Publishing Studies  MA

After earning my undergraduate degree in English I was unsure how to break into the UK job market (especially because I was from outside the EU), so I decided a business-based degree in Publishing at City University London was the best way for me to enter the industry. The MA enabled me to gain an understanding of the industry as a whole through courses in acquisitions, marketing and sales, in addition to long-term projects which provided opportunities for in-depth study into real issues facing the market today. These projects allowed us to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of real publishing

Being awarded a PTC Diversity Scholarship 2009/10 was a great boon. It provided me with the financial assistance I needed to take on the City MA in Publishing Studies, and to dedicate time to my studies and work experience. Not only was it a financial aid, but it also provided a much-needed boost to my confidence as I was taking a step into a new field of study. It has shown me that with the right amount of hard work and dedication, I can achieve things I never dreamt of being capable of before. I would encourage all those who are

The City MA is an entry ticket for those looking to break into the publishing industry. I felt that possible employers took me more seriously. Besides offering a current overview of developments in the publishing industry, the masterclasses with industry experts and the compulsory placement distinguish this course from the others.

The City MA in Publishing was a great opportunity for me to bond with people, who would eventually be my colleagues, competitors, and even flatmates. I particularly enjoyed the group projects, which are a chance to find out what you would really be good at. The lecturers, and particularly the course director, will support and help students every step of the way till they find their dream job. I would recommend any foreign student with the wish of working within the Publishing industry in the UK (or English Speaking World) not to hesitate a second to apply. This MA is

I didn't realise how much I was learning during the MA because I was having too much fun. The projects, placements and the friends I made during the program have all become valuable life experiences. The lecturers and course director work tirelessly to help you achieve your goals and make the connections needed to get you started in your career. If I had stayed in the USA to do a similar degree program it would have taken around two years to complete and been much more expensive. I also would never have had the opportunities afforded to me at City.

Before the MA even began, Mary Ann, our course director, was helping us get real work experience placements. The course itself was a fantastic mix of practical training for the industry, academic business research and above all contact with professionals from all across the publishing world. I gained a real understanding of the industry, and relished the variety of problem-based learning. There was huge variety in the module assignments, from blogging to producing real print material and presenting new business ideas to CEOs. City's name opened doors for me, both getting high-profile interview candidates for my dissertation, and getting work

I chose the City MA primarily because of its location: knowing that publishing was the industry for me, I realised that London was my obvious choice. The MA exceeded my expectations. The wealth of knowledge of our lecturers and guest speakers, who all had first-hand knowledge of publishing today, was invaluable. Also, the work placement was a huge bonus, especially for those who'd not seen the working realities of a publishing house. What I learned from the course, my work placement, and other placements I did during the year on my own time, without doubt helped secure me my first

I did a degree in English Literature at Durham University but found I needed an extra boost to get me that job in publishing, and City fulfilled my needs exactly. The course gave me a good grounding in what departments there are in a publishing house, what different types of publishing one can go into, and who the big players are. There were plenty of opportunities to get work experience throughout the year, and a 5 week placement was a compulsory part of the course. By the end of the course I had the confidence to keep applying until I found

The Publishing MA was a very enjoyable and worthwhile course, providing me with a wide range of knowledge in all areas of publishing and giving me a focused idea of what career I wished to pursue within the industry. The 5-week work placement was one of the many highlights of the course, and at the end of it I was offered a permanent position there. My manager later told me that my MA qualification and work experience gave me that extra edge over the other applicants.

Doing a MA in Publishing Studies at City University really was, to me, the foot in the door to enter the publishing industry. The course offers a very updated and thorough view of what is currently happening in the publishing world. Furthermore, the masterclasses with experts from the industry - such as Liz Calder, from Bloomsbury, publisher of Harry Potter - are quite enlightening. The work placement allowed me to get the necessary experience to apply for jobs successfully. I started to work at Scholastic straight after having finished my work placement and, from the beginning, I felt that I

Coming to City to study publishing was one of the wisest decisions I've made. I have always been a book lover and wanted to set my foot into the book industry. This MA was precisely what I needed. The course provided me with an all-round and in-depth understanding of the industry. Potential employers are especially impressed with the compulsory 5-week placement. The advice given by professors and guest speakers also got me through interviews. I would recommend anyone with an ambition in publishing to take this course. This will be your entry ticket to the world of publishing.

The internships I completed through City's Publishing Studies programme proved invaluable during my job search, as I could point to practical applications of what I had studied. Also, I think employers viewed favourably the fact that I studied outside of my country, believing it to show initiative and a strong dedication to the publishing industry.

Studying for an MA in publishing gives you an invaluable overview of all the sectors in the industry. This makes the decision to work in one area, rather than another, an informed one and also gives you a clear sense of how all the departments and stages of the supply chain work together. Having studied English literature at University I knew a lot about how fiction works but had never heard of a bottom line or read a marketing plan. After a year I was able to bring together my interest in books with a more practical understanding of how

The Publishing MA from City University enabled me to gain immediate employment in my chosen field, rights sales. The variety of subjects covered in the MA allows the student to gain a broad overview in every aspect of publishing, while the dissertation and work placements allow the individual to specialise. Three years on I still work in rights and I now manage a team of four. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in a career in publishing who perhaps does not wish to start on the bottom rung.

The Publishing MA at City University gives an overview of the whole industry that has held me in extremely good stead during my four years working for a literary agency. Far from being solely academic, the course explores the current hot topics in international publishing and gives students a chance to hear the opinions of today's industry leaders.