DMC Cosmetology Program launching new Associate of Applied Science degree

Del Mar College

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (News Release) - Most people may not think about the training that prepares professionals with the skills to “glam up” their clients for those holiday parties and special occasions, including haircuts, coloring, manicures,  pedicures and other services. No matter where you go, beauty is big business.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists has been projected to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034. And for the projected decade, the bureau determined about 84,200 openings each year for these positions due to career changes or retirement. Job growth among nail technicians is projected to grow 7% during the same period with about 24,800 openings available annually across the country.

If you “Google” for hair or nail salons in Corpus Christi, the list is long. 

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 semester.

“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,” says Lissa Gonzalez, Assistant Professor of Cosmetology and Program Director, adding: “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.”

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).

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.

Currently, registration is underway for Del Mar College’s spring 2026 semester with classes beginning on Jan. 12. On-campus and online registration before the DMC two-week Winter Break runs through 12:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19. The college will be closed during this period with regular operations opening at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.

Individuals can get in-person assistance with the admissions process, registration and other help on all three campuses––Heritage, Windward and Oso Creek. For further details, visit the college’s Registration web page at www.delmar.edu/registration or contact the DMC Student Enrollment Center at 361-698-1290 or enroll@delmar.edu.