Simon Fraser University

Admissions

Admission to the Master of Publishing Program

For more information about applying to the Master of Publishing program, please contact ccsp-info@sfu.ca.

To be considered for admission to the Master of Publishing program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum second-class average (3.0 or greater GPA).

Applicants must also:

  • demonstrate a background understanding of the publishing industry
  • be capable of running page layout software
  • be familiar with the basic principles of marketing and managerial accounting
  • demonstrate basic competence in copy editing and proofreading
  • demonstrate excellent skills in spoken and written English

Qualifications and Prerequisites

Applicants to the Master of Publishing program must have a basic background in these areas:

  • accounting and marketing
  • editing and proofreading
  • publishing knowledge
  • computer skills

Candidates can acquire the necessary background for entry into the MPub program by completing the following courses at SFU, or their equivalents at other universities:

  • BUS 251-3 Financial Accounting I
  • BUS 254-3 Managerial Accounting I
  • BUS 343-3 Introduction to Marketing
  • PUB 371-4 The Structure of the Publishing Industry
  • PUB 372-4 The Publishing Process

Other suggested ways to complete program prerequisites:

Accounting

Robert Anthony has written a workbook and study guide entitled Essentials of Accounting (ISBN 0-201-84866-x), 6th ed. or later (Addison-Wesley). Students without other accounting background will be required to submit a completed workbook prior to the commencement of classes.

Marketing

Harvard Business School Press has published the Marketer’s Toolkit: The Ten Strategies you Need to Succeed (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, ISBN 9781591397625). Students without other marketing background will be required to demonstrate mastery of the content of this book before classes begin.

Editing

Please purchase and read the following:

Editing Canadian English (2nd edition), by the Editors’ Association of Canada. Macfarlane Walter & Ross, 2000. Order through the EAC, http://www.editors.ca/resources/eac_publications/ece.html.

Students without professional copy editing and proofreading experience are encouraged to enroll in short courses on these topics such as those offered at SFU through the SFU Publishing Workshops or the Writing and Publishing Program.

English as a Second Language

Applicants for whom English is a second language must submit results for a TOEFL (minimum score 570 or computer based 230) and a TWE (minimum score 5). Alternatively, an International English Language Testing System, IELTS, result (minimum band score 7) may be submitted in place of the TOEFL and TWE.

Computer Skills

Applicants should be comfortable with desktop publishing software (Adobe Creative Suite 5).

Short courses are available at SFU through the SFU Publishing Workshops and the Writing and Publishing Program. Students living outside the Vancouver area should investigate course offerings through local community colleges and school boards.

Please note that all work in the MPub program is completed on Apple computers.

Tuition 

Please see the SFU Student Services website for full information.

Application Package

The application deadline is February 1 for the program beginning in September.

The application for graduate studies is electronic. All applicants must submit an online application and remit an application fee of $90 CDN. Application form and fee remittance instructions are available online: http://www.sfu.ca/gradstudents/applicants/index.html.

As well as completing the online application form, applicants must submit separately, to the program advisor, the following items:

  1. A statement of aims and objectives, highlighting the reasons you want to enrol in the program (2–3 pages).
  2. Official transcripts from all universities/colleges attended. When ordering the transcripts, request that they be sent directly to the Program Advisor, Master of Publishing Program.
  3. An explanatory note on your prerequisite knowledge. Explain the basis on which you meet the entry-level qualifications: accounting and marketing, copy editing and proofreading, publishing knowledge, computer skills.
  4. Three written references from people who can attest to your ability and willingness to complete the Master of Publishing program. Include name, address, and other contact information for each referee. To assist your referees, send each one a resume (CV) showing your interests and experience, along with a Master of Publishing program Reference Form. Ask each referee to complete a form and return it directly to the program advisor. Preferred references are one academic, one professional (work), and one personal (not a family member). If this is not possible, choose referees that are most suited to comment on your skills and abilities.
  5. Resume (CV) and portfolio. Assemble examples of your work into a portfolio that is concise, yet reflects the quality of your work. Please send copies so that the portfolio need not be returned. If this is not possible and the materials do need to be returned, enclose sufficient postage. For more details about portfolios, visit our FAQ.

Letters of notification will be sent to all applicants as soon as possible after the admissions procedure is completed. PLEASE NOTE: All acceptances are for the time period specified in the letter of acceptance.

Awards and Financial Support are available for accepted students.

Contact

To request more information on the Master of Publishing program, please contact:

Jo-Anne Ray
Program Advisor
Phone: (778) 782-5242
Fax: (778) 782-5239
Email: ccsp-info@sfu.ca

Student Services

For general information on graduate regulations, fees, scholarships, awards, and bursaries, or to request a Simon Fraser University Calendar, please visit SFU Student Services.