MA in Publishing
Our MA in Publishing prepares you for a career in the challenging world
of publishing. Taught by experts and practitioners and with master classes
from industry leaders, the programme of study includes all the knowledge, skills
and understanding you need to become a successful publisher including a period
of professional placement. From mass-market fiction to scholarly journals,
from editorial to marketing, from e-content management to contracts, UCL’s
MA in Publishing is the best and most comprehensive preparation available for
entry to the industry.
What this course will give you
Modern publishing needs graduates with both a practical insight into how this complex industry functions and a range of transferable skills. This is what this course will give you. In particular, on successful completion you will understand (and be able to apply):
- Editorial, sales and marketing skills
- Publishing business plans and their successful delivery
- Contract negotiation and copyright management
- Electronic publishing and new media
- Global publishing, export and licensing
- Day to day management on a range of levels
- Critical approaches to problem solving
Further information is available on how to apply.
The Centre for Publishing MA is the only programme to cover the entire spread of publishing disciplines, from fiction and trade to professional, academic, scholarly and educational. Teaching staff possess an unrivalled experience and networks of contacts across all fields in the UK and internationally.
The aim of the course is to equip you with a clear understanding of how modern publishing works and to give you the knowledge, confidence and abilities to move quickly in building a successful publishing career.
Publishing teaching
The course is modular with an emphasis on practical skills and exercises based on the real-world and team working. Topics covered include business, law, editorial management, product development, new media and research methods. Classes are small and students are encouraged to be active in discussion and debate. The exhilarating research environment of the Centre inspires and informs teaching. Tutors, both academics and practitioners, encourage you to explore and report on major current issues. An essential component of the course is a 5 week mentored placement in a publishing house which can often turn into full-time employment You will also have produced a supervised research thesis. At the end of the course, taken either full- or part-time, you will be a professional publisher ready to launch your career with a qualification from a university that the industry recognises and values.
Term One (September - December)
- The Publishing Business
- Publishing Law
- Journal and Periodical Publishing
- Publishing, Culture and Society
Term Two (January - March)
- The Publishing Process
- Publishing Skills
- Sales, Marketing and Promotion
- Commissioning, Research and Project Management
Term Three (May - June)
- Work placement in the publishing industry - Full-time students are expected to complete a practical placement in the publishing sector, normally five weeks. As the placement is designed to enhance the students' experience of the publishing field, a variety of different hosts will be used each year, depending on students' backgrounds, needs and career aspirations.
- Dissertation
Publishing teachers
The course is taught by leading academic experts, who between them have worked in and with all the leading international publishers. Their research has been influential in shaping how publishers have developed their businesses. They include:
In addition, leading publishers, literary agents, authors, legal experts, booksellers and electronic authorities visit the course to give lectures and presentations. There are ‘master classes’ from industry leaders on current and controversial issues and field visits to retailers, publishers and libraries.
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