Publishing Joint Honours

What you will study

You can study Publishing as either a joint, major or minor subject. This will determine how many modules you’ll study at each stage. Please check your other subject to ensure it is possible to create your chosen combination.

You will study modules such as:

Stage one

You will gain a sound overall knowledge and understanding of what publishing actually entails, the culture of the industry, and how senior publishers build value in their businesses by encouraging and nurturing new writing talent.

The History and Culture of Publishing – charting the past, the present and the future of the industry; examining publishers’ role in promoting literature, knowledge and cultural exchange; and considering the ethical and practical issues related to book and magazine production, marketing and sales

Market and Media – looking at marketing theory and practice across the breadth of the publishing industry, from poetry and fiction to scholarly and non-fiction books, and including both print and digital products

Editorial – exploring the core function of publishers: to select which books should be published and how.

Stage two

You will have the opportunity to choose from a number of modules, depending on whether you are studying Publishing as a Minor, Joint or Major subject. Core topics at this stage include modules such as:

Content Development – debating issues and good practice around bringing an author’s manuscript to the point where it can be published, whether in book or ebook format. How does one edit an author’s work? What are the constraints, ethical dimensions and practical considerations in taking a new book to market?

Law for Authors and Publishers – offering you a sound theoretical and practical overview of intellectual property law, contract and copyright law, and author contracts. This will enable you to work in any area of publishing with a confident knowledge of the legal frameworks within which publishers must operate

Print and Digital Production – looking at the theory, practice and technology around book and magazine production, including design, typography, traditional and new print technologies, project management, metadata and software. This will provide you with highly relevant understanding of how publishers put their book and magazine products together.

Optional topics include modules such as:

English for Editors – exploring questions of style, linguistics, grammar and usage within modern publishing. The English language is changing constantly, and everyone working with authors and books needs to understand all the issues surrounding publication for a wide variety of audiences and for a wide range of purposes

Stage three

You will build upon the knowledge gained in stages one and two by completing either a research dissertation or by working upon a major publishing project.

The Twenty-first Century Book – investigating the latest challenges, issues and opportunities faced by publishers in the UK and globally. New print technologies; new forms of marketing and social media; new ebook formats; and new business models will all be explored in their widest possible context

Principles of Business in the Creative Industries – evaluating the many ways in which publishing, and the broader creative industries, differ from more traditional types of business. Publishers work with creative individuals to bring their intellectual property to market, and the very particular ways in which they do so form the heart of this wide-ranging and stimulating module.