Postal Address: Publishing Studies,
School of Literature,
Language and Media,
University of the
Witwatersrand,
Private Bag 3,
Wits, 2050
Province: Gauteng
Tel: +27 (0)11 717 4140
Email: Merle.Govind@wits.ac.za
………………………….........……….
Head of discipline: Laetitia Cassells
Email: Laetitia.Cassells@wits.ac.za
Tel: +27 (0)11 717 4140
………………………….........……….
About the Publishing Studies programmes:
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.
We offer the BA Honours Publishing Studies to students
with almost any undergraduate degree. We tailor MA
Publishing Studies coursework programmes for students
who have done Honours in Publishing Studies, and
for those with Honours in another relevant discipline.
Research is a part of all postgraduate programmes
offered, research degrees are available at MA and PhD
level. Students may combine Publishing Studies with
other subjects offered in the school for a combined
Honours degree, joint programmes are available in
Publishing and Translation, Publishing and African
Literature and Publishing and Creative Writing.
At the end of the course the candidate will:
• Have developed an informed perspective on
contemporary publishing issues in South Africa and
throughout the world, and apply this knowledge within
specific publishing contexts;
• Have sufficient skills in practical areas such as
copyediting, design, production, sales and marketing
to become a useful junior member of a publishing
organisation in a very short time;
• Achieve a thorough understanding of the publishing
process and all the players and subsidiary processes
involved;
Evaluate and make publishing proposals, bearing in
mind market potential, financial viability and production
requirements;
• Be able to develop a marketing plan for a book or
series of books. Identify and analyse issues affecting
the business and management operations of a
publishing company;
• Build critical, analytic and evaluative skills in
communication, teamwork, project management and
technology;
• Relate legislative and copyright issues to the practices
of publishing.
• Understand the development of electronic and digital
publications, and how it relates to development,
copyright, marketing, production and management
issues.
Courses are presented in a blended programme, with
two weeks of compulsory in-person attendance in a year.