Publishing

Entry requirements

Degree: 2:2 Honours degree in related subject or equivalent qualification.

A detailed admissions procedure will be forwarded on application.

We will take into account previous experience in the workplace.

IELTS: Score of 6.5 or above or equivalent.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The award-winning MA Publishing course at the University of Central Lancashire has been designed to provide you with the vocational and practical skills vital for you to pursue a successful career in publishing.

In 2020 we celebrated 10 years of teaching publishing at the University. We have a dedicated team of lecturers and tutors who are committed to supporting students to achieve on the course and a proven track record of providing students with the skills and knowledge needed for the workplace.

On this course you’ll get the unique opportunity to learn about our business, UCLan Publishing, which publishes high quality Children’s and Young Adult books for retail. There will be many opportunities to get involved with the business and to meet the professionals who support us and our authors.

UCLan Publishing is recognised on both sides of the fence: in academia and in industry. We have won The Times Higher Education Award for Innovation in the Arts (2018) and in industry we won the Nick Robinson Newcomer Award at the Independent Publishing Awards (2019).

• You will learn from our entrepreneurial and innovative approach to business and publishing for which we are recognised and award winners.
• We have worked hard to build our reputation and to deliver the best teaching and learning opportunities for students. We have been doing this for a decade.
• There will be opportunity to learn from, and work with, the content from our business and this is something that is unique and only accessible to students at the University.

• We love providing students with the opportunity to engage and immerse themselves in the wider world of the publishing industry. This has included trips to the London Book Fair and Bologna Book Fair.
• Students can opt to work on a live project for their MA qualification. This means working with an author to produce a book to professional standards.
• Every module on the MA course has a practical element to it. Some examples include: proofreading manuscripts, presenting marketing campaigns to an author, creating influencer boxes, writing illustrator briefs and creating eBooks.

You’ll study a number of core modules including:

• Digital Publishing explores the rapidly evolving digital landscape and equips you with practical skills. You will be involved in creating, sharing, managing and publishing digital content within a supportive environment.
• Audio publishing reacting to the growth in audio books, the MA Publishing course has introduced this new module to help you to learn about the business and practical skills needed to enter this new and thriving part of industry.
• Editorial and Production allows you to see a book project through from conception to production. It is a highly vocational module taught by a professional from the industry. You will participate in every aspect of the process, from commissioning, copy-editing to content gathering, picture researching and production.
• Children’s Writing and Publishing looks at the significant market for children’s books and publications. Using content from UCLan Publishing, you will learn about how we position our books in the market.
• Business of Books - sales, marketing and events is a very practical module which introduces the concept of books as a product. You will learn how to market, publicise and sell books.

Throughout the course you’ll have access to UCLan Publishing, our very own award-winning publishing house. You could find yourself meeting professional writers, illustrators, designers, editors and many more.

We’ll assess your progress through a mixture of presentations, pitches, practical projects, and independent and group work.

You can also get additional hands-on experience in the publishing industry by applying for work experience and we have supported many students with this (placement have lasted anywhere between one and six weeks). Previous students have been placed at Barrington Stoke, HarperCollins, Waterstone’s Head Office, Random House, Transworld, Nosy Crow, Manchester University Press, Chicken House, Seven Stories, Liverpool University Press, Booktrust and many others.

We are well connected in industry and have helped students to organise work placements and mentoring. You will also have access to the authors at UCLan Publishing and any external parties (such as Bounce, our sales force) to talk through how they work with us and on our books.

Information for international students

Visit our website for further information.