Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy

What is the Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy?

The objective of the OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy qualification is to develop your skills as a beauty therapist to a high level of occupational ability to enable you to provide beauty therapy treatments.

This is a technical level qualification designed to extend your knowledge and develop your practical beauty therapy skills to learn to the NOS standards which have been mapped to the treatment procedures in the beauty industry. Learners will attain the knowledge, skills, and competence to provide treatments safely and appropriately.

The mandatory units cover a range of advanced treatments and essential skills and the legal practice, which include: 

• Health and safety and legal practice in the salon
• Client care and communication
• Facial Electrical Treatments
• Body Electrical Treatments
• Body Massage

The selection of the optional units cover a range of different areas you will require to work in the Beauty Therapy industry. These include specialist areas such as:

• Stone Therapy
• Dermaplaning Treatments
• Indian Head Massage
• Aromatherapy Massage
• Lash Extension Treatments
• Self-Tanning Services

Who is this qualification for?

This Level 3 diploma suits school leavers, career changers and adult learners who want a regulated route into beauty therapy or into Level 4 study without A-levels.

• Study fully online with tutor support from LSIB, with no fixed timetable.
• Assessment by assignments, so you can evidence learning from your own workplace.

Entry requirements

The OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy qualification can be offered to learners from age 16. It is recommended that learners hold a Level 2 Diploma in Beauty Therapy or equivalent qualification.

OTHM centres must ensure learners are recruited with integrity onto appropriate qualifications and that they possess the required knowledge, understanding and skills to enrol and successfully achieve this qualification. The qualification is offered in English.

English requirements: If a learner is not from a majority English-speaking country must provide evidence of English language competency. For more information visit the OTHM English Language Expectations page.

Qualification structure and units

The OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy consists of 7 units for a combined total of 62 credits including 620 hours Total Qualification Time (TQT) and 310 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) for the completed qualification.

When combining units for this qualification, it is the centre’s responsibility to ensure that the following rules of combination are adhered to:

Learners must complete all 5 mandatory units, a total of 46 credits and choose a minimum of 2 optional units totalling a minimum 16 credits.

Source: OTHM qualification specification (PDF) · Ofqual qualification number 610/6463/4.

Duration and delivery

The qualification is designed to be delivered over 12 months for full-time study, but it is also flexible in its delivery to accommodate part-time and distance learning.

The qualification is delivered face-to-face, through lectures, tutorials, seminars, distance, online by approved centres only.

At LSIB the qualification is delivered online: you receive the unit materials, assignment briefs and tutor support through the learning platform and submit assignments when you are ready. There are no fixed lecture times, so you can start in any month.

How you are assessed

All units within this qualification are assessed and internally quality assured by the centre and externally verified by OTHM. The qualifications are criterion referenced, based on the achievement of all the specified learning outcomes.

To achieve a ‘pass’ for a unit, learners must provide evidence to demonstrate that they have fulfilled all the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by all assessment criteria. Judgement that the learners have successfully fulfilled the assessment criteria is made by the assessor.

Specific assessment guidance and relevant marking criteria for each unit are made available in the Assignment Brief document. These are made available to centres immediately after registration of one or more learners.

The assessor should provide an audit trail showing how the judgement of the learners’ overall achievement has been arrived at.

Progression and career routes

Successful completion of the OTHM Level 3 Diploma in Beauty Therapy provides learners with the opportunity for workplace and academic progressions. Including further OTHM Beauty and complimentary therapy qualifications.

Fees and how to apply

The enrolment fee is £10 when you submit your application. It is separate from the course fee above.

1. Apply and pay the £10 enrolment fee Use Apply now to open the application form with this programme pre-selected. Complete the form, upload your ID and qualification certificates (or a CV showing relevant experience), and pay the £10 enrolment fee to submit.
2. Application review and course-fee link Admissions review your application within one working day. If you are approved, we email you a secure link to pay the course fee in full or on an instalment plan.
3. Start your course As soon as your course fee (or first instalment, if you chose a plan) is paid, you receive your learning-platform login and can begin the first unit. There is no fixed intake date.

Progression path

1. Level 3 Diploma
2. Level 4 Diploma in Accounting and Business

Related OTHM qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma In Reflexology
• Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Aesthetics
• Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Health and Social Care