Behind the glamour … DMC Cosmetology Program launching new Associate of Applied Science degree, Level II Certificate beginning this coming spring
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December
2025
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19:06 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
Program expansion can lead to new degree completers moving on to earn college’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Management and Leadership degree; Online and in-person registration continues for spring 2026 credit
Article by Melinda Eddleman
.To meet the growing opportunity to enter the Coastal Bend’s beauty industry, the Del Mar College (DMC) Cosmetology Program with the Business Administration and Entrepreneurship Department is expanding from offering Level I Certificate training to launching a new Level II Certificate and an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Cosmetology degree beginning with the spring 2026
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Our program is designed to help students grow creatively while gaining confidence in professional techniques, communication and business skills within a supportive learning environment that prepares them for successful careers in the salon, spa and beauty industry. By expanding the program to include the new Level II Certificate and AAS degree, we’re opening up more opportunities for our students that can lead to completing a bachelor’s degree and even opening up their own business.
Lissa Gonzalez, Cosmetology Program Director and Assistant Professor
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Cosmetology Program_Nail Technician Training
Gonzalez says that the AAS degree will give licensed industry professionals the opportunity to earn a college degree rather than just hold a training certificate. “Individuals can petition for credit from any Texas cosmetology school as a licensed professional and will only need to complete eight courses at Del Mar College to earn our associate degree,” she says. Total required semester hours to earn the college’s AAS degree in Cosmetology is 60 hours for students beginning their training at DMC. Required semester hours for students already licensed and who are petitioning to have outside credits count toward the AAS degree may vary.
“This is a major opportunity for professionals who want to own their own business or change career paths altogether because earning the AAS degree can then lead to completing Del Mar College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Management and Leadership (BAS OML) degree,” Gonzalez notes.
The college launched the BAS OML degree in fall ’2024, the second bachelor’s degree DMC offers––with the first 14 students completing the program this past summer (online release).
Cosmetology Program_Shampoo and Stylist Training
The new Level II Certificate also gives licensed professionals the opportunity to update their skills and learn about current cosmetology trends, including advanced haircutting and styling techniques, eyelash extensions and nail services as well as wigs and hair extension services. “This certificate will move students beyond the 1,000 clock hours needed for licensing,” Gonzalez says.
As compared to the required 33 semester hours or credits to earn the Level I Certificate, the new Level II Certificate requires 45 semester hours.
Curriculum for all three Cosmetology Program offerings fall under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which also administers the written and practical exam that students must take after completing their training at the college to receive their license.
To learn more about the Cosmetology Program and all three offerings––Level I and Level II Certificates and the Associate in Applied Science degree––visit the program website at delmar.edu/degrees/cosmetology/index.html.
Individuals can also contact Lissa Gonzalez at 361-698-1782 or lgonzale43@delmar.edu.
About Del Mar College
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
Latest DMC News
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