DotsCampus

Arts & Humanities

Publishing Studies

Publishing Studies teaches you how books, magazines, and other written content go from manuscript to finished product -- editing, design, printing, and marketing. You'll learn the full publishing process, blending creative and business skills for a career in Ghana's book and media industry.

BA
Duration

4 yrs

Avg. salary

Demand

Growing

Offered at

1 institution

Program objectives

  • 01Understand the full publishing process from manuscript to finished product.
  • 02Learn editorial, design, and production skills for books and publications.
  • 03Build skills in publishing business management and marketing.
  • 04Get grounding in both print and digital publishing trends.

Why choose this program

Combines creativity, business, and leadership skills

The program is deliberately designed to build both soft skills and hard technical skills, preparing graduates for genuine industry employability.

A specialized, less crowded field

Fewer graduates specialize specifically in publishing, giving you a distinctive skill set in Ghana's book and media industry.

Relevant to both traditional and digital publishing

As publishing shifts toward digital formats, graduates who understand both worlds are well-positioned for the industry's future.

Skills you'll build

  • Editorial and manuscript development
  • Book and publication design
  • Print and digital production processes
  • Publishing business and marketing management
  • Attention to detail
  • Creativity
  • Project coordination
  • Clear written communication

Tools & software

  • Desktop publishing and design software
  • Digital publishing platforms

Challenges to expect

Academic

  • Combines editorial, design, and business content, requiring competence across genuinely different skill areas.

Technical

  • Learning industry-standard design and publishing software takes real, consistent practice.

Tips from the field

  • Build genuine editorial skills through regular practice, not just coursework -- strong editing ability is one of the most valued skills in this field.
  • Get comfortable with both print and digital publishing tools, since the industry increasingly requires both skill sets.
  • Look for internships with local publishing houses or media companies to build real industry exposure and connections before graduating.

Career paths

  • Editor
  • Book/publication designer
  • Publishing production manager
  • Digital content publisher
  • Publishing entrepreneur

Where you can study this

NameLatest cutoffTuition (annual)
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyBA12(2024)

FAQs

Is this the same as Journalism?+

No. Journalism focuses on reporting and writing news content, while Publishing Studies focuses on the process of turning written content -- books, magazines, articles -- into finished, distributed publications.

Do I need to be a strong writer to study this?+

It helps, but the program focuses more on editorial, design, and production skills than on writing itself, though strong written communication is valued throughout.

Is this program only about books, or digital content too?+

Both -- while traditionally focused on the book industry, the program increasingly covers digital publishing trends given how the industry is evolving.

Where can I study this in Ghana?+

KNUST's Department of Publishing Studies, within its Faculty of Art, offers a dedicated BA Publishing Studies program.

Can I work in digital media or online content with this degree?+

Yes, the skills in editorial work, content production, and publishing management transfer well to digital media and online publishing roles.

Related programs

Arts & Humanities

Advertising & Public Relations

Advertising and Public Relations teaches you how to shape public perception, manage corporate reputations, and craft persuasive ad campaigns. You will learn media relations, crisis communication, event management, brand storytelling, and strategic ad writing across print, broadcast, and digital platforms.

Arts & Humanities

African Studies

African Studies is an interdisciplinary programme that looks at the continent's history, politics, cultures, languages, economies, and societies as a connected whole rather than as separate country case studies. You'll pull together ideas from history, political science, sociology, literature, and economics to understand how African societies developed, how colonialism reshaped them, and how they're changing today. Coursework often includes at least one African language, plus regional specializations like West African history or Pan-Africanism. Fieldwork, oral history projects, and study-abroad placements are common ways students get hands-on experience with the material.

Arts & Humanities

Akan Language and Culture

Akan Language and Culture teaches you to speak, read, and write Akan fluently while studying the rich cultural traditions, history, and literature of Ghana's largest ethnic language group. It's a genuine deep-dive into one of Ghana's most significant languages and cultural heritages.

Advertisement

Arts & Humanities

Anthropology

Anthropology is the holistic study of humanity, exploring human behavior, biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, both in the present and the past. Students learn to conduct ethnographic research, analyze cultural patterns, and understand human diversity across the globe.

Arts & Humanities

Archaeology

Archaeology is the study of past human societies through the physical evidence they left behind -- artifacts, structures, and landscapes. You'll learn excavation and survey techniques, artifact analysis, and how to interpret what physical remains tell us about how people lived, traded, and organized their societies. Fieldwork is central to this degree; most programmes require participation in an archaeological field school, where you get hands-on experience excavating and documenting real sites. Coursework also covers archaeological theory, dating methods, and increasingly, digital tools like GIS for mapping and analyzing sites.

Arts & Humanities

Bioethics

Bioethics examines the ethical questions raised by medicine, biotechnology, and life sciences -- things like end-of-life care decisions, genetic engineering, resource allocation in healthcare, and research ethics. You'll study moral philosophy and apply it to real, often difficult cases in medicine and science, learning to reason clearly through situations where there's no obviously right answer. Coursework typically covers ethical theory, medical law, and case-based analysis, and many programmes bring in guest input from practicing clinicians, ethicists, and policymakers. It's an interdisciplinary field that draws on philosophy, law, medicine, and public policy all at once.

Advertisement