BA (Hons) Special Make-up Effects for Film and Television

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

Our BA (Hons) Special Make-up Effects for Film and Television programme is designed to prepare you for professional practice across the creative industries. Alongside specialist practical skills, you will develop the organisation, communication and professional behaviours needed to work effectively as part of a production team.

Special make-up effects is an evolving field, so the programme also encourages curiosity, adaptability and continued learning. You will develop an understanding of professional practice and the importance of keeping your skills current as techniques, materials and technologies continue to develop.

What can I do with this qualification?

Alternative career options

The specialist creative and technical skills developed through the programme can also support careers beyond film and television. Some career pathways may require additional training, professional experience or postgraduate study. Our graduates have also progressed into theatre and live performance, working in wigs, hair and make-up roles on productions including Wicked, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Miss Saigon, Chicago and Mamma Mia!, as well as UK and international touring productions. Graduates have also applied their skills in medical prosthetics and medical simulation, with experience at organisations including Dorset Orthopaedics, SIMBODIES and The Silicone Centre. Other possible areas include:

• Hair replacement and integration systems
• Digital concept development
• Technical demonstrator roles
• Further and higher education teaching

Home/EU Fees

International Fees

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Greater Manchester students.

Important note regarding tuition fees: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

Home Undergraduate Tuition Fee Adjustment

The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The tuition fee set is based on the regulations and guidance in force at the time of offer but remains subject to adjustment in accordance with any government-approved inflationary increase. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for all years of study, including the first year, by no more than the maximum increase permitted under legislation and regulatory guidance issued by the UK Government and the Office for Students.

Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.

This approach ensures that tuition fees remain compliant with applicable legislation, proportionate to inflationary changes, and consistent with government policy linking permitted fee uplifts to the maintenance of high-quality education and outcomes. For more information, please refer to the government guidance at: gov.uk – Universities to deliver better outcomes in return for full fees.

Postgraduate and International Tuition Fee Adjustment

The tuition fee applicable to the first year of your programme of study is confirmed in your offer letter. The University reserves the right to amend tuition fees for subsequent years of study in accordance with its Course Fees Policy. Where such increases are approved, they will not exceed the rate of inflation, as measured by an appropriate index such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), or any successor measure specified by government. The University will apply any adjustment consistently across affected student cohorts and will give reasonable notice to students of any confirmed change to the published fee before the start of the relevant academic year.

Practical learning is a key part of the programme. Specialist techniques are introduced through lectures, demonstrations and technical guidance, giving you the knowledge and confidence to develop these skills through practical studio work. You will work with the materials, equipment and facilities needed to support techniques including sculpting, mouldmaking, prosthetic processes, make-up application, hair work and finishing techniques.

As part of Film + FX North at the University of Greater Manchester, you will be part of a wider creative community spanning Film and Television Production, Modelmaking and Creature Effects, Visual Effects and Special Make-up Effects. This reflects the range of roles involved in bringing a production to life, from developing ideas and scripts through to making props and models, creating creatures and character effects, filming and post-production. At different stages of the programme, collaborative projects give you opportunities to work across subject areas, understand how specialist roles connect and develop experience of working as part of a wider production team.

Alongside your practical work, lectures and seminars develop your understanding of the creative, contextual and professional considerations that shape special make-up effects. You will explore areas such as changing technologies, industry practice and professional development, while tutorials provide regular opportunities to discuss your work and receive guidance.

Assessment is largely portfolio based and may include visual documentation, research, reflective and written work, practical outcomes and digital evidence. This allows you to demonstrate both the development of your ideas and the outcomes of your work through formats appropriate to the skills being assessed.

Throughout the programme, your learning is enriched by a range of industry professionals who share their experience through guest talks, demonstrations and project advice. We organise speakers from the UK and internationally, with online talks complemented by on-campus demonstrations and practical guidance from visiting professionals. As you progress, projects place increasing emphasis on professional ways of working, helping you develop the practical, collaborative and independent skills needed for your future career.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Principles of Make-up and Hair Techniques
• Digital Principles for Make-up Effects
• Principles of Prosthetic Manufacture
• Film and Television Contexts
• Film + FX Production Project
• FX Industries Exploration
• Advanced Digital Techniques
• Manufacturing Techniques for Prosthetics, Wigs and Hair Pieces
• Finishing Techniques for Character Application
• Professional Identity
• Innovation Skillset
• Industry Project
• Research into Practice
• Major Project
• Professional Practice

Assessment methods

Learning Activities

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.