Course Name:  Cosmetology-Basic 1500 Hour Program

Course Description:  Professional’s Choice Hair Design Academy is a school of cosmetology that has a primary purpose of educating students in both theory and practical experience designed to prepare graduates for the licensing examination and for profitable employment opportunities.
This course is particularly devoted toward developing desirable work habits and attitudes with respect to health, sanitation and safety, and encourages self-reliance, readiness to assist others and an ethical approach to the cosmetology profession.  Students are trained in all phases of the industry including hair, skin and nails, men, women, and children.

Course Goals: 
The goals of our basic cosmetology program are as follows:

• To educate students in both theory and practical experience providing information in all phases of cosmetology.
• To prepare students to successfully pass the Illinois State Board examination.  This examination is currently 100 question multiple choice and is given at any designated testing location through Continental Testing Service.
• To prepare students to work in a professional hairstyling salon as a licensed cosmetologist.
• To perform in cosmetology-related occupations.
• To develop good sound ethical work habits, develop employer/employee relationships and efficient communication skills.

Course Format:
 The following instructional techniques and methods are used to assist you in your learning activities at Professional’s Choice:

• Lecture
• Practical Demonstration
• Audio-Visual Materials
• Practical and Theory worksheets and projects
• Illustrations (Charts & Drawings)
• Written & Practical Evaluations

Grading Procedures & Required Levels of Achievement:
An examination will be given to each student immediately following each course of study taught.  Each student must achieve a 75% or higher to be in compliance with mastery of the subject.  The following grading scale shall apply:

Clinical activities will be evaluated through day to day tasks assigned to each student.  Progress books will be turned in an evaluated on a regular basis to see what type of productivity has been made. Students are expected to complete 5 assignments a week based on client volume.   Attitude, appearance, client relations, and general skill will be evaluated on a scale that rates the following:

Upon completion of 160 hours of your basic program, you will than be on the clinic floor for the morning hours and in class completing your basics curriculum in the afternoon.  Once all basics subjects have been completed and you have passed both your written exams and practical evaluations for each course of study, you will than progress to a full-time clinic floor student, where you will complete one hour of theory and spend the remainder of the day working on our clients and completing daily assignments (progress book).  Under no circumstances can any student be pulled from theory class to work on the clinic floor.  Students will be given approximately 2 evaluations from the time basics is complete until the final exam is given.

Upon approaching the last month of your education, and upon completion of all subject matter successfully, you will be given a written and practical examination.  An 85% or higher must be achieved to be in compliance and mastery of the cosmetology program. It is as this point that you are ready for graduation from our school and prepared to take the Illinois State Cosmetology Exam for licensing.  In addition, once a student reaches 1200 hours, they are required to attend a review class.  The class takes place on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:00- 5:00 P.M.  This is to better prepare you to take your state exam.

Content of Units of Instruction:
The following is a list of subjects to be taught during your 1500 hour training program with our school, as broken down by the Illinois State Board.

• Basic Training:  150 hours of classroom instruction in general theory and practical application shall be provided which shall include a minimum of the following subject areas:  Tools and their use, shampoo, understanding chemicals and use, types of hair, sanitation, hygiene, skin disease and conditions, anatomy and physiology, electricity, ethics, nail technology, and esthetics.   
• Practical Chemical Applications & Hair Treatments:  500 hours of instruction, which shall be a combination of classroom instruction and hands on experience, shall be provided in the following subject areas:  Chemical safety, permanent waving, hair coloring, tinting & bleaching, hair relaxing, hair & scalp conditioning and shampooing, toning and rinsing.
• Hair Styling/ Hair Dressing:  475 hours of instruction in hair styling, which shall be a combination of classroom instruction and hands on experience, shall be provided in the following subject areas:  Cutting, thinning, shaping, trimming, application of electrical/mechanical equipment, curling, hair treatments and marcelling.
• Shop Management, Sanitation & Interpersonal Relations:  200 hours of classroom instruction shall be provided in the following subject areas:  Labor law, worker’s compensation, client relations, book keeping, marketing and merchandising, emergency first aid, right to know laws, pertinent state and local laws and rules, business ethics, sanitation, electrical devices , personal grooming and hygiene.
• Ethics:  85 hours of instruction shall be provided in the following subject areas:  Analyzing, cleansing and toning, massage techniques, basic make-up application, waxing and tweezing, health care and attractiveness of the skin.

Nail Technology:  55 hours of instruction shall be provided in the following areas:  Manicures, pedicures, sculptured nails and tips.

Electives:  35 hours needed

Attendance:  All students are expected to attend classes and to be involved in the learning process.  All students are expected to attend school on the days and times agreed upon and stated on your enrollment agreement.  Students are expected to be prepared with all textbooks and equipment necessary for completion of each unit of study.   (Please see your Rules & Regulations and Satisfactory Progress for specifics.)

Texts:  As of the update of this course outline, Professional’s Choice is currently using the following textbook and workbook:

• Milady Standard Cosmetology 2008
• Milady Standard Cosmetology Theory & Practical Workbook 2008
• Paul Mitchell Core Cutting Guide 2006

Supplemental materials used to aid your education are:

• Paul Mitchell Core Cutting DVD Series
• Angus Mitchell Eclipse Collections
• Martin Parsons’s Up-Do Collections
• American Crew Men’s Cutting Collection
• Medical Dictionary
• Michael Cole Learning Series
• Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients and Technical Terms

Diplomas, Certificates, & Awards:  Upon completion of the cosmetology program, the following items can be achieved:

• Professional’s Choice Hair Design Academy Diploma
• Perfect Attendance Award
• Honor Roll Certificate

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