Digital Publishing - 2012 entry
MA
/
PGDip
Overview
The MA in Digital Publishing is part of a group of courses that are respected throughout the world. The course provides an excellent overview of every aspect of publishing, with an emphasis on digital publishing. It combines relevant theory with practice and provides scope to develop specialist skills required for career development.
You will leave the course with a broad understanding of the key issues facing the publishing industry in the 21st century and a wide range of publishing and general management skills, including advanced IT skills, to help you succeed in the industry. Graduates who have completed publishing courses at Oxford Brookes have been exceptionally successful in obtaining employment soon after graduation and have a strong record of career progression.
Publishing courses at Oxford Brookes enjoy a high international standing in the publishing world. We have close links with publishing companies in Oxford and London, and staff have extensive experience in national and international publishing roles.
Why Brookes?
The Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies at Oxford Brookes offers the largest range of postgraduate courses in publishing in Europe. We offer full time and part time courses. Our programmes in Publishing provide you with the skills, knowledge and networks to kickstart your career in publishing, or to improve your current position.
If you choose an MA in Digital Publishing at Oxford Brookes you will enjoy:
• Excellent employment prospects
• Unrivalled industry links and networking
• A great location in Oxford, which is a global publishing centre
• Unrivalled access to work experience and International internships
• Specialist careers advice including our Working in Publishing Day
• A large faculty with a variety of research interests and extensive industry expertise
• Comprehensive coverage of publishing, from mass market books to magazines
• Access to a wide range of visiting speakers from the publishing industry who regularly contribute to the programmes
• A variety of awards to suit your needs and career aspirations
• Access to unique research resources: specialist publishing collections; The Book Prize Archive; André Deutsch Collection, African Publishing Collection; the Bodleian Library
• Opportunity to visit international book fairs including Frankfurt and Bologna
• An industry advisory board with representatives from major publishers such as Bloomsbury, Faber, HarperCollins, Hodder and Random House
• Links with publishing organizations such as the Independent Publishers Guild, OPuS (Oxford Publishing Society) and the Society of Young Publishers – regular events are held at Oxford Brookes
• An extensive network of alumni throughout the world
• Opportunity to attend a European Summer school in Florence with students from Slovenia, Germany, Italy and France.
In detail
OICPS Twitter
Oxford Brookes Publishing AlumniCourse content
The MA consists of six compulsory modules plus a dissertation or major project. The PGDip consists of the six compulsory modules only.
There are six compulsory modules.
Semester 1
- Design and Production for Publishing explores the role of the design and production department in the publishing process. It looks closely at current working practices in areas such as design and typography, project management, the evaluation and selection of appropriate media platforms, the buying of raw materials and manufacturing processes, and the use of external resources.
- Editorial Management explores the strategic role of the editor within the publishing process and the knowledge and skills required for the development of new projects, whether in print or digital form.
- Marketing Management for Publishing provides a systematic examination of the key concepts and disciplines of marketing and their relationship and relevance to the products of publishing. It includes coverage of the marketing mix, consumer behaviour, segmentation, targeting and positioning, and elements of market research.
Semester 2
- New Product Development addresses the fundamental issue of how publishers survive and prosper through development of new publishing ideas. Working in groups, students simulate the new product development process, taking marketing, editorial, production and financial elements to an advanced stage and presenting the new product proposals (books, journals, international publishing projects, e-publishing projects, translated or co-published projects) to senior management.
- Digital Media Publishing offers an examination of forms of web publishing with particular reference to standards of mark-up and accessibility. It provides an opportunity for the practical investigation of the strategies to publish digital media. Emphasis is placed on keeping content separate from presentation through semantic markup and the use of XML, AJAX and various web server technologies.
- e-Publishing enables you to engage with the dynamic nature of a rapidly evolving part of the publishing industry. Through lectures, workshops, and talks from industry speakers, you are introduced to both the strategic and practical sides of e-publishing.
Also compulsory for the MA
- The Dissertation or Major Project is the defining and essential component for the award of the MA degree. It is a major in-depth investigation of a subject, theme or issue significant to the study of publishing through research and extended written work (15,000 words or equivalent for major projects).
As our courses are reviewed regularly, course content may change from the details given here.
Teaching, learning and assessment
Some of the key teaching methods we use are:
- lectures that provide you with foundation knowledge and a framework for study that will enable you to achieve the module's learning outcomes
- seminars and workshops that encourage you to engage in discussion with tutors and peers to test your understanding and ability to apply ideas, to develop your transferable skills, and to encourage deeper learning
- computer workshops to give you the opportunity to test, clarify, and apply your IT skills
- field trips to book fairs and to the industry, for example, printers, publishers, retailers, so that you can observe at first hand aspects of the industry taught in lectures and workshops
- work experience and internship opportunities across a broad range of departments and market sectors
- group work role play simulating new product development in a real-life publishing context
- individual supervision in support of self-directed outcomes for the dissertation or major project
- use of resource-based learning materials and WebCT to support your learning through computer-aided assessment and computer-aided learning.
Assessment is 100% coursework.
Quality
The postgraduate publishing courses at Oxford Brookes University are among the most highly regarded in the world, and our MA graduates are now working in publishing jobs in over 50 countries. Students undertake innovative learning through work on real-life publishing projects.
In addition to a teaching staff who have extensive industry experience and who have played a leading role in developing innovative teaching and learning within the university, numerous visiting lecturers from publishing companies and related organisations regularly contribute to modules. Some of the teaching staff are particularly active in research on cultural issues in publishing, and publishing lecturers provide consultancy and training to organisations in the UK and worldwide.
Career prospects
Our graduates have established an enviable reputation in the publishing industry and they are extremely successful in obtaining good jobs fast.
Evidence from our alumni suggests that they are able to enter the industry at a higher level than would otherwise have been possible. The Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies has its own vacancy list of jobs in publishing and runs an annual Working in Publishing Day.
Specialist facilities
Facilities available to publishing students include a new purpose-built IT suite with an interactive whiteboard and sound and video projection. All students have the opportunity to learn and use professional software such as Adobe InDesign.
The library carries a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of books, journals and electronic resources relating to publishing. Students have access to many databases including Book Facts Online, the Bookseller, Business Source Complete, Fame, Global Publishing Information Reports, Logos, Mintel, Nielsen Bookscan, and Pirabase.
The library also includes a number of special collections of relevance to publishing students and researchers such as The Booker Prize Archive, Andre Deutsch Collection, Publishing in Africa Collection and the Book Design Collection.
Field trips
Study trips and book fairs are a key part of the courses, and each year students attend the Frankfurt, Bologna and London Book Fairs, as well as attending the publishing summer school with our European Partners in Florence.
Free language courses for students - the Open Module
Free language courses are available to all full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying any course on our Headington (including Marston Road), Harcourt Hill or Wheatley Campuses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.
Key facts
Faculty
Faculty of Business
Department
Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies
Course length
Full-time: MA: 12 months, PGDip: 9 months
Part-time: MA: 24 months, PGDip: 18 months
Teaching location
Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane
Start date
September 2012
UKPASS code
P036906
Apply / Entry reqs
Entry requirements
Our publishing courses attract graduates from a wide range of disciplines who are seeking entry with advanced standing into the publishing industry. We also attract people wishing to update and enhance their knowledge of publishing practice and people working in publishing who are seeking knowledge outside their own specialist field in order to advance their careers.
Candidates from around the world enrol on the course to learn about publishing within the context of a global industry - in the past three years we have had postgraduate students from over 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
A good degree in any subject or significant industry experience is required. Applicants should be able to demonstrate a commitment to work in the publishing or communications industries.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English, then an English language level of IELTS 7.0, or TOEFL 100 (internet-based) is required.
Please also see the university's standard English language requirements.
English language requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Border Agency's minimum language requirements as well as the university's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Preparation courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for this course and also familiarise you with university life. You may also be able to apply for one student visa to cover both courses.
- Take our Pre-Master's course to help you to meet both the English language and academic entry requirements for your master's course
- Take our University English course to help you to meet the English language requirements of your master's course
How to apply
You apply for this course through UKPASS.
Conditions of acceptance
When you accept our offer you agree to the conditions of acceptance. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Credit transfer
Oxford Brookes operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). All postgraduate single modules are equivalent to 10 ECTS credits, double modules to 20 ECTS credits, and treble modules to 30 ECTS credits. A full master's course will carry 90 ECTS credits. More about ECTS credits.
Fees / funding
TUITION FEES
UK/EU
Full-time: £5,980
Part-time: £3,120
International
Full-time: £11,140*
Part-time: £5,680
*An early payment discount of £250 is available to international students who pay their deposit before 30th June 2012.
Fees (part-time and full-time) are for the academic year starting in 2012 only, unless otherwise stated. Fees increase annually by approximately 4%.
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk
Scholarships and funding
There are a number of scholarships and funding schemes available for students on our courses: for entry in 2009/10, ten students received an award of some kind; and in 2010/11, twelve students.
In past years we have offered a range of scholarships, such as the following: the Publishing Training Centre Diversity Scholarship, the Cambridge Publishing Scholarship, the Hachette UK Publishing Scholarship, the Macmillan Publishing Scholarship, and the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies (International) Scholarship and the Stationers' Foundation. These ranged in value from £750 to £6,000.
For details of the latest scholarships available please visit http://ah.brookes.ac.uk/publishing/postgraduate_scholarships
With regard to university schemes, our students have had considerable success in obtaining a variety of awards including the John Henry Brookes Scholarship and the Abbey Santander Scholarship. Our students have also obtained a variety of external awards, such as from the AHRC.
For general sources of financial support, see:
Oxford
Why Oxford is a great place to study Digital Publishing
Oxford is a global centre of publishing - local companies include Elsevier, Macmillan Education, Oxford University Press, Pearson Education, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley-Blackwell. A large number of independent publishing organizations are also based in Oxford, including the African Books Collective, Berg Publishing, How to Books, Infinite Ideas, Osprey Publishing, Oxfam Publishing, and the Voltaire Foundation.
Students have access to unique research resources: specialist publishing collections; André Deutsch Collection, African Publishing Collection; the Bodleian Library. Oxford Brookes is also the permanent home of the Booker Prize Archive.
The city of Oxford has something for everyone. A beautiful, historic city, it is famous for its writers, including J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Philip Pullman, Colin Dexter and Mark Haddon. The Oxford Literary Festival takes place each Spring. In 2011 we ran a speaker event with Victoria Barnsley, Chief Executive of HarperCollins, the author Marcus du Sautoy, and the Sunday Times journalist Cathy Galvin.
Oxford is a vibrant, student-friendly place with lots to offer, including a wide range of sporting venues, shops, pubs, cafes, clubs, cinemas, theatres and restaurants, with excellent transport links, it is ideally situated for exploring the rest of Britain and Europe. London is easily accessible by both coach and train.
Support
How Brookes supports postgraduate students
Supporting your learning
From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.
Personal support services
We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.
Research
Departmental research highlights
The Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies (OICPS) is one of the leading centres for publishing education in the world. Our staff and students contribute to a vibrant research environment that is interdisciplinary in emphasis and international in scope. We focus on areas such as book consumption and the life cycle of books, book trade and publishing history (especially 18th-21st centuries), museum publishing, serials publications, pedagogy and publishing education, and the future of the industry. Members of staff have published award-winning monographs, key pedagogical textbooks, and a range of scholarly articles and edited collections.
Students pursuing doctoral studies with us are investigating such topics as girls' magazines in the cultural and consumer marketplace, the future of university libraries, German publishing in the First World War, and marketing strategies for children’s literature in the Middle East. We also supervise students for the PhD by Publication. Most of our research students are based in Oxford, but a number work on their studies from a distance with regular contact in person and by email.
Research is supported by the resources of Oxford Brookes Library –especially its Special Collections featuring the Booker Archive, the Publishing in Africa Collection, the Rainbird Archive, and the Peter Stockham Collection of Children’s Books—as well as by other local and regional archives and university libraries.
OICPS carries out independent research and training with the international publishing industry. Recent research and consultancy clients include the British Council, Hewlett Packard, the Society of Experimental Biology and Sports Books.
If you have a topic relating to publishing that you would like to study at doctoral level, please contact us with a preliminary synopsis.
Research areas and clusters
The OICPS can offer PhD and MPhil supervision in the following areas:
- The Culture and History of Publishing: Late nineteenth-, twentieth- and twenty-first-century print culture, publishing and book history. Examples of specific research areas might include authorship, reading and literary sociology, contemporary fiction and literary prizes, and the impact of editorial and technological issues on culture and society.
- International, Strategy, Policy and Development: Studies of contemporary publishing in local, regional and national contexts, issues of development and publishing. Geographical areas (outside the UK) where there is particular staff expertise include: Africa, China, Europe.
- Projects can also be co-supervised with members of the Department of English and Modern Languages, the Department of History, Philosophy and Religion, and the Business School.
