Purpose

The Esthetics & Spa Therapy Certificate program prepares students for employment in the esthetics field of the spa industry by providing them with authentic learning experiences to develop the knowledge, skills, and professionalism to be successful in the industry. The Esthetics & Spa Therapy Certificate provides knowledge and practical experience to launch a career in this ever-changing industry. Constantly evolving curriculum and instruction help to ensure graduates have a competitive edge to succeed in the spa business or other related fields.

Duration

The Esthetics & Spa Therapy Certificate Program is 10 months in length and is offered in a progression of 3 courses. The program is offered three days per week: Monday to Wednesday or Thursday to Saturday. The maximum time to complete this program is 2 years.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Practice skin and body therapies in accordance with safety, hygiene, and sanitation standards and regulations.

2. Describe human anatomy, physiology and chemical composition specific to concerns relating to nail, skin, body, and hair removal treatments.

3. Perform spa treatments based on client consultation, skin analysis and nutritional needs.

4. Apply the principles of colour and design to lash, brow and specialized makeup techniques.

5. Perform in an ethical and professional manner conducive to spa environments.

6. Apply retail business administration practices and marketing techniques for operating a spa.

Admission Requirements

English 10 or Academic IELTS 5.5 overall (no band less than 5.0) or TOEFL iBT 68 or equivalent.

Applicants who do not meet the program admission requirements may be admitted based on an interview with the Department Leader or representative.

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
ESTH 1101	Esthetics & Spa Therapy 1	16
ESTH 1201	Esthetics & Spa Therapy 2	16
ESTH 1301	Esthetics & Spa Therapy 3	7
Total Credits		39

This guide is intended as a general guideline only. The college reserves the right to make changes as appropriate.

Evaluation of Student Learning

Students are evaluated throughout the program on their theoretical and practical skills using a combination of assignments, projects, and exams. Instructors assess students on their practical skills in the VCC Salon and Spa using day-to-day observation and practical assessment guides.

Students are required to achieve a minimum of 70% in all courses including theory and practical assessments. Students who do not achieve 70% in all theoretical exams are given the opportunity to rewrite a maximum of two (2) theory exams per course.

Students not achieving a minimum of 70% in both the theory and practical exams in a course will not be allowed to progress to the next course. 

Upon successful completion of this program, the student will receive an Esthetics & Spa Therapy Certificate. Students who complete both the VCC Hairstylist Certificate and the VCC Esthetics & Spa Therapy Certificate are eligible to receive a VCC Diploma in Cosmetology. 

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior learning assessment and recognition is not available for this program.

Transcript of Achievement

The evaluation of learning outcomes for each student is prepared by the instructor and reported to the Student Records Department at the completion of semesters.

The transcript typically shows a letter grade for each course. The grade point equivalent for a course is obtained from letter grades as follows:

Grading Standard

Transcript of Achievement

Grade	Percentage	Description	Grade Point Equivalency
A+	96-100		4.33
A	91-95		4.00
A-	86-90		3.67
B+	81-85		3.33
B	76-80		3.00
B-	70-75		2.67
F	0-69	Failing Grade	0.00
S	70 or greater	Satisfactory – student has met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
U		Unsatisfactory – student has not met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
I		Incomplete	N/A
IP		Course in Progress	N/A
W		Withdrawal	N/A
Course Standings
R		Audit. No Credits	N/A
EX		Exempt. Credit Granted	N/A
TC		Transfer Credit	N/A

Grade Point Average (GPA)

1. The course grade points shall be calculated as the product of the course credit value and the grade value.

2. The GPA shall be calculated by dividing the total number of achieved course grade points by the total number of assigned course credit values. This cumulative GPA shall be determined and stated on the Transcript at the end of each Program level or semester.

3. Grades shall be assigned to repeated courses in the same manner as courses taken only once. For the purpose of GPA calculation of grades for repeated courses, they will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.