Publishing MA

Publishing is one of the world's fastest-growing creative industries, producing a far greater range of products than just books. Traditionally, publishing employees worked within a particular function of book production and stayed there: editors refined the text, marketing staff promoted the titles, production people looked after the printing, and rights staff negotiated contracts.

Success in today's publishing environment demands a much more flexible understanding of these processes, of how they integrate and impact on each other. Kingston University's Publishing MA will prepare you for a career in the industry, whether as publisher, agent or supplier. It will provide you with an understanding of how these processes work in a practical context and encourage you to acquire the necessary skills to succeed. The teaching is fully cross-functional - for example, introducing you to the role that commissioning editors play in brand marketing, as well as the part that the production team plays in producing something that the market will want to buy.

• Industry links: We have exceptional links with major publishers, such as Hodder, Random House, Penguin, Bloomsbury and Orion.
• Location: Our campus is five minutes from the River Thames and close to Hampton Court, or just 25 minutes to central London by train.
• Faculty: Our teaching staff have a reputation for excellence, innovation and industry connections.
• Work placements: Our students are fully supported in gaining work placements, and many of our students have gained permanent jobs as a direct result.

Course leader Alison Baverstock talks about the benefits of studying on the course and how it could help your future publishing career:

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.

Core modules

• Creating a Bestseller
• Editorial Processes
• Marketing in Publishing
• Products, Rights and Content: An International Perspective
• Publishing Dissertation
• Publishing: The Structure of an Industry
• Work Placement

Optional modules

• Business of Magazines
• Design & Production in Periodical Publishing
• The Evolution of Publishing
• Working with Authors
• Writers' Workshop

We hold masterclasses approximately every two weeks, many of which feature speakers from our Advisory Board, offering students the opportunity to network with students from other MAs.
Find out more...

Funding for Publishing MA students includes £500 bursaries to support work on Ripple magazine or Kingston University Press; Annual Fund scholarships of up to £3,000 towards your fees; and international scholarships of up to £3,000.

Plus enter the Berkhamsted creative writing competition and you could win a £500 bursary.

Find out more...

Students on the MA in Publishing undertake a work placement with a relevant organisation, usually represented by a member of our Publishing Advisory Board.

Find our more...