Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen BA Welcome Pack
Welcome to BA Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen – September 2026.
The Hair, Make-Up and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen BA (Hons) is specifically designed to provide you with a varied practical skills-set to prepare you for a career within the make-up and special effects sector of the ever-growing creative industries. With a placement opportunity and a focus on the etiquettes of industry environments, the course has a strong employability focus.
Alongside practical and employability skills, the programme provides historical and cultural academic contextualisation of hair, make-up and prosthetics across a range of stage and screen contexts.
Course teaching, both practical and theoretical will be supplemented with guest speakers and special events which will give you key insights into the industries which you will be working in. Overall, this helps to provide students with industry relevant opportunities within their wider university experience and environment.
Your Course Leader
Laura Stonys
Senior Lecturer in Hair, Make-up and Prosthetics for Stage and Screen
Laura.stonys@northampton.ac.uk
As your Course Leader I will be on hand to advise on any programme related queries. This can include; your student experience, quality assurance, programme co-ordination and academic standards.
Additional staff
- I-Chun Hsiao, Senior Lecturer
- Luci Edden, Lecturer
- Harriet Bond, Technician Demonstrator
- Poppy Twigger, Technician Demonstrator
Welcome and Induction Sessions
In preparation for your course starting in September, we hold some online sessions beforehand so you can meet your Academic Team and other students studying the same course. These will be held on Wednesday 2 September. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Senior Lecturer I-Chun Hsiao: i-chun.hsiao@northampton.ac.uk
Wednesday 2nd September
Session: HMPSS Introduction; pre welcome week online orientation
- Time: 10 – 11.30am (BST)
- Link: https://eu.bbcollab.com/guest/413e934582f54ef09a424bb86ac866ae
Monday 21 September
Session 1: ‘Welcome to Hair, Makeup & Prosthetics for Stage & Screen’ with the full course team
- Time: 10am – 12pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: Welcome talk, campus tour, ice breaker activity and group timetables with full course team. Any special instructions: Note taking equipment required.
Session 2: ‘Getting to know You’ with your Personal Tutor with Laura Stonys
- Time: 1.15 -2.15pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: Personal Tutor (PT) Introduction, the role of your PT, student expectations, tutoring schedule, UON support systems.
Session 3: ‘Work placement expectations’ with Laura Stonys
- Time: 2.30 – 3.30pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: The work placement agreement and work experience at UON. Group allocation for Day 2 provided within this session.
Tuesday 22 September
Session 1: Welcome to UON with Senior Leadership Team
- Time: 9 – 9.30am (BST)
- Location: The Engine Shed, Waterside campus
Session 2, Group 1: ‘Health & Safety’ with Harriet Bond
- Time: 10am – 12pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: Studio agreement, Health and Safety measures, working in the studio, safe working practices
Session 2, Group 2: ‘Airbrush orientation and patch testing’ with I-Chun Hsiao & Poppy Twigger
- Time: 10am – 12pm (BST)
- Location: CH306, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session 3, Group 1: ‘Airbrush orientation and patch testing’ with I-Chun Hsiao & Poppy Twigger
- Time: 1 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: CH306, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session 3, Group 2: ‘Health & Safety’ with Harriet Bond
- Time: 1 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: Studio agreement, Health and Safety measures, working in the studio, safe working practices
Session 4: Groups 1 & 2 together: ‘Kit Allocation’ with Harriet Bond & Poppy Twigger
- Time: 3.30 – 4.30pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session Content: Kit labelling and locker etiquette.
Any special instructions: Label makers will be provided for you to add to your kit, however, please feel free to bring alternative methods to personalise and label your professional makeup kit.
Wednesday 23 September
Session 1: PAT 1-2-1’s with Laura Stonys
- Time: 9.30am – 12pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Please see schedule for details
Session 2: ‘Digital Orientation’ with I-Chun Hsiao
- Time: 1 – 2.30pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
‘Introduction to NILE, finding module reading lists, accessing online lessons, using the library resources/search functions, The Student Portal, self-referring and support systems – where to find digital support (tour).
Session 3: Students Union Introduction with I-Chun Hsiao
- Time: 2.45 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Thursday 24 September
Session 1: What’s this Theory all about?’ with Anthony Stepniak
- Time: 10 – 11.30am (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session 2: ‘Intimacy Co-Ordination in Creative Industries’ with Luci Edden
- Time: 1 – 2.30pm (BST)
- Location: CH305, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
*Mandatory Session and Training Session Content: Intimacy and guidelines to working in Intimacy Co-ordination. Students to complete the Consent Training during this session.
Session 3: Library Quest Induction
- Time: 2:45 – 3:45pm (BST)
- Location: Drop-In-Area, 2nd floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
Friday 25 September
A chance for you to independently explore Northampton, book into UON central induction sessions and get ready for week 1. Please enjoy your free day.
Equipment
The total cost of your UON Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics level four starter kit is £650. UON will contribute £300 per student towards this cost and you will be required to contribute the remaining £350 towards your kit. We will send you information about how to do this through our online shop before you arrive and during your first week.
Please note your kit is a starter bundle and you will be required to build this as you progress through your studies and into your professional career. We work closely with our kit suppliers to ensure they are diverse, of a high-quality and provide you with a range of fundamental items to get you ready for your studies and beyond.
Enhancing skills, building networks and engaging in the wider University community
Throughout your academic year there are a variety of extra-curricular opportunities for self-initiated networking. These provide you with an opportunity to engage in professional work practice, build your portfolio and expand your creative network.
As a course team, we actively work alongside complimentary degree courses such as Photography, Fashion Design, Acting & Drama, Journalism, Creative Film, Nursing and Paramedics to simulate real world scenarios for our students to engage in, this is fundamental to fostering a collaborative culture.
In addition to this, we are often contacted by local and national companies and our students have contributed to several events across the last academic year. All of the events enable students to build their technical and transferable skills and some of our involvements include Northampton Film Festival, Graduate Fashion Week, Rutland Musical Theatre Company, Northampton Musical Theatre Company, BBC Northampton, Pride Northampton, Born to Perform Performing Arts Group, STEAM Northants, Changemaker Awards and the Royal & Derngate Summer shows.
Educational trips and guest speakers are core to our teaching and learning strategy on the program as they enable students to engage in the wider makeup community and inspire their learning journey. Key trips have included The British Library, The Design Museum, Banbury Postiche and The Prosthetic Event.
Notable guest speakers who have contributed to the curriculum are Ve Neill (Oscar and BAFTA winning Hair and Makeup Designer), Donald Mowat (BAFTA winning Hair and Makeup Designer), Stuart Bray (Renowned Prosthetic and Digital Makeup Artist), Peter Tindall (Prosthetic Makeup Artist), Bridgette Ellwood (TV Makeup artist), Caroline Bell (Afro textured hair specialist), Mitchell Gough (Barber and Hairdresser) and James Campbell (Avant Garde Hair Designer).
