MA Publishing
1 Year Full-Time | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
MA Publishing
Innovative Collaboration for the Future of Publishing
Our innovative and unique MA Publishing course has been designed in collaboration with and is delivered alongside Hachette UK, the UK division of the third largest trade and educational publishing company in the world; and the reading and writing development organisation New Writing North.
Addressing Industry Skills Gaps
This Publishing Masters, expressly designed to address skills gaps within the publishing industry, is the first in the UK to offer students a guaranteed placement with a global publisher and the opportunity to work with New Writing North on live writing development projects.
Industry Insights and Skills Development
Students are taught both by a team of expert academics, led by novelist and former Faber and Penguin Random House editor Richard T. Kelly and by New Writing North’s Will Mackie, and by specialists and staff from Hachette UK and New Writing North. In particular, students benefit from the week-to-week presence of senior-level Hachette UK staff as visiting instructors and mentors, which gives this Masters a uniqueness in the informed access it offers students to the cutting edge of the publishing industry.
The five Modules you will study on this course are: Introduction to Publishing, Manuscript to Market, People in Publishing, Publishing Placement, and Major Publishing Project.
You will gain insight into 21st-century publishing, and the wide range of roles available in the industry. You will also explore the various stages of publishing’s ‘critical path’, from initial ideas and commissioning to cover design, marketing and publicity campaigns, and sales data analysis through subscriber access to Nielsen BookScan. You will develop your understanding of the ecology of writing in the UK through learning about the role of writing development in publishing, and strategies for identifying and developing talent.
Practical Experience and Career Readiness
You will develop professional publishing practice through the Publishing Placement and Major Publishing Project modules. These modules will help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need for a career in publishing, as well as allow you to graduate with a portfolio to show potential employers and engage in your own independent research project.
Graduates of the Masters in Publishing will gain a thorough academic grounding in the principles and practices of publishing today, as well as the vocational and practical skills to prepare them for success in a range of publishing-related roles.
Course Information
Level of Study
Postgraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time
School
Humanities and Social Sciences
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2027
Fees
Fee Information
Modules
Module Information
Scholarships and Funding
Discover the funding options available to you
The Hachette UK Scholarship
International Postgraduate Scholarships
The Postgraduate Loan
More about the UK Government Loan.
Alumni Discount
Receive up to 20% off your course fees.
Discover More / MA Publishing
Facilities / Discover our facilities
Explore more / Explore Northumbria University
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
Entry Requirements 2027/28
Standard Entry
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in any subject. Applicants with appropriate work experience and/or a relevant professional qualification will be considered.
International qualifications:
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English language requirements:
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component.
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
Fees and Funding 2027/28 Entry
Full UK Fee: £12,975
Tuition fees in the academic year 2027/28* will be £10,050. Fees are set in line with the UK Government's tuition fee cap. The University may increase fees in subsequent years in line with any changes to the tuition fee cap. Increases will be linked to inflation. For example, increases may be linked to RPIX (Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments) Students will be notified of any increase ahead of it taking effect. Student fee loans rise in line with the tuition fees cap.
*if your course is longer than one year
Full International Fee: £19,850
This is the tuition fee for your first year of study. You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift. Students will be notified of any increase ahead of it taking effect.
Scholarships and Discounts
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Modules Overview 2027/28
Modules
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
Year one
EL7044 -
Major Publishing Project (Core,60 Credits)
The Major Publishing Project provides you with the opportunity to produce an extended piece of work on a topic of your choice that engages with some aspect of contemporary Publishing Studies. Indicative topics may include but are not limited to publishing history, publishing markets, case studies of publishing initiatives and organisations and EDI interventions. Topics will be agreed in negotiation and with guidance from your module tutor. In this double-weighted module you will operate at a higher level of independent learning and research than in the taught modules. You will be taught key research skills in structured workshops taught as a development phase, and then engage in a more independent delivery phase working with a supervisor to lead your own project.
In this module you will learn how to plan, structure, formulate, negotiate and evaluate a personal project of study in the mode of a substantial project with an accompanying report. Through structured workshops and individual supervisions you will learn how to manage, execute and complete a research project in Publishing Studies that critically evaluates appropriate theories and concepts and demonstrates understanding and knowledge of your chosen area of research. By putting into practice the publishing methodologies and independent learning skills you have developed on your programme modules, you will use personal reflection to communicate and evaluate research outcomes and your own learning journey.
Any Questions?
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Accuracy of information
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
How your course is delivered
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning.
Changes to your course
Most courses run as described on our website and in our marketing materials. Occasionally we may need to make changes, for example due to a change in the law or regulatory requirements, requirements of a Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body, or our quality assurance processes. Where a change is significant (in line with the Competition and Markets Authority's guidance on "substantial changes"), we will consult with affected students in advance where the change is being decided, and will explain the reason for the change and inform you at the earliest opportunity.
If we make a significant variation to your programme, you are entitled to: request a transfer to an alternative, appropriate programme; withdraw and have your tuition fees adjusted; or raise a complaint through the Student Complaints Procedure.
Optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year. Where a module you selected is withdrawn, the options above apply.
Contact time
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
Images and video
The photography and video on this page are used for illustration. They may have been taken at different times and in different parts of the University, and may show facilities, equipment, staff, students or activities that are not part of this course. They are not a guarantee of the specific facilities or equipment you will use.
The course content, entry requirements and fees sections of this page, together with the Programme Specification, set out what this course includes. Our facilities are updated over time and may change during your studies.
Accessibility and Student Inclusion
Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.
We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.
You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need.
We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:
Page last reviewed: 15 October 2026
