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Solent Unviersity Southampton logo

MAMake-up and Hair Design Futures

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Starting in: 2024
Entry requirements: 2:2
Or higher
Up to: 20% alumni discountFind out more
Campus: Southampton City CentreView on Google Maps

Why study a make-up and hair design futures master's degree at Solent University

The field of designing for future bodies is rapidly evolving - explore beauty cultures and creature design using speculative design strategies and augmented realities.

  • 0th
    UK uni for sustained employment (Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022)
  • £0m
    invested in our campus estate and facilities in the last five years
  • Industry standard make-up, hair and prosthetic studios, The Beauty Room, Body Lab and Prosthetics Studio are just three of the facilities you'll work in. You’ll also have the chance to capture your work in our specialist photography, TV and film studios.
  • You can gain professional experience throughout your studies. You'll be encouraged to create industry collaborations and take up work placements, and will have opportunities to apply to work with our professional make-up teams at high-profile events.
  • Hear from high profile industry speakers at guest lectures. Previous speakers have included representatives from Illamasqua, MAC, National Theatre, and more.
  • The course will equip you with research and academic skills helping you to pursue a PhD or an academic career
  • Free creative arts career consultation is delivered by our careers advice service, Solent Futures, which is available to all Solent students and graduates for life, helping you to progress in your current career or discuss options for a change in career.
  • This course is eligible for a Postgraduate Master's student loan from Student Finance England and can be used to cover costs (ie, accommodation, tuition fees) associated with postgraduate studies (it was up to £12,167 for 2023 entry).

Course overview

This course intends to produce designers and artists who aspire to be at the forefront of this new discipline. The programme of study supports creative investigations enabling you to enter critical dialogue, contributing original insights to the world of beauty ideals; the grotesque, gender politics, creature design and the changing face of body identity.

Based in our industry standard make-up, hair and prosthetics studios, you will work with both practice and theory, and be presented with the principles of speculative and critical design for future bodies using make-up, hair and prosthetics. Each scenario will allow you to explore the key themes of future focused thinking surrounding the dynamics shaping the body of tomorrow. By showing alternative futures are possible, you will learn how to prototype and demonstrate complex design and application concepts.

You will explore and develop creative application skills to generate an enhanced research and design proposal through envisioning new futures. Based on sub-cultures, cutting edge experiences, speculative design projects, biotechnology and even science fiction, your outcomes can materialise through studies, magazines, artefacts, film, digital and online platforms, objects and performances – culminating in an end of year postgraduate showcase.

Thanks to the course team’s close links with industry, you’ll benefit from a range of guest lectures from across the contemporary design landscape, with representatives from fashion, film, media, beauty and other creative industries. Recent speakers have included Terry Barber - MAC’s Director of Makeup Artistry, Pablo Rodriguez - Illamasqua’s Director of Make-up Artistry, Burton Nitta – Interdisciplinary Design Studio, Helen Casey – Deputy Head of Wigs, National Theatre, and Neill Gorton Studios.

You will also be encouraged to create industry collaborations and take up work placements throughout your studies, and will have opportunities to apply to work with our professional make-up teams at events such as London Fashion Week, Graduate Fashion Week and a range of TV, film and theatre productions.

MA Make-up and Hair Design Futures student, Annistasia Chandler recently shared her experience of studying a master's while juggling parenting, and told us of her plans after finishing the course. Read her story here.

Any questions?

Contact UK admissions

Email: admissions@solent.ac.ukCall: 023 8201 5066

Contact international admissions

Email: admissions.international@solent.ac.ukCall: +44 (0)23 8201 5066

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Course features

  • Specialist facilities

    This course has access to specialist facilities

  • Apply direct

    You can apply direct to Solent University for this course

  • Further studies

    After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent

  • Part-time option

    You can study this course part-time

This course is for

An undergraduate degree, or industry experience in make-up and hair design would be a technical advantage but your design thinking is more important, applications will be considered from individuals with diverse backgrounds.

Through the consideration of the environment, changing social needs, science, politics, sub-cultures, avant-garde experimentations and the dynamics of change regarding the body, these insights will inform design scenarios and research led speculations for the beauty, fashion, film and speculative design industries. There is also a strong emphasis on learning through making and interdisciplinary collaborations.

What this course leads to

After graduation, students can apply for career opportunities at various levels of the creative industries.

  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Film
  • Performance
  • Design futuring
  • Speculative design

Meet the team

The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.



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