Creative Hair and Media Makeup

Excel behind the scenes with our Creative Hair and Makeup Foundation Degree. This creative course, delivered in our bespoke makeup facilities within a working television studio, allows you to develop a wide range of skills demanded by the competitive media makeup industry. This programme has strong industry links and an emphasis on practical learning to prepare you for a successful career as a makeup artist in a range of settings such as film and TV, fashion and theatre. Our recent graduates have gained work on productions such as Prime Suspect, Maleficent 2, Cruella, Peaky Blinders, Gentleman Jack and for companies including Opera North, The Grand Theatre, Kat Von D, Illamasqua, MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay.

Our programme blends academic study with industry insight to provide a comprehensive understanding of the industry. We encourage professional development, so as you study, you’ll gain valuable industry experience. You will be taught in a variety of ways including lectures, demonstrations, sketchbook workshops, critiques, discussions and presentations, while building your professional portfolio.

As you study, you’ll have the opportunity to choose optional modules to learn the specialist skills you desire from our experienced lecturers, such as special effects and prosthetics makeup, fashion and editorial makeup, body art, creative hair styling and wig knotting, giving you a wide and varied breadth of skills in different sectors. You’ll have opportunities to showcase at events and work backstage on productions and shoots, helping you to build your professional portfolio. We regularly invite industry experts; previous guest speakers have included Kate Benton (Last Kingdom, Hugo, Love Actually), Stuart Bray (Game of Thrones, Doctor Who), Dan Wood (Boohoo.com) and Laura Lawrence (Peaky Blinders) to deliver talks or to run makeup masterclasses.

You will train in our bespoke settings at Prime Studios located next to ITV and in our recently built facilities in Quarry Hill Campus in Leeds Cultural Quarter, neighbouring The Leeds Playhouse Theatre. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain practical experience with local companies such as Leeds Grand Theatre and Carriageworks Theatre, on local film and TV productions and at events such as the IMATS and United Makeup Artists Expo.

Our department is part of Screen Yorkshire’s Connected Campus initiative which works to forge closer links between TV and Film professionals, production companies, broadcasters and students. Through this initiative you will have access to a range of boot camps, masterclasses and special events, including visits to live sets and studios, industry workshops, visiting speakers and the opportunity to gain feedback on your work from industry professionals. The scheme is encouraged and supported by the broadcasters based in the region, including Channel 4, the BBC and ITV.

We are also members of Film Buddy UK who offer bespoke employability services to encourage, inspire and assist students directly into work experience placements and employment within the Film, Television & Creative Media Industries. UCL Creative Arts students have free registration with the company throughout their studies and have access to live Q and As with some of the world's leading specialists, mentoring support, access to work experience opportunities and FB-1, an online catalogue of interviews and podcasts with specialists from the screen industries.