Skip to main content Skip to site utility navigation Skip to main site navigation Skip to site search Skip to footer
Menu

Beauty and spa programs

A hair stylist is seen spraying hair spray on a client's hair in a salon.
Cosmetology
An aesthetician is seen giving a client a facial in a spa.
Esthetics and Spa Therapies

A great haircut or an hour in the spa chair can change how someone feels about their whole day. If that kind of work calls to you - the artistry, the client relationships, the pride of a job well done - a career in hairstyling or esthetics puts you at the centre of it. You'll train in NSCC's on-campus salons and spa-style esthetic labs, work with real clients under instructor supervision, and graduate ready to write the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia licensing exam.

Find a program that fits your interests

Help people feel confident and cared for. Build a hands-on career around creativity and personal service. If hairstyling and colour or skin care and spa treatments appeal to you, you're in the right place to choose between them.

Cosmetology
Build your skills as a hairstylist through 100 hours of salon experience under a Master Cosmetologist. Graduate ready to write the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia licensing exam and work independently anywhere in the province.

Esthetics and Spa Therapies
Build your skills in skin and nail care, facials, hair removal and spa services through two supervised practicums delivering treatments to clients in our on-campus spa. You graduate ready to write the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia licensing exam.

A student in a blue hat sits outside holding a tablet.

Apply now

Ready to take the next step? Learn about the application process and apply today, or contact us with questions:

902-491-4911
1-866-679-6722 (toll-free in Canada and the USA)
 

Why choose NSCC for beauty and spa programs?

  • Real clients, real practice. Both programs put you in front of actual clients in supervised, on-campus salons and spa-style esthetic labs - including public-facing student salons like Beyond the Mirror at Pictou Campus and the Sydney Waterfront Campus Salon.
  • A recognized path to licensure. These programs are recognized by the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia, and graduates who pass the CANS exam are licensed to work in Nova Scotia.
  • Instructors active in the industry. Cosmetology instructors compete and judge at the provincial, national and international level, and students have the opportunity to take part in Skills Nova Scotia, Skills Canada and Carnival of Beauty.
  • Room to keep growing. Your hairstyling training includes the province’s only Men's Method course, with opportunities to continue into esthetics, nail technology, eyelash technology or makeup artistry after graduation.

Explore our programs

We offer more than 120 programs grouped by area of interest to help you explore and decide on the right fit for your future. Explore all NSCC programs by areas of interest

Top