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Take your creative and technical skills to the next level with our MA Creative Practice (Prosthetics Makeup Pathway). The creative industries continue to expand across the UK, with film, television, theatre and live performance generating sustained demand for highly skilled makeup and prosthetics practitioners. This master’s degree provides an opportunity to develop advanced specialist skills in makeup prosthetics, character design and applied creative practice, preparing graduates to contribute confidently to a dynamic and evolving creative sector.
TYPICAL OFFER
BA/BSc (Hons) degree: 2:2 or better in a relevant subject.
International qualifications: International qualifications will be assessed against these criteria
IELTS: IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any component.
Mature applicants: University Centre Leeds welcomes applications from mature* applicants who may not have met the academic criteria, but who can demonstrate a wealth of experience in their chosen field. Candidates in this category and otherwise are likely to be interviewed to assess their suitability for the course and may be asked to provide a portfolio of evidence to support their application.
*21 years and over at the start of the course
RPL claims: The course structure actively supports claims for Recognition of Prior Certified Learning (RPCL) or Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL).
Part Time: Students for part time study are required to hold a full level 3 qualification or the equivalent experience in a relevant subject and will need to be working in the sector.
The MA Creative Practice (Makeup Prosthetics Pathway) is a modular, practice-led postgraduate programme for graduates seeking to develop advanced specialist skills in makeup and prosthetics.
Throughout the course, you will enhance your practical expertise, refine your creative and professional identity, and strengthen your employability within the creative sectors to include film, television, galleries, theatre, and other related creative industries. Industry-informed learning supports professional networking and career development.
The programme promotes critical reflection and research-informed practice, enabling you to define a clear creative direction. Graduates are well prepared for freelance work, employment within creative organisations, or progression to further academic study.
Applications are welcomed from graduates in Art, Make-up, Special Effects, Film, Theatre, Games, Photography, and related creative disciplines. Strong technical skills are expected, alongside a willingness to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary environment.
This course is validated by The Open University
BLANK_ working Art Gallery
BLANK_ is an online project space with an accompanying publication that showcases new contemporary creative practice in Leeds. There are plenty of opportunities for MA students to be involved, including assisting artists and technicians with online curation, in-person launch events, publishing work and networking with other practitioners.
Find out more about BLANK_ here https://www.blank.org.uk/
Apply directly to University Centre Leeds.
If you intend to apply for a Postgraduate course at University Centre Leeds, you should apply via our online direct application form.
To access your account again and complete your application, use the second link provided in your verification email.
Please Note: The 'Apply direct' link works for direct applications to this course only. For each course you wish to apply for, you will need to find the course on our website and use the ‘Apply direct’ button on the correct page for that course.
Modules may include:
Creative Studio (20 credits)
This module allows the student to test a range of practical ideas to explore topics for final resolution. The Creative Studio Module invites students to critically engage with their own creative practice and to situate their work within the creative industries. In this module students will consider the relationship between their creative practice and other contemporary practitioners to demonstrate the breadth of practical investigations.
Advanced Character Design and Sculpture for Prosthetics (optional Prosthetics Makeup pathway module) (20 credits)
This module aims to enable students to investigate and apply advanced face-casting, sculpting, and prosthetic design techniques through a combination of research-led inquiry and hands-on experimentation.
It develops students’ proficiency in both digital and traditional methodologies, supporting the effective realisation of the life-casting and sculptural phases of a prosthetic character design project.
The module also encourages the thoughtful integration of inclusive, culturally sensitive, and identity-aware principles within both conceptual and technical processes, fostering informed and imaginative design decisions that contribute to meaningful storytelling in screen and performance contexts.
Advanced Character Prosthetics Moulding, Casting and Application (optional Prosthetics Makeup pathway module) (40 credits)
This module enables students to realise advanced prosthetic character designs by integrating 3D digital technologies with contemporary moulding and casting practices. Through the application of industry-relevant processes and emerging technologies, students will develop sophisticated technical, conceptual, and professional competencies aligned with current professional standards.
Students will select and employ materials most appropriate to their individual projects, utilising 3D-printed cores and progressing from traditional two-part moulds to safer than fibre-glass alternatives such as the A1 system, alongside epoxy resins and doughs. A range of prosthetic materials, including encapsulated silicone, bondo, and gelatine, will be explored and tested to support innovation, experimentation, and informed material decision-making.
Industry Project (40 credits)
Students will have the opportunity to develop a rigorous understanding of current issues or problems within a given industry context by working on a live brief with a company/employer. They will have the opportunity to experience the complexities of working as part of a creative team whilst also engaging with the focus and priorities of industry professionals, companies or employers to produce an agreed practical output.
Contemporary Cultural Studies (30 credits)
Contemporary Cultural Studies is a forward-thinking module that provides graduates with the opportunity to position themselves, and their practice, within contemporary culture. Students will be encouraged to make creative connections between contemporary culture, its historical foundations, conflicts, and contingencies, allowing students to develop projects vertically and laterally across and between traditional subject boundaries.
Major Project (60 credits)
Whether working in a cultural or commercial context, as a creative practitioner you will create large scale projects that need to engage an audience. The Major Project module provides the opportunity for students to create an ambitious extended practical project for public display that reflects the students’ individual creative practice, critical concerns, and professional identity.
This is a practical programme, and many of the assessments are practical submissions, either through the submission of a portfolio or via an exhibition. Throughout the programme you will be asked to produce presentations and written tasks.
Step into creativity at our newly built Mabgate Campus, designed to support animators and digital artists. You’ll have access to Mac suites, industry-standard software, TV and photography studios, recording facilities, and drawing tablets, everything you need to develop, experiment, and bring your animated ideas to life in a professional environment.
You will have access to a Creative Arts library on campus, where specialist literature and journals are found. Our academic librarian can support you with your academic and research skills. There’s also a Creative Arts exhibition space, that’s used by local artists to exhibit their work. This space is used for launch nights and networking events, allowing you to work alongside contemporary artists while learning the process of exhibiting. This will enable you to expand your network in Leeds’ creative community and to exhibit your own work.
Following this programme, you can progress into a career in the creative industry or further study.
Job opportunities may include:
You will develop the following skills:
Specialist creative and technical skills
Plus, you’ll have the benefits of:
TYPICAL OFFER
BA/BSc (Hons) degree: 2:2 or better in a relevant subject.
International qualifications: International qualifications will be assessed against these criteria
IELTS: IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any component.
Mature applicants: University Centre Leeds welcomes applications from mature* applicants who may not have met the academic criteria, but who can demonstrate a wealth of experience in their chosen field. Candidates in this category and otherwise are likely to be interviewed to assess their suitability for the course and may be asked to provide a portfolio of evidence to support their application.
*21 years and over at the start of the course
RPL claims: The course structure actively supports claims for Recognition of Prior Certified Learning (RPCL) or Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL).
Part Time: Students for part time study are required to hold a full level 3 qualification or the equivalent experience in a relevant subject and will need to be working in the sector.
For the latest version of The Open University regulations please click here.
Materials for resources and trips
You will attend an interview and will have a portfolio review.
To apply directly to study at University Centre Leeds as an international applicant, please see the direct apply link further up this page or visit our 'How to apply' page and complete the steps.
You can also apply through UCAS.
For more information please visit our 'How to apply' page.
Course fees for Undergraduates are £15,000 (GBP)
Scholarship available £3,000 (GBP) all courses.
For more information about fees and scholarships, please click here.
Please see our entry requirements page for additional requirements as an international student
International students will study 5 additional hours on top of the regular timetable.
For more information about visa and immigration, please click here.
Our online and in-person Open Events give you a chance to hear from tutors, discover the range of student support available, and find out for yourself why University Centre Leeds has the highest rating for student satisfaction in the city (NSS 2025).
Open Days
Want to find out more about the wide range of courses, student support and more available for students at University Centre Leeds?
Access your University Centre Leeds Prospectus now.
