Course summary

Books and creative digital content development are at the heart of this industry-focused and flexible publishing course. Tailor assignments to your career ambitions and interests, and develop a highly transferable skillset. The shaping and publication of ideas, stories and research is central to culture and the knowledge economy. On our MA Publishing, you’ll explore contemporary publishing from children’s books, poetry and fiction to academic, illustrated and informational digital publications. Gain an in-depth understanding of publishing processes, from the transformation of original ideas into inspiring and informative content to reaching audiences through social media marketing. Develop your research skills and showcase them in a final Major Project that can take the form of a dissertation or an industry project. Graduate with a highly-transferable skillset in copywriting, editing, digital content, and project management, together with a professional digital portfolio. Career destinations might include book or magazine publishing, charities or cultural organisations, fashion or food brands. Taught in Cambridge, our MA is the only postgraduate Publishing course in the East of England. Our degree has been developed in consultation with Cambridge University Press, Boydell & Brewer and other local publishers including ProQuest and the Lutterworth Press, so you can be confident it meets the professional needs of today’s publishing industry. Our industry connections will provide you with opportunities to make contacts for your career, including through work experience and field trips. In 2023, our students were given the chance to interview Mark Kavanagh, Publishing Director at international academic publisher Boydell & Brewer, about careers in publishing, the commissioning process, and how to make books relevant for readers, as well as hearing about the company’s latest business strategies. Talks by invited publishers, authors and agents will give you up-to-the-minute information on key issues and emerging technologies. You can also attend events organised by our Cambridge Writing Centre, including guest talks and live lit jams, where you can showcase your own creative writing and make new contacts in the industry. Teaching times 2023-24 (subject to change for 2024-5): Monday: 6-8pm, Thursday: 6-8pm. Careers Our MA Publishing will help you develop skills and knowledge for a career in the publishing industry, or any field that involves copywriting, editorial work, digital marketing, or project management. All our students work on industry briefs and receive support to find work experience and internships. You'll have the opportunity to work on publications such as our MA Creative Writing Anthology. You’ll graduate with an industry-ready CV and digital portfolio. Our graduates work at companies such as Bloomsbury, Hachette UK, Wiley Capstone, Pearson, Cambridge University Press and Macmillan Publishers. Graduation doesn’t have to be the end of your time with us. You could choose to continue your academic career with a research programme at ARU, such as our PhD Publishing. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and save £400 on your fees. If you studied for the Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma initially, you can choose to complete further modules and top-up to a full Masters degree.