entry grades data
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
This course may have Historical entry grades data available, please select a course option to view.
Course optionsHistorical entry grades report
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
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Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
UK:
If you are a UK student enrolling on a Foundation Degree or a BA/BSc at University College Birmingham, your fee for this academic year will be £9,250. A half year tuition fee is £4625.
This is a yearly fee, and will increase with inflation in subsequent years (in line with the government’s permitted rise).
If you are an English student studying your first higher education qualification, you can apply for a tuition fee loan from the Student Loans Company. You will not start repaying this loan until you leave the course and are earning over £25,000 a year.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you should apply to Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or SAAS. The loans and grants available to you will differ from those available from Student Finance England.
UCB does not charge for 24 or 48 week placements.
More information about UK Fees please go to our website here -
https://www.ucb.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/undergraduate-fees/
EU and International:
More information about International Fees please go to our website here - https://www.ucb.ac.uk/our-courses/international/tuition-fees-and-scholarships.aspx
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