Program Overview

---

Publishing

MA

Attendance

Full-timePart-time

Campus

Preston Campus

Start

September 2025

Duration

1 year

Start

September 2025

Delivery

In-person

Overview

Want to work in an award-winning commercial publishing business? Study our MA Publishing and gain real-world experience at our on-site indie publisher, UCLan Publishing.

Our MA Publishing is delivered from the Centre of Publishing Excellence and is the only UK postgraduate publishing course to have an operating publishing company. We have an established list of award-winning books, authors and illustrators. You'll learn about the fundamentals of successful list building and what this looks like in the wider publishing industry.

You'll get access to all resources at this Northern independent publisher. You'll also get to work on live briefs throughout the academic year.

The curriculum is filled with opportunities. These include:

• Meet our authors, our team of professionals and take part in book launches
• Trips to book fairs
• Presenting to industry professionals
• Meeting industry guest speakers
• Accessing industry mentoring
• Networking with alumni now working in Publishing

UCLan are members of the Northern Fiction Alliance. UCLan Publishing was shortlisted for Small Press of the Year Regional Finalist by The British Book Awards (2023).

MA Publishing success

As part of the MA Publishing live project, students collaborate with an author to produce a book to professional standards. One standout project, Wrong Tracks by Susan Brownrigg, recently earned a 5-star review in The Telegraph.

Why study with us

• We have an extensive network in industry – working across different genres and publishing houses – who visit regularly to support student learning.
• This is a highly vocational MA programme designed to support CV building. It's ideal for those needing more work experience or for career changers.
• We are the founders of the Northern Young Adult Literary Festival. An Arts Council funded festival designed to make Children’s and Young Adult books more accessible to an audience in the North. The festival has had prestigious authors attend. From Juno Dawson, Holly Bourne, Melinda Salisbury, Matt Killeen, Patrice Lawrence to Yaba Badoe.

What you'll do

• Opt to take part in our mentoring initiative. Gain alumni and/or industry mentoring to build a network for your professional development. We have also taken students on trips to London Book Fair and Bologna Book Fair.
• Students will work on a live project for their MA, collaborating with an author to produce a book to professional standards. Where possible, projects are interdisciplinary. This has included working with Illustration, Creative Writing, Photography, Film and TV, Animation, and Acting.
• The curriculum has been designed so every component is incredibly practical. This is to help you develop a wide range of soft and hard skills sought after in industry.

Modules

Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Digital Publishing
  • This module will help you to understand digital publishing, identify new markets, and explore the idea of partnership and opportunity with publishers. You’ll be equipped with digital skills for success in the industry (such as InDesign and Photoshop) and develop an understanding of rights management issues in relation to digital content and their implications for digital publishing.
  • Module code: JN4401
• Communications: Working in Marketing, Publicity and Sales
  • This module will help you to learn all the skills you need to be effective at marketing, selling and promoting books. You will hear from a variety of guest speakers and have the opportunity to apply your learning to UCLan Publishing titles. You will gain important skills for job applications and to succeed in this area of business.
  • Module code: JN4412
• The Editorial Department
  • This module will help you to learn – and consider – all the different aspects of Editorial from commissioning to copy and line editing. You will also gain an understanding of profit and loss, list building and working with Literary Agents. There will also be due consideration given to sensitivity reading and how to deliver excellent author care.
  • Module code: JN4413
• The Major Project: The Live Brief
  • This module spans the academic year and is your opportunity to work with an author and/or illustrator to a live brief and produce a book to professional standards. We aim to publish all the major projects under the UCLan Publishing brand. The project covers all aspects of the publishing business. This includes: editing, project management, cover design, typesetting and creating a marketing and publicity plan.
  • Module code: JN4414
• Publishing: Work Skills and Entrepreneurship
  • This year-long module lets you build a career-focused portfolio through live UCLan Publishing briefs or other opportunities. It also includes a week-long Publishing Career Conference with industry insights and support for job-related skills.
  • Module code: JN4523
• The Rights Department
  • This module will give you insight into working in Rights and the integral role that this department has to ensure additional profit to publishers. You will learn about the book fairs, buying and selling rights, co-editions, licensing and much more.
  • Module code: JN4524

Entry requirements

• Degree: 2:2 Honours degree in related subject or equivalent qualification
• We will take into account previous experience in the workplace
• IELTS: Score of 6.0 or above or equivalent

Fees and funding

2025/26

• UK: Full-time £9,450 per year, Part-time £1,050 per 20 credits
• International: Full-time £17,900 per year

Additional costs

As part of your course there may be additional costs to consider that are not included in your tuition fees. Most of these will be optional, but some courses have essential additional costs.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer many scholarships, bursaries and funds to support you during your studies. Select your country or region to see if you are eligible and how to apply.

Industry links

The course has a wealth of industry partners who all support the course and UCLan Publishing. From illustrious Honorary Fellows, Leaders in Residence to Honorary Doctorates. This includes connections at the major publishing houses and regional connections in the North.

Learning and assessment

Classes are a mixture of class discussions, guest speakers and group work (dependent on the topic). Assessments are highly practical and relevant to industry. For example, creating an eBook, presenting a marketing and publicity campaign or editing a podcast.

• Digital Publishing: explores the rapidly evolving digital landscape. This equips you with practical skills (Adobe suite). You will be involved in creating, sharing, managing and publishing digital content within a supportive environment.
• The Editorial Department: allows you to learn all aspects of the editorial process. Gain experience with commissioning to line and copy editing. A highly vocational module and the teaching is supported by professional editors.
• Communications, Working in Marketing, Publicity and Sales: Learn about very important departments. Understand the role each plays towards supporting sales and reaching an audience. Also learn how to professionally market, publicise and sell books.
• The Rights Department: selling Rights is a crucial component for business. For this module, we often take students to the London Book Fair to meet our Rights team. You will see Rights being bought and sold live in-action.
• UCLan Publishing: Work Skills and Entrepreneurship: taught throughout the academic year. This module has live briefs from UCLan Publishing across all departments. You can use these to build a portfolio of work to show employers.
• The Major Project: The Live Brief: working closely with industry mentors in Editorial, Design and the Head of UCLan Publishing. An opportunity to work with an author on a manuscript to be published by UCLan Publishing.