A school in the United Kingdom is offering a first-of-its-kind degree aimed at providing plastic surgeons with the training to perform a safe facelift procedure. Students at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford now have the opportunity to earn a degree in cosmetic surgery, according to BBC News.

Although there are programs in schools across the world that provide students with plastic surgery degrees, Anglia Ruskin's is unique. Specifically, it is the first to teach its students in a surgical training environment. Additionally, advocates say the program  differs from plastic surgery coursework in that cosmetic procedures focus exclusively on aesthetics rather than reconstruction.

"If aesthetic surgery is recognized as a specialty, with its own qualification, then clearly the public will benefit because it will help them to easily identify and employ a qualified surgeon here in the U.K.," professor James Frame told the BBC.

The degree program is not without its critics. Some plastic surgeons believe it is an unnecessary step, especially in the U.K., where all plastic surgeons are trained by the Royal College of Surgeons.

Although the cosmetic surgery degree only exists in the U.K., there are many well-trained doctors residing in the United States. American plastic surgeons who are board-certified receive extensive training to best serve their patients.