School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
Publishing and WritingMA
Programs available in the fall and spring. Review deadlines.
Find your place in the world of publishing. Emerson College’s Publishing and Writing MA program will teach you the skills needed to become a publisher, editor, literary agent, and more.
At a Glance
- Learn the process behind book, magazine, and digital publishing.
- Gain hands-on experience working with Emerson publications, such as Redivider and Page Turner.
- Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing faculty are established publishers, writers, editors, and publishing professionals who have worked throughout the industry.
- Full-time and part-time options are available to fit your schedule.
- No GRE required to apply.
Learn the Business of Publishing
Emerson College’s Publishing and Writing MA will prepare you to navigate the evolving world of books, magazines, and digital media. Through coursework in writing, editing, design, production, marketing, and product development, you’ll gain a broad understanding of the publishing ecosystem, while developing the skills to shape stories across print, digital, video, social media, and emerging platforms. Faculty in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing have deep industry experience to guide you as you explore your path in the publishing world.
Hands-on learning is central to the program. You’ll gain experience through internships, community partnerships, and opportunities to work on manuscripts from real authors in the Book Editing class or develop a portfolio of online pieces in the Digital Storytelling class. By the end of the program, you’ll leave with a portfolio of professional work; a network of writers and publishing professionals; and the skills needed to pursue a career as an editor, literary agent, writer, marketer, or publisher.
Learn at Your Own Pace
- Coursework incorporates online courses into the in-person classes.
- Flexible program start times, either fall or spring semester.
- No GRE required.
Once you’re enrolled in a graduate program at Emerson College, you’re automatically part of Emerson Edge, a network of peers, alumni, faculty, and staff to ensure you’re getting what you need out of your graduate program. Some of the benefits you’ll have from Emerson Edge:
- Career Development Center: Work with a team who can take your skills and interests and find the best path toward a career.
- Emerge Alumni Network: Join a community of over 50,000 Emerson alumni who can mentor you, share career advice, and make connections in your industry.
- Graduate Career Action Plan: Develop your resume, cover letter, and portfolio with a team dedicated to credential-building, and gain access to exclusive job listings.
Publishing and Writing students learn by creating, editing, and sharing work in real-world settings. You’ll have opportunities to contribute to student-run publications; to collaborate with community partners; to be prepared as a top candidate for competitive internships at publishing houses. Along the way, you’ll build a portfolio of writing and publishing projects and develop relationships with editors, authors, and other industry professionals.
Learn from Professional Publishers and Writers
The faculty in the Publishing and Writing MA program are experienced writers, publishers, and editors. Their expertise and experience will help you find your role within the literary world.
Enroll Today
Applicants must register for an account with the School of Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies. From there, you can log in and upload the required application materials. No GRE is required to apply.
Learn more about applying to Emerson on our Application Process page.
4+1 Bachelor’s to Master’s Program
Our Publishing and Writing MA program is available to current Emerson undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a master’s degree in just one additional year. For more information, visit our 4+1 MA in Publishing and Writing page.