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Publishing: Editorial, Design and the Web (Foundation Degree)

If you are interested in books, magazines and websites and enjoy English, media studies and art and design then a degree in publishing might interest you. Whether you want to produce a magazine, book, leaflet, newsletter, exhibition catalogue or web content, you'll need to employ sound editorial and design skills to varying degrees depending on your exact role. This innovative, highly practical course will help you become the multi-skilled professional that today's rapidly changing publishing industry needs.

For more information about this course please visit the Bath School of Art and Design and the School of Humanities and Cultural Industries website.

If you are already working and producing published materials for perhaps a museum, business or local council, then this course can enhance your skills and teach you the latest techniques and software.

Course Structure and Content

The foundation degree in Publishing at Bath Spa University is a very practical course which teaches you editing, design, page layout, copywriting, publicity and marketing, websites creation and content management, project management, and much more.

Through set projects and exercises, and your own projects you'll learn the skills needed to work on books, magazines, leaflets and newsletters, exhibition or retail catalogues, or web content. There will also be the opportunity to undertake work placements in local and national publishers and organisations.

A series of core modules provide a broad education in the contemporary print and online publishing industry, intended to provide you with vital background knowledge to increase your familiarity with the industry. This core course will also introduce you to other areas of publishing including marketing, copyright and contracts, and production management.

All students are taught Graphic Design and Editorial modules in common to provide a shared foundation of skills and knowledge. These include: creative design principles, communication skills, text-editing techniques and online and print production methods.

You will be encouraged to consider the technical and commercial demands of the publishing industry alongside more creative and imaginative approaches to product creation and innovation. In your second year you will also be introduced to a range of business and presentation skills and have the opportunity to undertake a publishing work placement. There will be many opportunities for collaboration and hands-on experience working on live projects.

Modules

Years 1 and 2: Students take all modules:

Year 1 Modules:
Year 2 Modules:

Teaching Methods and Resources

You will be taught by experienced publishers and designers in purpose-built studios using the latest industry software such as InDesign, Photoshop, Dreamweaver. We also have a series of visiting publishing professionals who will teach you and talk about their work. You will learn through a combination of workshops, studio work, lectures, seminars, work-based placements, field trips, one-to-one and group tutorials, individual and group projects.

During the course you will be encouraged to pursue your personal career goals and to seek opportunities to gain practical experience in industry while you study.

Assessment Methods

A range of assessment methods are used. Most modules assess the skills involved in researching and presenting written and visual material. Teamwork may be assessed in some modules alongside individual work. Modules are assessed on the coursework produced, which may include PowerPoint presentations, written work, or a portfolio of set exercises.

Entry Requirements

180 - 220 points UCAS Tariff points (minimum 60 points from Art, Design, English, IT, Media Studies, or a related subject preferred). National Diplomas, a portfolio of art and design, or Art Foundation Course.

Mature candidates with non-standard qualifications will be considered.

Snapshot

Awards

FdA Publishing: Editorial, Design and the Web - UCAS code P400.

Course Location

Taught at Newton Park.

This course is taught as part of Artswork, the University's £4.5 million Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

This course is taught by the Bath School of Art and Design and the School of Humanities and Cultural Industries in the Publishing Lab at Newton Park.

Course Length

Two years full time.

Annual Course Fees and Bursaries

£3,290 fee in 2010 (plus annual inflationary increase).

£125 studio fee in 2010 (plus annual inflationary increase).

Bursaries of up to £1,200 available.

Career Opportunities

The course aims to produce students who have the skills and knowledge combined with a level of entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen to allow them to make a successful transition from the course into publishing careers as a designer or editor, or in a role which requires both skills such as publicity and marketing, or newsletter editor. In addition to book and magazine publishing, there is a wide range of other industries and organisations which employ multi-skilled people to produce published materials such as retail businesses, the music and fashion industry, art galleries and museums, charities, and local authorities.

At the end of the course you can go into the industry with your FD Publishing qualification or apply to take the third year of the university's BA (Hons) in Creative Writing, BA (Hons) Creative Media Practice or the BA (Hons) in Graphic Communication.

Mature Students: If you are a mature student already working in a related area, perhaps responsible for producing newsletters, booklets or catalogues for a museum or charity, you can use this course to update and expand your skills (please contact the course leader to discuss how this could work for you).

Enquiries

Course Leader, Katharine Reeve:

Course Leader (Design), Matthew Robertson

Admissions:

Telephone: (01225) 875433.

Design enquiries, please contact David Tinkham, Administrator, Department of Communication Design:

Telephone: (01225) 875528.