The Open University Foundation Degree Innovative Practice in Hair, Beauty and Barbering

Level 5

The Open University Foundation Degree Innovative Practice in Hair, Beauty and Barbering

Level 5

Part-Time

26/27

OUFDHAIRBEAU

I would highly recommend this course to anyone in the beauty industry who wants to stand out from the crowd and learn the latest trends.

Nicole Wilson

Foundation Degree in Hair and Beauty Management

Overview

Develop your skills for a career in the creative and fast-moving Hair, Beauty and Barbering industry. This Foundation Degree is designed for students who want to progress beyond Level 3, refine advanced technical and professional skills, and build the confidence to succeed in a range of roles within the sector.

You will explore real-world client and business scenarios, develop an understanding of current and emerging industry trends, and build your professional identity through practical, industry-informed learning. The course also introduces key areas including sustainability, digital presence and employability, helping you prepare for a range of career opportunities, self-employment or progression to a top-up honours degree.

South West College is approved by The Open University as an appropriate organisation to offer higher education programmes leading to Open University validated awards.

The Open University regulations can be found at - Download Regulations for validated awards of the Open University

OU Student's Guide - Download the Open University Student Guide

You can download the full programme specification - Download the full programme specification

"This programme was successfully revalidated by The Open University in April 2026. Programme information, including programme title, curriculum content, module titles, and teaching and assessment strategies, have been updated as part of the revalidation process."

The programme’s modules provide a broad basis for innovative practice in Hair, Beauty and Barbering. Modules include Marketing and Academic Skills, Leadership and Team Dynamics, Social Media and Innovation, Principles of Sustainable Quality Management and Financial Literacy.

These are further supported by pathway-specialist technical modules in either the Beauty pathway or the Hairdressing and Barbering pathway, ensuring that you gain both technical depth and interdisciplinary breadth.

Assessment and learning activities provide opportunities to take a chosen project from inception through to completion, synthesising the knowledge and skills you develop across all modules.

This practical experience is designed to mirror current industry practice, enabling you to apply your learning to real-world scenarios and build essential teamwork and project delivery skills.

There is a strong focus on industry engagement, with live projects and industry visits. The Programme will involve attending lectures and seminars with lecturing staff. You will also have a weekly tutorial session with the Programme Director. Learning will be through a blended approach where learning is supported via the College VLE.

Year 1

Marketing and Academic Skills.
Leadership and Team Dynamics.
Social Media and Innovation. 
Pathway specific modules – (See optional modules).

Year 2

Principles of Sustainable Quality Management.
Financial Literacy.
Industry Engagement and Applied Research Skills.
Pathway specific modules – (See optional modules).

Year 3

Entrepreneurial Skills. 
Pathway specific modules – (See optional modules).
Work based learning - Mastering Salon Techniques.

Optionality is delivered through pathway choices (Beauty pathway or Hair & Barbering pathway) within the mandatory programme structure.

Beauty Pathway

Physiology of Ageing (Yr 1).
Professional Skin Chemical Peeling Practices (Yr 2).
Professional Skin Needling Practices (Yr 3).

Hairdressing and Barbering Pathway

Advanced Principles of Colour Correction (Yr 1).
Advance Techniques in Hair Smoothing and Strengthening (Yr 2).
Innovative Approaches to Hair and Scalp Health (Yr 3).

Who is it for? Students progressing from Level 3 Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy or Barbering (or equivalent), who want to develop higher-level skills in a supportive HE environment.

Applicants must be 18+ on admission (normally by 31 August in the year of entry).

Normally a Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy or Hairdressing (or equivalent recognised qualification in hairdressing/beauty).

GCSE English and Maths at grade minimum C/4 or above (or Essential Skills Level 2 Literacy and Numeracy).

Work placement in a salon is compulsory.

Applicants without formal requirements may be considered via Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

Assessment is designed to be authentic, creative and industry-relevant. Depending on module, you may complete essays, reports, case studies, research tasks, presentations, practical competency assessments, digital resource design, group assessments, interviews and reflective practice tasks. Practical performance and professional evidence are central across the programme.

Successful completion provides a clear progression route to the BA (Hons) Innovative Practice in Hair, Beauty and Barbering (Level 6 top-up).

Alternatively, students may have the opportunity to apply to other Colleges/Universities to complete their undergraduate degree or pursue a career within the industry specific sector.

This Foundation Degree is designed to support your progression within the Hair, Beauty and Barbering industry by helping you develop advanced technical, professional and industry-focused skills.

The course can support progression into a range of opportunities, including senior salon roles, self-employment, specialist practice, leadership/management, education/training, product development and wider creative industry opportunities, as well as entrepreneurship and business ownership (including launching a new business, starting your own salon, or developing a freelance practice). Graduates may also contribute strong digital marketing and social media skills to support business growth, client engagement and brand development.

2026/27 fees:

Part Time £300 per 20 credit module and £600 for 40-credit Work Based Learning Module.

Skills Focus funding may be available towards programme fees for eligible employers to up skill staff or for self-employed students. Please ask for further details.

You may also need to purchase course textbooks, uniform or attend optional trips during your studies and should budget for additional costs such as printing, photocopying and binding. These additional study costs are estimated to be approximately £100 per year.

Students are required to:

Comply with College policies and procedures, rules and regulations (available in your Higher Education Student Handbook, on-line via the College website: Policies, Reports and Strategies | South West College and on the College Virtual Learning Environment - VLE).

Submit all coursework and assessments by specified dates. Coursework submitted without consent after the deadline shall not normally be accepted.

Course content, delivery and assessment may be updated in line with validation requirements, quality assurance processes and industry developments. Places are subject to meeting entry requirements and successful application. Work placement is compulsory (see Entry Requirements). Operational details (fees, campus, timetable) will be confirmed by the College.

1 Available Session

* The fees quoted are per annum and are payable for each year of the course’s duration and are subject to additional examination fees as per fees policy.