Cosmetic Science with Integrated Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

This is a four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Cosmetic Science course with an integrated foundation year. Gain expertise in the formulation and manufacture of cosmetic, fragrance and personal care products. Join an exciting and growing industry that offers creative and scientific careers and generates billions of pounds a year.

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Learning, teaching and assessment in 2021/22

Overview

This course introduces relevant aspects of chemistry, physiology and dermatology as well as the regulatory marketing and business framework for cosmetics. You’ll also be introduced to the principles of formulation, with an emphasis on those related to cosmetics.

During the second year, you will undertake a more in-depth exploration of formulation, dermatology and professional practice in the cosmetic industry. This will include the importance of colour in these formulations and the differences between industrial and lab scale manufacture.

The final year culminates in a science-led project that can be tailored to your interests. Through the project you will demonstrate your capacity to address a particular issue in a rigorous, research-enabled way. The project can be linked to your placement or other work experience, making it a useful way of catching the attention of potential employers.

Why us?

Make extensive use of the advanced technology and laboratory infrastructure in our Sciences Complex
We encourage you to apply for an optional 1-year placement between year 2 and 3
The University has over 100 years of expertise in teaching science

Teaching at Sunderland is kept fully up-to-date through our strong links with employers who help guide the content of the course
A unique curriculum which captures all aspects of Cosmetic Science

Course structure

In year one you will become familiar with the range of raw materials, cosmetic formulations and formulation techniques in the cosmetics field.

This will then feed into your year two modules where your knowledge and formulation skills will build up to the formulation and quality control of specific cosmetic products. In your final year you will study modules which involve the design of more challenging and sophisticated formulations, awareness of formulation protocols and the use of statistics in formulation design.

During the course you will also become aware of the diverse global legislative and regulatory framework surrounding cosmetics and perfumes, and acquire fundamental knowledge of the physiology of the skin, eye, nail, oral cavity and hair, alongside the role of the endocrine system.

Foundation Year

The Integrated Foundation Year for Pharmaceutical Sciences includes five modules:

Essential Study Skills (20 credits)
Practical Numeracy Skills (20 credits)
Foundations of Science (40 credits)
Foundation Project (20 credits)
Chemistry for Pharmaceutical Science (20 credits)

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Introduction to Chemistry Principles in Cosmetic Science (30 credits)
Introduction to Physiology (30 credits)
Introduction to Cosmetic Formulations and Perfumes (30 credits)
Introduction to Regulation / Legislation of Cosmetic Products (30 credits)

Year 2 (national level 5):

Formulation and Quality by Design of Cosmetics and Perfumes (30 credits)
Manufacture and Quality Control of Cosmetics and Perfumes (30 credits)
Industrial and Professional Practice in the Cosmetics Industry (30 credits)
Dermatology (30 credits)

Optional placement year

Optional year on placement in the cosmetics industry

Final year (national level 6):

Advanced Cosmetic Formulations (30 credits)
Research Methods and Professional Practice (30 credits)
Research Project (30 credits)
Regulatory Aspects and Quality Management (30 credits)

A key aspect of your course is the development of your knowledge and understanding around the key themes of formulation, legislation, and physiology.

Based in the Sciences Complex, the Analytical Lab has high-end analytical equipment, including UV, Fluorescence, Infrared and Atomic Absorption Spectrometers, as well as specialist equipment such as Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometers and Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer, which enable analysis of complex mixtures.
Analytical Lab
Analytical Lab 360
Our Cosmetic Science labs are equipped with all the necessary equipment for the formulation of solid (e.g. eye shadow), semisolid (e.g. creams, gels, lipsticks etc) and liquid products (e.g. face toner, foundation); material characterisation equipment (e.g. rheometer, DSC, tensile strength for hair, microscopy (SEM and polarised), FTIR, HPLC etc; and claim substantiation equipment for measuring skin properties (e.g. TEWL, skin elasticity, hydration, surface texture, sebum content, Sun Protection Factor (SPF)).
Cosmetic Science Labs
The University boasts a collection of more than 430,000 books in total, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. There are nearly 9,000 journal titles, mostly in electronic format. Each year the University invests around £1 million in new resources. As a student, you will have access to a huge range of online databases such as:

British National Formulary:
Compiled with the advice of clinical experts, the British National Formulary (BNF) provides up-to-date guidance on prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines.

The British Pharmacopoeia:
The British Pharmacopoeia (BP) is the authoritative collection of quality standards for UK medicines and is an essential reference for anyone involved in pharmaceutical R&D, manufacture, testing and regulation.

CINAHL:
CINAHL with Full Text is the world’s most comprehensive source of full text for nursing & allied health journals, providing full text for more than 600 journals indexed in CINAHL.

The Cochrane Library:
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.

PubMed Central:
PubMed Central is a service of the US National Library of Medicine that includes over 25 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles and includes links to full text articles and other related resources.

ScienceDirect:
ScienceDirect is a leading full-text scientific database offering journal articles and book chapters covering physical sciences, life sciences, health sciences, and social sciences and humanities.
Library Services - pharmacy, health and wellbeing
Multi-Functional Lab 360
The Sciences Complex is based on our City Campus. It has benefited from multi-million pound investment in modern facilities in recent years and continues to develop as our health sciences offer grows.

It is the central hub for many of our health and sciences courses and is made up of a variety of teaching and learning spaces, including labs, problem-based learning classrooms and facilities that encourage interprofessional learning. A lot of academic staff offices are based here, with an open-door policy in place.
The Sciences Complex
Map and directions

Facilities

Sunderland's exceptional facilities include excellent laboratories and cutting-edge equipment thanks to a multi-million pound investment.

This includes a human anatomy resource, a new state of the art clinical skills suite and bioscience laboratories and a patient simulation suite/theatre.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.

Eligible entry qualifications:

1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE or equivalent), including Maths and English at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses or equivalent)
OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.

If you are unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!

** If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you are able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.

If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.

If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.

Please note, this course is not available to international students.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

As a Cosmetic Science graduate, you'll have a wide range of employment options in the cosmetic, fragrance and personal care industries.

Career options

Cosmetic scientists can earn starting salaries of around £20,000, moving up to over £50,000 a year for senior chemist and R&D managerial roles. You could also explore positions in business, sales and marketing. With the sector thriving in the UK, cosmetic science is a great area to qualify in for those that want creative and diverse career options in science.

Career opportunities include research and development, perfumery, marketing and product claims and media and TV.

Meet the students

I secured the placement at Bria to get that practical experience and they asked me to come back.

Paige Fearn
Our lecturers are very supportive and always willing to give advice and help whenever we need it.

Sabrina Baharin

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing.

Page last updated: 21 September 2021

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Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Foundation Year

Year 1 (national level 4):

Year 2 (national level 5):

Final year (national level 6):

Facilities

Entry requirements

Fees and finance

Career ready

Career options

Meet the students

Paige Fearn

Sabrina Baharin

Related courses

Contact

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