The Theatre Arts: Makeup Certificate of Achievement program prepares students for entry-level and apprentice employment as professional makeup artists, for the stage, film or television environments. The program focuses on a hands-on approach to the study of materials, terminology, health and safety issues, and technical skills required for dramatic productions.

Depending on natural talent and industry needs, students can enter the industry directly from this program. However, most certificate students wishing to pursue professional makeup careers must continue to build their resumes through substantial work experience. Students wishing to pursue a career as makeup technicians in the creation of prosthetic appliances and special effects for film and television must transfer to a trade school for additional training. Students interested in becoming wig and hair technicians will also need to obtain a cosmetology license. The Theatre Arts: Makeup Certificate of Achievement provides students with the basic skills and techniques necessary to successfully start any of these career paths. Certificate students who also wish to pursue an Associate of Arts degree and/or four-year degree are encouraged to meet with a counselor.

Students wishing to advance in the field must be prepared to market their skills and work as a freelance artists. The job prospects in this field are great for those willing and available to travel. Most entry-level positions are offered at low pay. However, hard work and strong contacts are key to a lucrative and exciting career in all venues theatre, opera, television and film.

The Theatre Arts certificate training programs are unique in that they offer five areas of emphasis: Acting, Costuming, Makeup, Stagecraft, and Theatre Management. This one to two-year intensive vocational training program examines, through lecture, demonstration, and application, the tools and techniques required to succeed in professional theatre and related entertainment industry positions. Introductory and advanced courses are designed to familiarize the student with the theory and practice of theatrical production while participating in a 5-show production-oriented program.

At the heart of the certificate, the curriculum is a collaborative relationship between faculty, staff, guest artists, and students that helps students develop while producing professional quality theatre. Courses cover a broad spectrum of related disciplines to further enrich the learning experience and provide a strong foundation of knowledge. Students have also been instructed in the basics of self-marketing as well as an audition, interview, resume and portfolio preparation and presentation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:

1. Analyze and interpret appropriate styles, color, and texture choices for a scripted character;
2. Apply fundamental techniques of makeup and hair application when participating in the backstage functions of a performance;
3. Demonstrate basic skills in one or more of the following areas of specialization:

• Appropriate skin care analysis
• Creation of character makeup by application of highlight and lowlight painting techniques
• Three-dimensional prosthetic techniques
• Facial hair application
• Wig and hair styling;

4. Work collaboratively with other theater professionals and contribute basic artistic knowledge of Costume and Makeup Design;
5. Integrate knowledge of theatre history and literature when designing and/or applying stage makeup; and
6. Perform for the stage at a beginning level using fundamental techniques of voice, movement, and the actor's craft.