PGCert in Advanced Special Effects Makeup Prosthetics and Props is a postgraduate certificate in Performing Arts programme taught at Sheridan College in Oakville, Canada. The programme runs for 3 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 27,318 per year (CAD 13,653 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Postgraduate Certificate
Field:Performing Arts
Duration: 3 semesters
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 13,653 / year
International tuition: CAD 27,318 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Your career in advanced special effects makeup awaits.Program OverviewBecome an advanced special effects artistSheridan’s Advanced Special Effects Makeup, Prosthetics and Props certificate program has helped countless artists launch their journeys into the world of advanced special effects. Through training in prosthetics application, props and puppet building, 3D printing, and animatronics you’ll learn how to use your passion for artistry to bring your visions and creatures to life.Get the tools you need to succeed in the media industryImmerse yourself in classes where you’ll learn how to use specialized products and equipment to sculpt, mold, cast and finish your creations. You’ll also gain a strong understanding of the inner workings of the media industry and the styles, trends, and new developments that are shaping its future.Learn from instructors with industry experienceAll faculty in this program come to our classroom with recent and relevant industry experience. Because classes are small, you'll receive lots of personal support from your instructors. From props masters to prosthetic artists, from puppet builders to animatronics technicians, our faculty have what it takes to help you succeed in any SPFX stream you see yourself in.Get professional experience through a field placementFollowing the first two semesters, you'll participate in a field placement where you can use your newly acquired special effects makeup skills in a professional setting. This invaluable work experience and exposure to professionals in the field can launch you into your career.Benefit from Sheridan’s strong reputation and unique curriculumThis program is one of the few programs of its kind in North America and the only one in the Ontario college system. Coursework was developed specifically to meet the needs of employers such as museums, amusement parks, exhibitors and the entertainment industry. Courses include both classroom theory and extensive hands-on lab work. Our intensive lab experiences simulate industry settings, giving you concrete knowledge in the workings of a special effects build team in charge of sculpting, molding, casting and developing prosthetics, props and animatronics. Guest industry speakers regularly visit class, providing excellent networking opportunities. You’ll also be introduced to the unions representing the profession, such as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET).PASEM
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Entry requires a postsecondary diploma or degree in any field, and/or demonstrated competence gained through related work and/or educational experience; no minimum grade point average is published. Applicants who do not hold a postsecondary diploma or degree must submit a portfolio, as notified by the Office of the Registrar, following Sheridan's published sample portfolio instructions. Selection weighs previous academic achievement and/or demonstrated competence alongside the portfolio result where one is required. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet Sheridan's institution-wide English Proficiency Requirement for degree, master's and graduate-certificate programs: IELTS Academic overall 6.5 (no band below 6.0), TOEFL iBT overall 88 (no section below 21), PTE Academic overall 60 (no section below 57), or Duolingo English Test overall 115 (no sub-score below 95). Domestic applicants submit postsecondary transcripts through ontariocolleges.ca; international applicants need official transcripts, with a notarised translation where documents are not in English.
Application Details
Start Date:Sheridan runs three terms a year - Fall starting in September, Winter in January and Spring/Summer in May. For 2026-27 the Fall term ran 8 September to 18 December 2026, Winter runs 6 January to 16 April 2027, and Spring/Summer runs 3 May to 13 August 2027. On 6 September 2026 this program's own page listed a single intake, September 2026, at the Trafalgar Campus in Oakville. Sheridan's Start date table also carries a separate Domestic and International status for each intake (Available, Waitlisted or Closed) that changes as seats fill, so check this program's page on sheridancollege.ca before you apply.
Application Deadline:Sheridan publishes no deadline of its own for this program; the dates below are the college-wide ones. DOMESTIC APPLICANTS (Canadian citizens and permanent residents) apply through ontariocolleges.ca, which opened the Fall 2027 application on 26 September 2026 - Sheridan says it starts receiving those applications in early October for the academic year that follows. The equal consideration date is 1 February: apply on or before it and your file is weighed alongside every other one received by then for a Fall-term start, so for the cycle now open that means 1 February 2027 for entry in September 2027. Sheridan still accepts applications after that date wherever a program has not filled, but they are handled in the order they arrive, which leaves little room in high-demand programs. First offers for a September start may go out from 1 November; programs that require a portfolio, audition or resume begin issuing decisions later in March, and offers for the Winter and Spring/Summer intakes are made on a rolling basis. Confirm a Fall offer at ontariocolleges.ca by 1 May, or by the date printed on an offer issued after that, then pay the tuition deposit three months before the term begins. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS apply instead through Sheridan's own International Application Portal, and Sheridan publishes no deadline for them - its Important Dates table carries only a note that the international dates are still to be posted. What limits an international application in practice is space: Sheridan tells international applicants to check that a program still has room before applying, and every program page shows a separate International status for each intake. Apply as early as you can and leave time for a study permit. Confirm the current dates at sheridancollege.ca and ontariocolleges.ca before you apply.
