Literature & Publishing

Course Overview

Founded in 1995, this long-established and perennially popular MA remains Ireland’s only postgraduate programme dedicated to literature and publishing. It is a distinctive offering that explores the interfaces between writing and the marketplace, between literature and transmission, and between the aesthetic and material aspects of texts. Over the course of this year-long programme, students deepen their existing knowledge of literature while also developing new competencies in areas such as marketing, the practical elements of editorial and production work, and the business aspects of contemporary publishing.



This MA not only strengthens academic skills in literary analysis and research, it also places a strong emphasis on preparation for the professional world. Students participate in workshops dedicated to topics like finding internships, writing cvs and cover letters, developing interview skills, and maintaining a personal digital brand; they may also be offered Adobe InDesign training. In addition, it is possible to gain valuable, hands-on publishing experience by becoming involved with ROPES, a literary journal developed, edited, marketed, and produced by this programme’s students on an annual basis. This extracurricular project provides students with practical, cv-enhancing experience in areas including editing and copyediting, decision-making, project management, design, production, marketing, sales, promotion, and teamwork.



Students in this programme benefit from contact with numerous guest speakers from publishing and related industries who share their experiences and perspectives. Visiting speakers in recent years have included individuals from Tramp Press, O’Brien Press, The Educational Company of Ireland, Coracle Press, Skein Press, Gill Books, and Cúirt International Festival of Literature, along with many other companies and organisations. The programme also facilitates visits to libraries, cultural institutions, publishing houses, printers, or other relevant businesses. Some students volunteer with book fairs and literary festivals, and some become interns with Irish publishers.



The MA in Literature and Publishing not only seeks to prepare students for the varied demands of the professional world, but it also cultivates core academic skills in oral and written communication, textual analysis, critical thinking, and research. Students are encouraged to take an active approach to shaping their course so that it complements their prior academic credentials and work experience and reflects their individual interests.



Course Outline

Students complete 30 ECTS of taught modules in semester 1 and 30 ECTS of taught modules in semester 2. In semester 1, all students register for ‘Contemporary Publishing’ (10 ECTS) and ‘Publishing: Perspectives and Professionalisation’ (10 ECTS). The remaining credits are selected from a suite of offerings that may include such choices as ‘Introduction to Business’ (10 ECTS), ‘Introduction to Digital Humanities’ (10 ECTS), ‘Irish Drama and Theatre from Wilde to O’Casey’ (10 ECTS), ‘Representations of the Book in Literature and Film’ (5 ECTS), or ‘Media and Marketing Communications’ (5 ECTS). In semester 2, students register for 30 ECTS worth of modules such as ‘Copy-editing and Proofreading’ (10 ECTS), ‘Book History’ (10 ECTS), ‘Literature and Colonialism’ (10 ECTS), ‘Books Journalism’ (10 ECTS), ‘Medieval Aesthetics and Poetic Art’ (10 ECTS), ‘W.B. Yeats and the Cultural Revolution’ (10 ECTS), or ‘Literature of North America’ (10 ECTS).



In the final summer months of the programme, most students undertake the ‘Literature and Publishing Portfolio Project’ (30 ECTS). Portfolios contain several discrete pieces of work (approximately 15,000 words in total) related to contemporary literature and/or the publishing industry, and students have the flexibility to combine formal academic essays with other types of writing. In lieu of a portfolio project, some qualified students elect to complete the ‘Literature and Publishing Dissertation’ (30 ECTS). This option involves producing a single, extended piece of research-based academic writing (approximately 15,000 words) on a topic of the student’s own choice.

Year 1

Semester 1

Required Modules

EN6128: Publishing: Perspectives and Professionalisation - 10 Credits

EN579: Contemporary Publishing - 10 Credits

EN6133: Literature and Publishing Portfolio Project - 30 Credits -



Semester 1

Optional Modules

EN527: Literature Of North America - 10 Credits

EN6140: Publishing History - 5 Credits

EN6142: Creative Arts Ideas Lab - 5 Credits

MK5139: Social Media Marketing Theory - 5 Credits

EN570: Book History - 10 Credits



Semester 2

Optional Modules

EN6143: Media for Social Change - 10 Credits

EN581: Copy-editing and Proofreading - 10 Credits

EN6139: Diversity and Activism in YA Fiction - 10 Credits

EN6101: Books Journalism - 10 Credits

EN547: Literature And Colonialism - 10 Credits

EN6141: Service Learning: Literary Studies in the Community - 10 Credits

MK5116: Negotiations - 5 Credits



Please see Course Web Page above for module details.

QQI Level 8 degree with an overall degree result of H2.2 and with a H2.1 in one subject is required (GPA 3.0 or equivalent overall).



English language competency: IELTS score of 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in any one component.



Official qualifications and exam results (transcripts) to date: required for all non University of Galway applicants and for University of Galway graduates who did not receive their undergraduate degree from University of Galway. Applications who have still to graduate must upload final transcripts on receipt.



Personal statement: All applicants must enclose a typed personal statement of approximately 600 words explaining why you wish to undertake the programme, outlining how it fits with your career and/or further education objectives.



Letters of recommendation: Two letters of recommendation, from Lecturers/Professors who have knowledge of the candidates academic history and achievements.



Passport or Birth Certificate: A copy of your passport or birth certificate must also be submitted.

Closing Date: No set closing date.



Applications must be completed online at: https://nuigalway.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login.



An application requires a registration fee of €35. You will be asked to upload proof of identification, academic transcripts, a personal statement, an academic reference and documentation to fulfil the English requirement (where English is not your first language).

1 year full-time

Next start date September 2025

Career Opportunities

Employers across a variety of sectors value not only the specific, publishing-related knowledge and competencies that MA in Literature and Publishing students acquire, but also the transferrable communication, research, project management, teamwork, and critical thinking skills that are cultivated over the course of this programme.



Many of our programme’s graduates have gone on to work in the publishing industry or related fields, such as arts administration, advertising, or public relations. Our graduates have launched successful careers in a range of fields, including publishing, advertising, bookselling, arts administration, social media management, and public relations.



Our alumni have secured internships or entry-level positions with companies including Gill and Macmillan, New Island Books, Four Courts Press, Random House, Columba Press, Mercier Press, ROADS Publishing, Lilliput Press, CJ Fallon, Educational Publishing Company of Ireland, UCD Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Springer Nature, Folens, Angry Robot, Penguin, Elsevier, and Educate.ie.



The MA in Literature and Publishing also provides a solid academic foundation for those interested in continuing their studies at PhD-level in English or related fields.