Publishing Master of Professional Studies
The publishing industry has shown remarkable resilience in the face of rapid technological and economic change. Publishers, storytellers, and media companies have developed new platforms, audiences, formats, and technologies for how the written—and spoken—word is to be produced, distributed and consumed in the 21st century.
The MPS in Publishing program is designed for both current and aspiring publishing professionals. Students include career changers, post-bachelor and post-graduate students who have earned their degrees in other disciplines, and publishing professionals who seek to expand their skills and knowledge through high-level coursework. The curriculum covers editing and acquisitions, marketing and publicity, copyright and licensing, production, management and business, and technology and design (see also the Graduate Certificate in Publishing and the Graduate Certificate in Publishing Management program).
More than 450 MPS in Publishing alumni work in organizations throughout the U.S. in diverse publishing sectors. Program instructors are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in the publishing industry, whose goal is to prepare you for managerial and leadership positions across all publishing industry segments and specialties.
Program at a Glance
Complete in 2 Years
30-credit-hour, 2-year cohort program offered as a part-time program
Foundational Learning
Core coursework provides a broad foundation of the entire industry, regardless of method of delivery: book, journal, or digital
Multiple Tracks
Tracks focusing on professional roles: business & marketing, editorial, or technology & design
"Completing this program was a huge confidence booster for me. I took classes alongside colleagues at the beginning of their career, like me, as well as those who had worked many years in publishing and were looking to further their professional development. The insight of my classmates, as well as my professors - who were all professionals in their fields - helped me develop an understanding of the publishing profession that wouldn't be gleaned simply from studying a book."
Anna Borgholthaus
Class of 2016
Where Our Alumni Work
- Trade Publishing
- HarperCollins
- Melville House Books
- National Geographic
- Penguin Random House
- Recorded Books
- Sourcebooks
- The Atlantic
- W.W. Norton
- Associations & Societies
- AAAS
- American Geophysical Union
- American Chemical Society
- American Council on Education
- American Psychological Association
- American Society for Microbiology
- ASQ
- Government & NGOs
- Economic Research Service
- Federal Reserve Board
- Library of Congress
- National Academy of Sciences
- U.S. Department of State
- World Bank
- Research Institutions
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Cato Institute
- Gartner
- General Dynamics Information Technology
- Scholarly Publishers
- Cornell University Press
- Elsevier
- Georgetown University Press
- John Hopkins University Press
- Oxford University Press
- PLOS
- Rowman & Littlefield
- Sage Publishing
- Stanford University Press
- Taylor & Francis
- Wiley
Where You'll Study
You have two options of where to study for the MPS in Publishing. You can either choose to study fully online or at our GW Education Center in Alexandria, VA where classes are offered in the evenings.
What You'll Study
The program integrates traditional print with electronic publishing topics, including editorial acquisitions, production and design, copyright law in print and cyberspace, marketing, distribution, management and business.
To earn your degree you must complete 30 credits, including 13 credits in required courses and 17 credits in elective courses.
- Required Courses
- PSPB 6201: Book and Journal Publishing (3 credits)
- PSPB 6203: The Business of Publishing (2 credits)
- PSPB 6205: Copyright Law in Print & Cyberspace (3 credits)
- PSPB 6207: Marketing Strategies (2 credits)
- PSPB 6251: Fundamentals of Electronic Publishing (2 credits)
- PSPB 6281: Ethics in Publishing (1 credit)
- Business and Marketing Courses
- Editorial Courses
- Technology, Production and Design Courses
About the Faculty & Advisory Board
Our professional faculty and advisory board members possess diverse backgrounds and expertise, and serve in senior leadership positions throughout the publishing world.
- Publishing Faculty
Our professional faculty hold leadership positions in a variety of publishing organizations and possess diverse backgrounds and expertise.
- Al Bertrand, M.A., Princeton University; Director, Georgetown University Press.
- Gregory M. Britton, Editorial Director, Johns Hopkins University Press, and Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Ken Brooks, M.S.; Adjunct Professor; EVP of Supply Chain, Amplify Education.
- Virginia Veiga Bryant, M. Phil., Trinity College Dublin; Marketing and Sales Director, Georgetown University Press; Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Jennifer Emmett, Instructor, Children’s Publishing and Media, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Tony Julien, M.A., Publication Design; Creative Director, 720 Strategies, and Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Janis Owens, Adjunct Professor, Book Design Course, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Kate Roddy, M.P.S.; Adjunct Professor; Associate Editor, Sourcebooks.
- Iris Sanchez, M.F.A., Graphic Design; Creative Director, Carr Properties and Adjunct Professor, M.P.S in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Andrew Siclari, M.P.A; Adjunct Professor; Founder and Principal Consultant, Pivotal Advisors, LLC.
- Dean Smith, Director, Duke University Press; Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Puja Telikicherla, Licensing and Subsidiary Rights Manager, American Psychiatric Association Publishing; Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University; M.A., Media Ecology, New York University
- Randy Townsend, M.P.S., Director, Publishing Operations, American Geophysical Union; Editor-in-Chief, GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing; Adjunct Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- John W. Warren, Director and Associate Professor, M.P.S. in Publishing, George Washington University.
- Advisory Board
The Advisory Board for the Graduate Program in Publishing, College of Professional Studies, George Washington University, hold professional senior leadership positions in trade, academic, scholarly, government, and international publishing, providing support and advice to the Program Director on program curriculum, new initiatives, and career opportunities.
Advisory Board Members (2024-2026):
- Becky Brassington Clark, Director of Publishing, Library of Congress
- Geneva Henry, Dean of Libraries and Academic Innovation, Vice Provost for Libraries and Information Technology
- Dennis Johnson, Publisher, Melville House
- Jed Lyons, President and CEO, The Globe Pequot Publishing Group, Inc.
- Gita Manaktala, Editorial Director, The MIT Press
- Brian F. O'Leary, Executive Director, Book Industry Study Group
- Cristóbal Pera, VP and Publisher, Editorial Planeta USA
- Niko Pfund, President, Oxford University Press US
- Barbara Kline Pope, Director, Johns Hopkins University Press
- Chris Reid, Director, Publishing and Product Development, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Liesl Riddle, Ph.D., Dean, College of Professional Studies
- Josephine Sciortino, MPS (2019), Managing Editor, Canadian Science Publishing; Professor, GW Publishing (MPS graduate: 2019; CPS Distinguished Scholar)
- Kimberly Ayers Shariff, Executive Vice President, Director of Strategy for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Penguin Random House
- Dean Smith, Director, Duke University Press; Professor, GW Publishing
- Randy Townsend, MPS (2014), Origin Editorial; Professor, GW Publishing
- Christie Henry, Director, Princeton University Press
Admissions Information
To be eligible for the program you must have earned an undergraduate degree, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
Deadlines: Fall Application Deadline Extended to August 1. Apply Today!
Applicants that have complete applications are eligible to request an application fee waiver by 11:59 p.m. on the Priority Deadline.* To request an application fee waiver, contact your program representative before submitting your application. Fee waiver details. Applications received after the Final Deadline will continue to be processed, space permitting.
Fall Admissions
In-person and online program
- Fall Priority Deadline: February 1*
- Fall Final Deadline: April 1
Spring Admissions
In-person and online program
- Students are usually admitted for the fall semester. If you are interested in a spring start, please contact us for details.
Summer Admissions
In-person and online program
- Students are usually admitted for the fall semester. If you are interested in a summer start, please contact us for details.
Note for International Students: Applicants must submit their complete applications by the deadlines listed on the International Student Admissions page. These deadlines are at least two months before the deadline for admitted students to submit visa request paperwork.
- Costs & Aid
Graduate tuition and fees at the George Washington University are comparable to the national average for private universities. These costs, set by the GW Board of Trustees, generally increase from year to year and may vary by program and location.
Please use this information as an estimate based on current tuition rates and fee structures. Total tuition and fees will vary according to the courses taken and the timeframe in which you complete your coursework.
Tuition & Fees
2024-2025 Rates in Effect for Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Terms
Tuition: 30 credits @ $1,225 per credit hour
(14 courses, typically completed in 2 years)
$36,750 Registration fees: 6 sessions @ $35 each $210 TOTAL: Tuition + fees over the average completion time $36,960 (approx.) Other Costs to Consider: Application fee (one time): $80; Matriculation fee (one time): $200; Books: Approximately $50-$100/course. The costs of travel, meals and accommodations (if applicable) are not included in the tuition or fees.
Graduate tuition and fees at the George Washington University are comparable to the national average for private universities. These costs, set by the GW Board of Trustees, generally increase from year to year and may vary by program and location.
Please use this information as an estimate based on current tuition rates and fee structures. Total tuition and fees will vary according to the courses taken and the timeframe in which you complete your coursework.
Tuition & Fees
2022-2023 Rates in Effect for Summer 2022, Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 Terms
| Curriculum: 14 courses (typically completed in two years), 30 credits | 30 credits @ $1,075/credit hour: $32,250 |
| Registration fees: 6 registration sessions @$35 each | $210 |
| TOTAL: Tuition + fees | $32,460 |
Other Costs to Consider: Application fee (one time): $80; Matriculation fee (one time): $200; Books: Approximately $50-$100/course. The costs of travel, meals and accommodations (if applicable) are not included in the tuition or fees.
"As I worked to finish my program, the degree became not just about career progression, but also a direct path to a competitive advantage and a stepping stone ahead in an industry built on networking and reputation."
Jasmine Wallace
MPS in Publishing graduate, 2015
Peer Review Manager, American Society for Microbiology
Publishing Program Sampler on GW RevU
Discover the perfect opportunity to experience the quality and innovation of our educational offerings with our complimentary, self-paced Publishing program sampler. Designed to give you a glimpse into our curriculum, the sampler is tailored to meet the ever-evolving demands of today’s competitive job market.
Contacts
Cheryl Scott-Mouzon
Assistant Director,
Recruitment & Admissions
571-553-0192
clsm
gwu [dot] edu (clsm[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Schedule an Appointment
John W. Warren
Director and Associate Professor
Masters of Professional Studies in Publishing
703-299-6782
jwwemail [dot] gwu [dot] edu (jww[at]email[dot]gwu[dot]edu)