ObjectivesThe primary goal of the program is to help university graduates in general arts, fine arts, business and science programs find employment in magazine publishing. The learning outcomes of the program address magazine format, concept and theme, audience preferences, advertising issues, media ethics, and publisher control. Practical objectives include assignment letters, editing manuscripts, designing layouts, paginating “the book,” and dealing with images, colour, picture searches, layouts and typography.
Practical experienceThe program ends with an eight-week directed internship.
CMNS 221 Editing and Writing for the Business of Publishing 1.50
CMNS 241 Software for Magazine Publishing 1.50
CMNS 351 Magazine Editing 3.00
CMNS 371 Foundations of Design, Layout and Production for Magazines 3.00
CMNS 400 Magazine Internship 6.00
Credits 18.00
Total Program Credits 18.00
CMNS 191 Writing for Magazines
3.00 credits (8,0,0) hrs 08 wks
Corequisite: CMNS 221, 351 and 371
This course teaches students the fundamentals of magazine writing, starting with generating story ideas and pitching them to editors. Learn how to write short, front-of-the-book articles, profiles, first-person accounts and other magazine features.
CMNS 221 Editing and Writing for the Business of Publishing
1.50 credits (3.43,0,0) hrs 07 wks
Corequisite: CMNS 241 and 351
This course teaches business writing in a publishing context. The curriculum addresses issues involved with career preparation in publishing, prepares students for the internship, and includes a strong component of copy editing and proofreading.
CMNS 241 Software for Magazine Publishing
1.50 credits (6,0,0) hrs 04 wks
This course introduces students to InDesign, a key software program used in the magazine publishing industry for text and page formatting and design. Familiarity with computers and knowledge of word processing programs are recommended.
CMNS 351 Magazine Editing
3.00 credits (7.43,0,0) hrs 07 wks
Corequisite: CMNS 191, 221 and 371
This course introduces students to the major tasks of an editor employed by a trade or consumer magazine. Topics covered include assignment and fix letters, editing and fact checking, media ethics, manuscripts, media ethics, editorial packaging, headlines and decks, pagination, and dealing with freelance writers and other magazine staff including art directors and publishers.
CMNS 371 Foundations of Design, Layout and Production for Magazines
3.00 credits (7,0,0) hrs 07 wks
Corequisite: CMNS 241
This course covers magazine design from both theoretical and practical points of view. Topics include an historical overview of magazine design in North America, a survey of the various roles and tasks of art directors, photographers, photo editors and designers in magazines, and the four elements in publication design: images, typography, colour, and layout.
CMNS 400 Magazine Internship
6.00 credits (0,0,35) hrs 06 wks
Prerequisite: CMNS 191, 221, 241, 351, and 371 as prerequisites or co-requisites
This course is an industry internship arranged by the student with faculty assistance. Classroom sessions prepare the student for the internship, and further preparation is provided in co-requisite courses.