The following courses constitute a core curriculum for students interested in a career in book publishing in editorial, sales, publicity or marketing, book composition and design. Courses are grouped by professional area; students are encouraged to develop a track of studies that will provide specialized knowledge and allow them to respond to the dynamic and constantly evolving interaction of publishing departments.
EDITORIAL COURSES
ENGL 31131 – Digital and E-Book Publishing
This course will provide a history of digital books and context for understanding how digital advances and ebooks have affected the publishing industry, consumer habits, and reading. The course exposes students to practical wisdom from experts across the publishing and book industry. Students will learn about ebook production and design; SEO and metadata; digital and online marketing; social media; audiobooks, and sales. Students will write a reader’s report, a response-paper to an audiobook, and create a design memo. For their final group project students will edit, distribute and market an original ebook across platforms, and present their collaborative work at “sales conference” at the end of the semester.
ENGL 32501 – Introduction to Publishing
This required course offers students a dynamic overview of the book publishing industry, including book acquisitions, editing, design and production, sales, marketing, advertising, corporate management, law and finance.
ENGL 32502 – Publishing Practicum
Students simulate the complete book-publishing process from contract negotiations to bound book. Prerequisite: Introduction to Publishing.
ENGL 32600 – Books for Young Readers
A look at the world of publishing for children and young adults. Licensing, merchandising, sales and marketing to all age groups and reader categories will be discussed. Includes substantial reading of children’s titles.
ENGL 32700 – The Editorial Process
An in-depth look at the editorial process from a corporate and employment-seeking perspective. Includes visits from authors and industry professionals.
ENGL 32800 – Fundamentals of Copyediting and Proofreading
An intensive course focusing on a variety of texts including fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks and references. Students will employ universal copyediting/proofreading symbols in type-marking manuscripts and learn design coding; drafting of style sheets; querying; and preparing a manuscript for author review, etc. Prerequisite or co-requisite: Introduction to Publishing.
ENGL 32801 – Legal Issues in Publishing and the Arts
A course covering the crucial clauses in an author-publisher contract; intellectual property issues; the First Amendment; general copyright matters; defamation; invasion of privacy; obscenity; and internet copyright issues.
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING COURSES
MCA 20900 – Introduction to Public Relations
An introductory course on the practice, concepts and theories of public relations. Students learn the fundamentals of persuasive communications, public opinion, market research, writing for the media end effective media relations.
MCA 21000 – Introduction to Advertising
A course introducing students to the advertising industry. Students analyze, evaluate and simulate advertising campaigns from a marketing perspective.
MCA 36200 – Public Relations Writing
Students examine message dissemination and how to write public relations plans and corporate directed communications. Projects include press releases, media alerts, pitch letters, tip sheets, PSA’s, media kits and web PR.
MCA 36300 – Advertising Copywriting
A course focusing on solving marketing problems through copywriting. Students write, edit and evaluate copy including print, radio, TV, mail and promotional materials individually and in teams.
MCA 37500 – Advertising Management
An introduction to basic management in advertising. The course focuses on the economic, social and legal aspects of the industry with an emphasis on advertising’s role in marketing and consumer behavior.
MCA 37600 – Advertising Planning
Students apply principles of advertising management to specific problems and case studies. Focus is on developing advertising strategies, budgets and media plans in domestic and international environments.
ECON 33000 – Principles of Marketing
Students examine the distribution and sale of goods and services from production to consumption. The course fo-cuses on affecting consumer behavior, merchandise economics and product theory.
DESIGN COURSES AND INTERNSHIP
ART 29500 – Typography
An introduction to typography as form and its relation to graphic communication. Application of typographic design to brochures, magazines, packaging, and advertising.
ART 29510 – Graphic Design Concepts
A course exploring the relationship of type and image in graphic design and strengthening conceptual and visual skills. Students use traditional and computer technology.
ART 29520 – Illustration
A course on aspects of contemporary illustration in various media such as books, magazines, advertisements and posters.
ART 39510 – Electronic Design I
An overview of design for print media, including page layout, integration of text and image, and the use of vector and raster-based software for design.
ART 39512- Print Production
An investigation of print production from concept to execution, including design as well as physical aspects such as black and white and color printing and techniques including embossing and die cuts.
ART 39540 – Design: World Wide Web
Development of HTML documents and images, design and prototype testing of a logical hierarchical information structure. Students will develop an actual site.
ART 49510 – Electronic Design II
A continuation of ART 39510, covering contemporary design styles and issues in information design. Individually scheduled lab time.
ENGL 31103Q – Independent Study: Publishing Internship
Mandatory internship for students who have completed four publishing courses with at least a 3.0 average. Students are placed in internships with major publishers including The Penguin Group, Random House, Inc., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., The Hachette Book Group USA, W.W. Norton, Inc., HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster, Inc. An eight-page seminar paper reviewing and analyzing the relationship between academic preparation and work experience is required