MA Publishing
Manchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
GBP 20,000 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus
Introduction
MA Publishing
Delivered in collaboration with leading industry professionals, including our partners for this MA, Comma Press, this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed for a variety of careers in publishing.
You will explore the complex anatomies and eco-systems of the publishing industry and its markets in the UK and internationally, as well as the trends, innovations, opportunities and challenges facing this rapidly changing profession.
Through the duration of the course, you will gain a working knowledge of the business of publishing, examining the structures of a range of organisational models, from major corporate brands to small independent outfits; and you will develop an understanding of the different stages, roles and skills involved in the publishing process, and the different publishing formats and platforms available.
Features and Benefits
- An exciting master's degree - a highly practical course designed to get you ready for a career in the publishing industry.
- Based in Manchester – a UNESCO City of Literature, with a burgeoning culture of creative industries looking for talented graduates, and an exceptional growth of publishing ventures and opportunities. Manchester is a literary hub, with numerous events and festivals to attend each year. With two of the biggest publishing corporations, Hachette and HarperCollins, running offices here, we believe there has never been a better time to study publishing in Manchester.
- Industry networks – networking is vital to getting you a head start in the publishing industry. All our tutors have extensive experience in the industry and excellent contacts. We have partnerships with many organisations in the book trade including Hachette, HarperCollins and Penguin Random House.
- Creative and academic expertise – this MA combines the talents of one of the UK’s most successful programmes of Creative Writing, with the international expertise of the Department of Languages, Information and Communication, to give you the greatest possible range of expertise.
- Interdisciplinary – you will be encouraged to engage with other departments, including the Manchester Writing School, Journalism, Art and Illustration, Education and Linguistics, and guest speakers from a variety of disciplines will offer their advice and expertise. Publishing is truly interdisciplinary and our specialisms reflect that.
- Excellent resources – you will have the opportunity to train in industry-standard software such as Adobe Creative and Nielsen BookScan.
- Home to Manchester Poetry Library - Manchester Poetry Library is the North West's first public poetry library and holds over 12,000 books and recordings that can be explored through the online catalogue, in person and through the annual programme of events.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
Our teaching is designed to maximize our tutor’s contact time with you, to allow you to incorporate feedback into your assessments, and to help you develop key skills, including copywriting, editing, and presenting. You will often work in small groups to plan and implement projects, gaining feedback from each other and the industry professionals who teach this course.
You will get to experience all aspects of the industry, from design to production, commissioning to copy editing, marketing to sales through core modules. Then, through option modules, you can specialize in poetry, children’s literature, literature in translation, or magazines. You will also undertake a project in collaboration with our industry partners over the summer, as well as be assigned an industry mentor and have 1-2 1 sessions on CV, application, cover letters, and interviews.
Areas studied in the program include commissioning and copy editing, production and design, sales and marketing, legal and rights, and many option modules such as children’s, magazine, and translated literature. Our ‘Sales and Marketing, Legal and Rights’ module allows you to design a marketing campaign for a publishing house, and our ‘From Commissioning and Editorial to Design and Production’ module allows you to plan and pitch your ideas based on weekly tasks to industry professionals. Feedback collected in this module can be used to help you build strong portfolios to support you in securing a job after you graduate. All the modules invite several guest speakers from all parts of the industry, giving you the knowledge and networks you need to decide on your path.
In semester one you will gain an overview of the history and present state of the publishing industry, its trends, future developments, and challenges. You will also examine publishing processes, formats, and platforms.
In semester two you will take option modules designed to help you develop specialist skills geared towards professional opportunities.
In semester three you will explore a topic of your choice in-depth for your dissertation or major project.
This structure is for full-time study. Part-time students complete their studies over two years, taking one core module and one option module in year one, and one core module, one option module, and the dissertation in year two.
The program leader for this course is Debbie Williams.
Year 1
Core Modules
- Dissertation
- Publishing Business and Operations
- Sales and Marketing, Legal and Rights
- From Commissioning and Editorial to Design and Production
Option Modules
- Contemporary Magazine Publishing
- Literature in Translation
- Poetry in Print
- Writing, Illustrating, and Publishing Children's Books
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
This is a practical degree, with many of our students gaining employment before they complete the course. You will be equipped with the skills to pursue a variety of careers in digital and print publishing, including:
- Editorial
- production
- Sales and marketing
The emphasis is on getting you the practical skills and experience to enter the highly competitive publishing industry. With full access and training in industry programs, all assessments replicate tasks you might undertake as a publishing professional.
There are opportunities to get involved with the Manchester Children's Book Festival - an ongoing program of literary and educational events, and we also have strong links with the Manchester Literature Festival, Blackwells Bookshop, the Northern Fiction Alliance, and the great library network in Manchester.
The city is seeing exceptional growth in publishing ventures and opportunities, and we believe there has never been a better time to study publishing in Manchester.
Program delivery
Study and assessment breakdown
Ten credits equate to 100 hours of study, lectures, seminars practical sessions, and independent study. A master's qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. The exact composition of your study time and assessments for the course will vary according to your option choices and style of learning, but it could be:
Study
Full-time 35% lectures, seminars, or similar; 0% placement; 65% independent study
Part-time 35% lectures, seminars, or similar; 0% placement; 65% independent study
Assessment
Full-time 100% coursework; 0% practical; 0% examination
Part-time 100% coursework; 0% practical; 0% examination