Masters in Publishing and Editing: Degree Program Overview

While earning a master's in publishing, students are exposed to the many aspects of the publishing world including print book, magazine, and newspaper publishing, digital media, and the options of self-publishing. After developing the foundations of publication, students then create a unique learning plan for their focused area of study. This extends further than the desired medium one wishes to work with and can include particular concentrations, such as children's publishing, fiction writing and publishing, or distribution. While individual degree track varies by institution, most master's programs include an internship in the publishing industry that has relevancy to the student's focus and provides hands-on experience for the post-grad job market.

Master's Degree in Publishing and Editing

It is very rare that you will find a specific course of study that combines a master's of publishing and editing; rather students will get a master's of publishing with a concentration centered around editing skills. These concentrations can include focus in writing, applied linguistics, English literature, or communication.

An MS in publishing focuses on the history and foundations of publishing with a concentration more towards digital studies. Things like layout and design, production, and distribution are covered, but also elements of growing digital media are discussed such as electronic books, magazine apps for cell phones, and the many facets and layers of social media platforms. This educational track can also be referred to as a masters of publishing and communication, as the topics of study blend more with the digital world and examine how humans communicate with each other in the 21st century. Some of the classes that are offered in these courses are 'The Future of Publishing: Transmedia' which looks at how stories are being told across multiple platforms or 'Publishing and Internet Law.'

There are is a collection of foundational courses that almost all master's in publishing students will take. While much of the groundwork knowledge is acquired during the education from the bachelor's degree, there it still relevant material students will acquire at the beginning of the mater's study. Generally during the first year, students in a master's degree program in publishing will be introduced to all facets of the industry, including forms of digital media such as podcasts, websites, and e-books. Similarly, a type of 'principles and practices' course will be offered as to the fundamentals of the craft of publishing. Some examples of these types of courses include:

• Book acquisition
• Magazine publishing and advertising
• Marketing principles of publishing
• Book publishing and distribution
• Publishing law
• Multimedia analysis
• Business development
• Electronic publishing methods
• Information systems in publishing

After you have taken these types of core courses and discovered an area of interest that you want to focus your studies on, you will be able to navigate through the remainder of your master's centering your research on your interests. This allows for the specialization necessary to later enter the job market. Similarly, when you have discovered your concentration, you can apply for internships allowing for hands-on experience, also beneficial when you apply for jobs. Some helpful questions you can ask yourself to discover the field you want to focus your studies on are:

• Am I interested in working with print media or digital media?
• Are there professional fields that incorporate both print and media that I would want to be a part of?
• What publishing environment do I want to be in - independent publishing, magazines, academic books, websites, etc?
• Would I prefer to travel in a job like a literary agent or do I want to remain stationary with a job like an editor?

Graduates of a master's program in publishing are prepared for a variety of jobs in the publishing industry including:

• Trade publisher: this is the most traditional job when one thinks of publishing. Trade publishers find, edit, generate, and publish books that get sold in bookstores.
• Scholarly or Educational publisher: the people in this profession craft the textbooks used in schools and academia. Different factions of this field include focusing on elementary, middle, or high school and post-secondary education.
• Magazine editor: this job can be administrative as the editor for large magazines, like Vogue or Vanity Fair as this job is meant to execute the company's editorial policy. At smaller publications, this position will perform a number of different responsibilities such as writing or copyediting, and supervising staff members.
• Book editor: these professionals work to get a manuscript ready for publication. This could involve supporting the author's writing method, editing, and reviewing multiple drafts of the text.
• Editorial assistant: this is a great entry-level position and can include responsibilities like editing, curating digital content, creating promotional materials, or pitching future projects.
• Copywriter: copywriters are primarily responsible for writing clear, concise, and comprehensive copy. This may also involve conducting strong research and working with team members on editorial projects
• Publicist: this is one of the final steps towards publishing a text and the publicist creates the media content so people are aware of the publication and want to buy it.
• Sales: these representatives work for publishing companies and market the text to wholesalers, bookstores, schools, or other businesses. This profession must be personable and have the ability to maintain good relationships.
• Fact checker: the responsibilities of this profession is exactly what it sounds like. Fact checkers are responsible for confirming the details of the text and ensuring things like historical facts, data, or identities are confirmed as authentic.

For students wishing to continue developing their skills and knowledge, Ph.D. programs in publishing are available from some schools. For students who are interested in writing careers, a Master of Fine Arts in Writing or Literature can be strong complementary programs to consider.

Students interested in a master's in publishing, communications, editing, and related fields have a variety of career options to choose from. The best way for students who already have a bachelor's degree to attain a career in publishing or a related area is to apply to a master's program.