JOUR 365 - Publications - from Concept to Design

This course is designed for those who are interested in exploring magazines and who may be considering a career as a magazine writer, editor or designer. The course provides an introduction to magazine publishing, including a historical overview of the magazine industry, its evolution and its place in a consumer society. We will survey current consumer publications and will analyze what makes the best ones distinctive and valuable. The course will focus on how magazines are conceived, organized, edited, financed, produced and distributed. Based on this background, students will build a prospectus for a magazine of their own design which will answer the questions posed by backers: What is the editorial style, who is the audience, how will it be financed, who are the advertisers, what is the circulation, what is the character of its design, what makes it unique. The class also will address the growth of online publishing.

Credits: 5
Grade Mode: Letter