Publishing Studies is offered at Honours and Master’s levels in the School of Literature, Language and Media. The aim of these professionally oriented courses is to prepare graduate students for a career in publishing, and to upgrade those employed in publishing companies.
The BA Honours Publishing Studies is offered to students with almost any undergraduate degree. MA Publishing Studies coursework programmes are tailored for students who have done Honours in Publishing Studies, and for those with Honours in another relevant discipline. Research degrees are available at MA and PhD level. Students may combine Publishing Studies with other subjects for a combined Honours degree — joint programmes are available in Publishing and Translation, Publishing and African Literature, and Publishing and Creative Writing. Courses are presented in a blended programme, with two weeks of compulsory in-person attendance in a year.
Head of discipline: Laetitia Cassells (Laetitia.Cassells@wits.ac.za). General enquiries: Merle.Govind@wits.ac.za, +27 (0)11 717 4140. Publishing Studies, School of Literature, Language and Media, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
By the End of the Course
An informed perspective on contemporary publishing issues in South Africa and throughout the world
Sufficient skills in copyediting, design, production, sales and marketing to become a useful junior member of a publishing organisation
A thorough understanding of the publishing process and all the players and subsidiary processes involved
The ability to evaluate and make publishing proposals, bearing in mind market potential, financial viability and production requirements
The ability to develop a marketing plan for a book or series of books
Critical, analytic and evaluative skills in communication, teamwork, project management and technology
An understanding of how legislative and copyright issues relate to publishing practice
An understanding of electronic and digital publishing and how it relates to copyright, marketing, production and management
