Cosmetology Course Information

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Cosmetology Course Description

Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 39-5012.00)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 12.0401)

The curriculum involves 1600 hours to satisfy Washington state requirements. The course includes extensive instruction and practical experience in cutting, hair coloring, perming, customer service, personal appearance and hygiene, personal motivation and development, retail skills, client record keeping, business ethics, sanitation, state laws and regulations, salon-type administration, and job interviewing.

*Graduates are prepared to become an entry level cosmetologist.

This course is taught in English. Textbooks and course materials are only offered in the English language.

Cosmetology Course Overview

Course Hours: 1600 clock hours

The course is divided into pre-clinical classroom instruction and clinical service learning experiences.

  1. Pre-clinical Classroom Instruction: The first 210 hours are devoted to classroom workshops where students learn design principles, technical information, and professional practices.
  2. Clinic Learning Experience: The remaining 1390 hours are spent in the clinic classroom where practical experience is gained.
  3. Distance Education Learning Experience: Students enrolled in the program with distance education will complete a portion of their education through online learning.

Cosmetology Course Outline

Your time at Paul Mitchell The School Richland for the cosmetology program will be divided into six (6) designations:

  1. Core Curriculum: A 210-hour orientation, known as the Core program, instills the basic fundamentals. Students are graded and evaluated using written, oral, and practical testing methods. Students must successfully complete the Core curriculum prior to attending regularly scheduled daily classes in cutting, coloring, permanent waving, and chemical texture services.
  2. Protégé Learning Experience: Your experience as a Protégé produces a smooth transition from Core student to Adaptive student. You spend 70 hours as a Protégé preparing you for the clinic classroom experience.
  3. Clinic Learning Experience: Your clinic time from 280 to 1600 hours will be guided with individual attention and group learning experiences using workshops, monthly worksheets, and periodic tests developed specifically for this monitoring progress. This is when you begin working on paying clients in the clinic classroom area.
  4. Classroom Learning Experience: Your classroom time from 280 to 1600 hours is divided into five (5) areas: cutting, coloring, texture, makeup, and nails. Each area has a specialist in the field who conducts the different specialty classes once a week; these may include guest artists, retail, motivation, self-improvement, nail artistry, makeup, etc.
  5. Adaptive Curriculum: From 280 to 800 hours, you will enter a new phase of specialty classroom workshops coupled with challenging practical services designed to continue building you into a beauty industry professional.
  6. Creative Curriculum: You will spend your last 800 hours at Paul Mitchell The School Richland in “high gear” by dressing, acting, and working like a beauty industry professional. You will use your own artistic and creative abilities, coupled with the assistance of the Learning Leaders, to prepare yourself for your future beauty industry career.

Cosmetology Course Subjects

The instructional program of Paul Mitchell The School Richland meets or exceeds the state requirements. The following subjects are taught within the brick & mortar program and the hybrid program:

Subject Practical Application Theory Hours
1. Shampooing, including draping, brushing, scalp manipulations, conditioning, and rinsing 20 20
2. Hair cutting and trimming, including scissor, razor, thinning shears, and clippers 80 150
3. Hair styling, including wet, dry, and thermal styling; braiding; and styling aids 240 100
4. Hair and scalp analysis and treatment 10 10
5. Manicuring and pedicuring: at least 100 hours of skill in the application of manicuring and pedicuring 20 100
6. Artificial hair, including extensions and fittings 5 15
7.  Esthetics: at least 100 hours of skills in the application of esthetics services 20 100
8. Temporary hair removal: Cutting and trimming of facial hair, including beard and mustache design and eyebrow, ear, and  nose hair trimming 30 10
9. Chemical relaxing, including sectioning, strand test, and relaxer application 25 30
10.  Sanitation, including disinfecting the work station, equipment, and tools, and proper storage of linens 10 5
11. Permanent waving, including sectioning, wrapping, pre-perm test curl, solution application, processing test curl, and neutralizing 50 140
12. Hair coloring and bleaching, including predisposition test and strand test, and measurement, mixing, application, and removal of chemicals 80 140
13. First aid as it relates to cosmetology, barbering, manicuring, and esthetic application 0 5
14.  Safety, including proper use and storage of chemicals, implements and electrical appliances 0 5
15. Diseases and disorders of the scalp, hair, and nails 0 5
16. Additional hours 170 5
TOTAL HOURS 760 840

The institution offers employment assistance to help graduates’ efforts to secure education-related employment that includes, but is not limited to training in professionalism, resume’ development, job interview preparation and job search skills.

Distance Education hours and assignments are graded and recorded daily. Theory chapter exams, final exams and final practical evaluations must completed in the school facility.

Cosmetology Program Testing and Grading Procedure

The following tests and grading procedures are used to assess student learning and mastery of course content in the 1600-hour course:

  1. Academic theory exams: Students must receive a grade of 75% or higher on each assigned theory exam. Exams are completed at the conclusion of each online theory module. Depending on the length of the distance education module, theory exams will occur weekly or bi-monthly. The theory
    exams will evaluate the student’s academic performance for each subject of the distance education curriculum.
  2. Core written and practical skills evaluation: Students must receive a grade of 75% or higher on each written exam and each practical skill exam in order to complete the Core program. The exams are an overview of instruction taught during the Core schedule. All Core written and practical skill
    exams must be passed with a 75% in order to transition to the Clinic Classroom. If students are unable to pass each exam after two attempts, the student may be asked to withdraw from the program and re-enroll in the next available Core class start date. The core written and practical skills evaluation must be completed within the school facility and cannot be taken through distance education.
  3. Final exam 1: This test covers an overview of all related cosmetology subjects (e.g., anatomy, chemistry, etc.). Students must receive a grade of 75% or higher on all final exams. Final Exam 1 must be completed within the school facility and cannot be taken through distance education.
  4. Final exam 2: The written exam covers an overview of all theory instruction, Washington state law, and other items covered on the state cosmetology exam. Students must receive a grade of 75% or higher on all final exams. Final Exam 2 must be completed within the school facility and cannot be
    taken through distance education.
  5. Clinic Practical Skill Assessments: Future Professionals progress in practical skill assessments and theory hours will be digitally monitored on a weekly basis by the Future Professional Advisor using the CourseKey app. All assigned practical skill assessments must be completed in order to complete the program.
  6. Distance education assessments: Students must complete a distance education written assessment and practical skill assessment. These are based on performance and must be completed on-campus each month. The distance education assessment will focus on the distance education subjects covered during that time period. Students must receive a grade of 75% or higher on each distance education written assessment and each practical skill assessment. Only students enrolled in the distance education program are required to complete these assessments.

Cosmetology instructional techniques and methods

The programs are provided through a sequential set of learning steps which address specific tasks necessary for State Board preparation, graduation and job entry level skills. Clinic equipment, implements and products are comparable to those used in the industry. Each student will receive instruction that relates to the performance of useful, creative and productive career oriented activities. The course is presented through well-developed lesson plans that reflect the latest
educational methods. Subjects are presented by means of lecture, demonstration, distance education, and student participation. Audio-visual aids, guest speakers, field trips, and other related learning methods are used in the course.

In order to enroll in the hybrid program of study, the Future Professional must have the following hardware, software, and network requirements:

  1. Apple iPad
  2. 2 mbps up and 6 mbps down
  3. Pivot Point
  4. Safari
  5. Zoom