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Publishing Certificate

Enhance Your Undergraduate Creative Writing Degree
  • Majors

    Majors Only − BFA Certificate in Publishing Is Open to BFA Majors in Creative Writing

  • Lab

    Hands-on Publishing Laboratory Serves as a Learning Space for Both Graduate and Undergraduate Students

  • Skills

    Students Can Work on Literary Journals as Well as Books

Find your career in:

Correct content as well as spelling, grammar and language.

Promote products and services with your writing and editing skills.

Skilled writers and editors can help companies manage their brand identity.

Learn layout and design skills.

Learn to communicate visually.

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Learn To

Develop and apply skills in writing structure, copyediting, grammar, mechanics, spelling, formatting, style, and other fundamentals crucial to effective, polished writing

Gain hands-on training in book design and production using desktop publishing technologies

Learn the practical business of running a literary magazine, including editorial, marketing, and sales decisions

“ I’m so thankful for this community and what it has given me in terms of writing practice, but also the push from publishing staff to really know the industry we’re entering. ”
Cassie Mannes-Murray, ‘21
Certificate in Publishing Program Overview

Certifiably Creative

If creative writing is your declared major and you are interested in pursuing a career in book or journal publishing, this certificate will enhance your professional credentials.

Certificate graduates are prepared to work in fields in and related to publishing, including editing and copyediting, publicity, marketing, advertising, book and magazine design and production, and graphic design. You will learn skills that are beneficial in a variety of outside fields from public relations to business to journalism to entrepreneurship.

Publishing Lab

Integral to the Department of Creative Writing, the Publishing Laboratory incorporates into the apprenticeship of creative writers an applied learning experience in the process by which literary manuscripts, including their own, are designed, shaped, and edited into books and published to a wide audience of readers.

Courses leading to the BFA Certificate in Publishing give students the opportunity to study the history of the book, the art of editing, and book design. For students interested in pursuing a career in book or journal publishing or attending graduate school in a related field, the Lab offers a foundation in the book arts by intensive work in conceptualizing, designing, editing, publishing, and marketing literary titles under The Publishing Laboratory imprints.

Sample Courses in Publishing

Check out these sample courses in publishing
CRW 321 Intro to Book Publishing
CRW 322 Editing for Publication
CRW 323 Bookbuilding
CRW 324 Special Topics in Publishing or
CRW 325 Literary Magazine Practicum or
CRW 425 Advanced Topics in Publishing
See The Full Curriculum

How Do I Enroll?

  • Complete both of the introductory courses in publishing - CRW 321 and 322 - with a minimum grade of B (not B-)
  • Maintain an overall grade point average of 2.75

Once the above criteria have been met, submit:

  • A successful application
  • A 500-word statement of interest for review by faculty

Application deadlines

January 31 and September 30, no later than 5 p.m. (If those dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be the first class-day immediately afterward.) Late applications will not be accepted.

Please email your completed application and statement to Emily Smith, director of The Publishing Laboratory. Include both documents as .doc or PDF attachments.

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