COURSE CURRICULUM

This Writing and Publishing degree at Derby is designed to develop both your creative writing ability and your professional understanding of the publishing industry, preparing you for roles in writing, editing, content creation, and editorial production. From the beginning, the course introduces you to the relationship between creative writing and publishing, helping you understand how texts move from initial ideas through to finished products that reach readers in print and digital forms. You study core skills such as writing craft, research, style, task management, deadlines, and audience awareness, while also learning how the publishing industry operates, including how traditional print publishing has evolved alongside digital media, online platforms, and self-publishing. As you progress, you develop more advanced editorial and technical skills, including copy-editing, manuscript preparation, and understanding publishing standards such as house styles, grammar, syntax, and consistency, alongside awareness of representation, bias, and inclusive language in published work. The course also allows you to specialise in areas such as fiction, children’s and young adult writing, non-fiction, or digital publishing, giving you flexibility to align your studies with your interests and career goals. A strong emphasis is placed on industry practice, with modules that simulate real editorial workflows and publishing processes, helping you understand how writers, editors, and publishers collaborate in professional environments. In your final year, you complete an independent study, which may take the form of a research dissertation or a major creative or publishing project such as a book, magazine, or curated portfolio, supported by reflective analysis of your process and decisions. This final project allows you to demonstrate both creative and analytical skills at a professional level. Overall, the degree aims to produce graduates who are not only capable writers but also industry-aware professionals who understand the commercial, editorial, and digital realities of modern publishing, making them suitable for careers such as editorial assistant, copy-editor, content writer, publishing coordinator, or freelance author.