Following
the first-year success of Hachette UK and New Writing North’s partnership with
Northumbria University to deliver an innovative new publishing degree, teaching
has commenced with the second year of students, who will all receive a
guaranteed work placement with Hachette UK. Once again there is
a £2,000 scholarship for one highly gifted student from an
underrepresented background.
Northumbria
University’s one-year MA Publishing programme has been designed to respond
to recognised skills gaps within the contemporary publishing industry, preparing
students to enter the trade by covering all stages of the publishing process,
from commissioning and editing through to marketing, sales, data and
production. It aims to make a change within the industry with a particular
focus on talent from the North of England.
Students
on the MA will benefit from industry insight, including talks by Lennie
Goodings, Virago; Anna Bond, Octopus and Richard Kitson, deputy CEO of Hachette
UK, as well as visiting London Book Fair.
Hachette
UK has recently recruited a student from the 2022/2023 class into their audio
department and has offered recruitment support to the remaining alumni. The
first-year student's final projects included topics such as BookTok, Manga, Self-Help
publishing, launching a YA imprint, and the relationship between publishing and
celebrity influencers.
Every
MA student takes part in a work placement to apply their learning in a
real-life context, gain work experience and enhance their knowledge of
publishing and wider writing industries. Hachette UK’s All Together staff
network, which promotes the recruitment, retention and development of people
from low socio-economic and regional backgrounds, leads on creating and
delivering Hachette UK’s contribution to the placement module with their
network members providing guidance and mentoring as key contacts.
Students
are taught by expert academics along with specialists and staff from both
Hachette UK and New Writing North. Author, Faber Academy lecturer and
former Faber editor Richard T. Kelly joined the teaching staff in September
2023 and will be the academic lead of the MA from January 2024. Originally from
the North-East, Kelly brings his wealth of experience as a published writer to
his teaching.
Richard
T. Kelly, programme leader, MA Publishing at Northumbria University, said: “This MA is a bold,
unique innovation, and a truly outstanding opportunity for students to benefit
from the professional acumen and experiential learning offered by one of the
world’s great publishers in Hachette, coupled with the terrific expertise of New
Writing North. I am totally thrilled to be part of this great initiative in my
hometown, and by the success the programme has already enjoyed. I look forward
to welcoming future students to Northumbria and helping them to realise their
creative ambitions.”
Will
Mackie, programme leader, MA Publishing at New Writing North, said: “We are delighted to be
partnering with Hachette UK and Northumbria University on this exciting and
creatively inventive MA. This course seeks to both prepare students for careers
in contemporary publishing and empower them to enter the trade with the tools
to be change-makers and innovators in the years to come. The presence of
Hachette’s dedicated and specialist staff alongside Northumbria University’s
academic expertise makes for a unique and rewarding learning environment that
we are thrilled to be part of. New Writing North curate and deliver an original
module where we have the opportunity to share the benefits of more than two
decades of our own expertise. Every element of this course aligns with New
Writing North’s long-term commitment to developing, diversifying, and nurturing
talent in our region and more widely in the UK’s publishing and writing
sectors.”
The
£2,000 scholarship is awarded jointly by Northumbria University and Hachette UK
as part of the University’s Higher Education Without Barriers fund. The
fund provides a range of support, including financial initiatives, to make
participation and progression in Higher Education more achievable for
academically talented students, regardless of their social or economic
circumstances.
Richard
Kitson, deputy group CEO at Hachette UK, said: “We are immensely
proud of this partnership, which speaks directly to our desire to create
opportunities to attract a diverse range of talent to our industry. New Writing
North and Northumbria University's objectives chime closely with ours, so they
are the perfect collaborators. We are also very proud of our staff, especially
the members of the All Together network, who have committed their time and
energy to deliver the placements and sessions.”
Teaching
on the new MA Publishing degree began in September 2023 and the placements at
Hachette UK will commence in January 2024. The course is delivered over one year on a full-time basis. Further information can be found here.
Northumbria University’s course overview can be seen below.
Publishing MA - Course Overview | Northumbria University from Northumbria University on Vimeo.
Hear Alumni student, Jessica Moore, talk about her experience of the course in the video below.
Publishing MA - Student Profile | Jessica Moore from Northumbria University on Vimeo.
For
more information contact: maura.wilding@hachette.co.uk
