Explore the creative and commercial processes in publishing, while studying key business themes to allow you to generate innovative business solutions to succeed in the publishing industry and beyond.
Book and magazine publishing form an important part of the creative and cultural industries. Between the author completing a written manuscript and final publication there are a range of other industry professionals involved in the process, including literary agents, editors and publishers. You’ll explore this process to develop the ability to hypothesise, implement and monitor solutions to relevant problems within the worlds of professional writing, book publishing, and magazine publishing.
Alongside this you’ll explore wider themes of business, enterprise and entrepreneurship which will enable you to develop skills to start your own business or provide innovation to existing businesses.
Real world learning
Real world opportunities are embedded in the programme, including working on live briefs, projects set by external industry organisations and the option to take a business-based placement year between your second and third year to gain valuable work experience.
Our courses have a strong heritage of fostering links with regional, national and international partners, publishers, magazines, writing organisations, literary agents, book fairs and festivals and other literary organisations.
Practical skills for your future
Entrepreneurship is an essentially practical subject and as such we place great emphasis on real world learning. We’ll use our academic expertise to make the links between theoretical business and enterprise and entrepreneurship frameworks and the practicalities of the real business world. We’ve developed extensive links with the business community, especially through the Derby Network of Entrepreneurs, to enhance the practical focus of this degree.
Choose your pathway
Studying a Publishing and Entrepreneurship Joint Honours degree allows you to choose whether you major in Publishing subject or study them both equally.
You begin this degree by studying both subjects equally in your first year. By the end of your first year, you will then decide whether you would like to major in Publishing or continue to study them both equally.
What is a Joint Honours degree?
A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.
A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:
- You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
- You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
- You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
On your Publishing modules you'll learn through a mixture of:
- lectures, seminars and tutorials
- creative writing workshops
- project work
- technology-enhanced learning
- peer reviews and presentations
We also arrange visits to literary festivals, local and national museums, cultural heritage sites and other areas of interest for 'location writing' exercises.
On your Entrepreneurship modules you’ll learn through methods such as:
- formal lectures which will at times include expert speakers
- Seminars which can be tutor-led or student-led and can include discussions, critical analysis of reading, presentations, group work, debates and general problem solving, interaction with real businesses, case study analysis, computer lab work, practical analysis and formative assessment
- tutorials which are one-to-one sessions with a tutor to discuss the development of assignments
- work experience projects
- self-directed study
How you are assessed
Our assessment strategy for Publishing is designed to produce confident, articulate graduates with a broad set of skills. There are no exams, and forms of assessment include seminar debates, group presentations and conference papers alongside essays and longer research projects. We place great emphasis on developing your research skills, with independent projects playing a key part in the second and third year of the course.
For your Entrepreneurship modules you’ll benefit from an innovative variety of assessment modes. Assessment is mainly via coursework which can take forms such as traditional essays and reports, group project work, research and consultancy projects, presentations, posters and design of digital materials. There are also in-class tests and computer-based assessments.
2025 entry
These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.
may apply to students who meet certain criteria.
| Requirement | What we're looking for | | UCAS points | 112 |
| A Level | BBC ((At least a grade C in English or related subject (or equivalent qualification)) |
| T Level | Merit |
| BTEC | DMM |
| GCSE | GCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification |
| Access to HE | Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 15, Merit: 24, Pass: 6. Must include passes in compulsory Level 3 subjects |
English language requirements
IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)
2025/26
| | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|
| UK | £9,535 per year | N/A |
| International | £16,900 per year | N/A |
Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.
How to apply
Please look at our before you apply.
You’ll graduate with strong, relevant skills for the workplace and a wide range of possible post-graduation opportunities, from employment to freelancing, business set-up, postgraduate research or work as an independent writer who is fully understanding of the literary, creative and business environment in which they must operate.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Contact us Contact us You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Course updates
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
.jfif)
-(1)-(1).jpg)
-400x600.jpg)
/prod01/derbyacuk/media/derbyacuk/assets/organisation/services/centre-for-excellence-in-learning-and-teaching/Animation-5098-0131-(1).jpg)
/prod01/derbyacuk/media/derbyacuk/assets/study/support/module-evaluation-questionnaire-promo.jpg)
/prod01/derbyacuk/media/derbyacuk/assets/study/postgraduate/Why-Choose-Derby-PG-Tutor-01---2000-x-1333-1066x1333.jpg)
.jpg)
/prod01/derbyacuk/media/derbyacuk/assets/study/employability/Image---employability.jpg)