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Writing and Editing for Magazines (PUBL90013)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides an overview of magazine writing, editing and publishing, with special emphasis on the skills needed to successfully produce magazines today. We examine how magazine editors conceive of audiences, and how they create print and digital magazines that serve the needs and desires of those audiences. Students will study how editors turn ideas into stories, and work with the magazine production team to give a story its final form. Students will learn how writers pitch ideas to editors, and to research and write magazine feature stories. We study the commercial aspects of magazine publishing – advertising, sales, marketing and promotion – and investigate innovative magazine business models in a time of great change and disruption in publishing. We examine how a magazine develops from concept to finished product, including launch proposal, project planning, scheduling and budgeting. Our focus is not solely on print, but on the magazine as a form that continues to evolve in response to social and technological change.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, the student should understand
- How magazine publishing works
- The magazine production process, in all its stages
- How to develop and pitch magazine story ideas
- How to research and write magazine feature stories
- Innovation in magazine publishing and its business models
- Necessary steps in the creation and launching of new magazines
Generic skills
At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:
- high-level written and oral communication skills through contribution to class discussions, the completion of exercises and assignments, wide reading on issues of contemporary publishing processes, and exposure to the protocols of editorial practice;
- effective teamwork through group discussions and collaborative exercises;
- cultural and ethical understanding through reflection and rreading and practical experience of the editor's ethical responsibilities to both authors and readers;
- skills in information technology literacy and understanding of information management through participation in computer laboratory sessions and completion of exercises and assignments;
- skills in research, including the use of online as well as print-based materials in the course of exercises and assignments;
- skills in time management and planning through managing workloads for recommended reading, tutorial presentations and assessment requirements; and
- a capacity for critical analysis through engagement and critique of a range of publishing strategies.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Students who have successfully completed one or more of the listed prerequisite subjects can enrol in PUBL90013 Writing and Editing for Magazines.
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
PUBL90002 | Editorial English |
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
JOUR90001 | Researching/Writing Stories |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
JOUR90020 | International Journalism - Key Skills |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
MECM90024 | Strategic Content Creation |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
PUBL90006 | Writing and Editing for Digital Media |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
MECM40011 | Writing for the Media | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Three story pitches to three different magazines
| Week 4 | 20% |
A long-form magazine feature story developed from one of the ideas pitched in assessment 1
| Late in the teaching period | 40% |
A group project consisting of a magazine launch proposal (2000 words total) - class presentation component (10%, 500 words equivalent) to be presented in the last week of teaching; and the associated report to be submitted in the examination period (30%, 1500 words equivalent) (40% total)
| To be presented in the last week of teaching; and the associated report to be submitted in the examination period | 40% |
Hurdle requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Matt Holden Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total 24 hours: 1x two hour workshop, taught weekly Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
122
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
A subject reader will be available.
Recommended texts and other resources
Baverstock, Bowen & Carey. 'How to Get A Job In Publishing', A&C Black, London: 2009.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022