Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Film and Performance

Become part of the team behind films and theatre. Your role in hair and make-up will help bring to life the vision of entertainment. Our creative briefs and projects will help you develop a portfolio showing off your talent as an expert storyteller in the form of Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Film and Performance.

Why study Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Film and Performance at BNU?

Facilities
Across our High Wycombe BNU teaching base, you’ll benefit from state-of-the-art facilities that will help you bring your ideas to life. Your classroom base offers bright lighting and dressing tables, where you’ll practice techniques and turn models into looks. We also have a range of photography facilities where you’ll have the opportunity to shoot your designs for your portfolio.

Industry Connections
Led by a dedicated and experienced course team, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge and the industry links they bring to the course. You’ll get direct access to guest lectures, who are specialists in the sector, and can benefit from live project briefs, master classes, and networking opportunities.

Our High Wycombe Campus is only a short train ride away from London, meaning you are only a stones-throw away from the hustle and bustle, where you’ll also have the chance to visit outside bodies, such as makeup prep rooms, wig stores, museums and galleries. Here you’ll gain inspiration, insight and a feeling for how the industry works.

Career-focused
With a history of delivering expert craft, art and design education for more than 130 years, Buckinghamshire New University is the perfect place to start your creative career in hair and make-up. During your time on the course you’ll lend your hand to a range of styles, techniques and periods. Your modules and briefs allow you to develop the skills that employers are looking for, whilst ensuring you have a varied and desirable portfolio.

What will I study?
The practical elements of our hair and makeup course are designed with industry in mind. On the course you will explore pre-production and film set etiquette, which will help you understand the rules, roles and responsibilities of individuals in a production team, as well as explaining who you will report to and the expectations within a professional context.

It is key to master different makeup and hair techniques, so we’ll help you explore a range of period eras and how they form the basis for fashion designs. Alongside, your modules in prosthetics and special effect makeup will allow you to experiment with a range of materials to understand what it takes to bring characters to life.

It’s not just about crafting something that looks great, it will be your job to create character designs that fit a script. We'll teach you about various period hairstyles and show you how to recreate them. Most importantly you'll understand the history and theory that informs your designs and be able to reflect critically on your practice.

You'll get to grips with professional practice and we will help you to develop essential entrepreneurial skills. As many people in this area work as freelancers, we’ll teach you everything you need to know for success, from how to set up to paying taxes and creating a winning portfolio.

At Buckinghamshire New University, you'll benefit from career-focused teaching, hands-on learning and a supportive community that helps you thrive throughout your degree and beyond.

You'll learn from lecturers with industry experience, gain practical skills in professional-standard facilities and receive personalised support through smaller class sizes. Beyond your course, The Big Deal gives every student free access to sports clubs, societies, fitness facilities, social events, trips, volunteering opportunities and career-boosting workshops. It's BNU's way of helping you discover new interests, meet like-minded people, build your CV and make the most of university life – all without paying extra membership fees.

Whether you're preparing for your future career, growing your confidence or looking for an unforgettable student experience, BNU offers the opportunities and support to help you achieve your goals.