Our alumni
Alumni from the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are working in a range of jobs in the creative industries all over the world. Do get in touch and let us know what you are doing, and whether you would be willing to advise our present students on their future career.
Here is what our alumni say:
Cleo Favaretto, MA Publishing Media
When I started on the MA programme in Publishing Media, my life suddenly turned into a rollercoaster of emotions and events. Every day has been different from the previous one, with so many opportunities to meet new people and live new experiences that now that I think about it, almost ten months later, I still find it hard to believe how much has happened.
The programme is intense in a positive way and gives a 360° insight into all the different aspects of publishing, from its various departments such as editorial, marketing and production, to different sectors of the industry, from trade to academic and educational, involving the latest developments in digital and audio publishing. Another amazing aspect is that the course is held in high regard by the UK industry, and this makes it an incredible springboard for your career.
Posted on 30 Jul 2018 around 10am •
Taylor Okeson, MA Publishing Media
Attending the MA in Publishing Media programme ended up being the greatest decision that I ever made for my career. I had the opportunity to create a network of publishing connections through my course, attend the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs, obtain invaluable skills, and do an editorial internship with Osprey Publishing and a marketing internship with Oxford University Press. These internships were opportunities that I would have never dreamed would have been available to me, and they never would have been without the help of the amazing staff at Oxford Brookes.
Posted on 28 Nov 2017 around 5pm •
Taylor Okeson
Vasundhara Puri, MA Publishing
Internship at the International Labour Office in Geneva
About halfway through the MA publishing course, in January 2016, we were informed of an opportunity to intern at the International Labour Office in Geneva for a period of six months. I jumped at the chance, having heard about the internship previously and having been waiting for a chance to apply since before I had even arrived in Oxford. What followed was an interview at the fabulous 2016 London Book Fair, and voilà, six months later, I was in Geneva.
Posted on 01 Jun 2017 around 8am •
Vasundhara Puri in Geneva
Nina O’Reilly - MA Publishing
In autumn 2015 I made the move from Dublin to Oxford for the MA in Publishing at Brookes. I decided that, rather than my original plan of pursuing a career in academia, I would like to work in academic publishing instead. A year and a half on, after first working as an intern, I am now an Editorial Assistant for Bloomsbury Academic’s Digital Division, a an exciting position that I really enjoy.
Posted on 03 Apr 2017 around 10am •
Nina O'Reilly - Bloomsbury
Sophia Podini, MA Publishing
After taking both a bachelor degree in publishing and a two-year publishing master’s in Italy, I still felt I was not ready to put myself forward as a valuable addition to any publishing company. I felt I needed a very practical, business oriented course that would help me understand the industry and prepare me for a ‘real job’.
Posted on 17 Jan 2017 around 2pm •
Sophia Podini
Kirsten Cozens, BA Publishing Media
As soon as I visited the Oxford Brookes campus and met some of the Publishing Media lecturers, I knew this was the degree for me. I still was not too sure what publishing exactly entailed, but I loved reading, writing, and creativity, and that is what I got on this course.
Posted on 19 Sep 2016 around 11am •
Kirsten Cozens
Tik Dalton, BA Publishing
I had an unusual entry on to the course – half way through an English Literature degree at Bolton I had an epiphany of sorts, that I wanted to go into book publishing. After researching what was the best course around I came across Brookes.
What excited me most was the broad range of modules on offer, everything from industry technology, to the history of print culture. My three years on the course have been amazing, I think what really makes it is the friendly and open atmosphere created by lecturers and students.
Posted on 15 Sep 2016 around 1pm •
Tik Dalton
Hannah Todd, BA Publishing Media and English Language
I had known that I wanted to go into the book industry, but I was never sure which area. When I came across the Oxford Brookes undergraduate publishing course, it excited me much more than any other journalism/English literature degree that I had seen before. It was specific to an industry I wanted to enter, and the interview sealed the deal: the lecturers were all so welcoming and friendly.
Posted on 15 Sep 2016 around 7am •
Hannah Todd
Ana Prior Martin
I was re-evaluating my career path when I came across the publishing MAs at Oxford Brookes University.
I was working as a Technical Writer in Germany, and although I had a background in publishing, when I decided to apply to publishing jobs in the UK, I did not succeed in getting one. With the Master’s in Digital Publishing I found the way to open the doors of the UK publishing world.
Posted on 10 Jun 2016 around 7am •
Ana Prior Martin
Jennifer Pierce, MA Publishing
Jennifer Pierce, a graduate of the MA in Publishing, has recently signed with Unbound to crowdfund and publish her debut novel, titled Slow Motion. Written for a Young Adult audience, the novel tells the story of two teenagers navigating their final year of high school as they deal with the class issues, secrets, and politics that influence their image-obsessed New England hometown.
Posted on 04 May 2016 around 12pm •
Ellie Reedy, MA Publishing
I had been encouraged to apply for the MA in Publishing at Oxford Brookes by a family friend who was working in the industry. I’d always been interested in the idea of working in publishing, but given I had studied in Nottingham and was from North Yorkshire, I wasn’t sure how to pursue this and it was difficult to see how I would get experience in my home town. Applying for the MA was absolutely the best decision I could have made for my career.
Posted on 29 Apr 2016 around 8am •
Ellie Reedy
Cameron Sclater - MA Publishing 2014-15
Working at Pan Macmillan
When I had the epiphany two and a half years ago that publishing would be the ideal job for someone like me who feels slightly uncomfortable without a book within arm’s reach at all times who likes to dabble in some creative writing I was incredibly naïve about how many people felt exactly the same way.
Posted on 19 Feb 2016 around 11am •
Cameron Sclater
Fernanda Dutra, MA in Digital Publishing
Internship in Geneva
It was the digital side of publishing that first persuaded me to come to Oxford Brookes for an MA in Digital Publishing, after years working as a journalist in Brazil. The same reason made me apply for a six-month internship in the Publishing unit of the International Labour Organization (ILO) - an opportunity available to students at Brookes.
Posted on 11 Feb 2016 around 5pm •
Fernanda Dutra
Christine Modafferi
After graduating from college in Rome, all I knew was that I wanted to work in publishing. I had no experience, but I did have passion. I knew that if I wanted to succeed in making my dream come true, I had to choose the right place to start. What made me set my heart on this course at Oxford Brookes was that the professors help and encourage students to build connections in the industry, whether through work experience or the many events hosted by the faculty. I had a gut feeling that this was that ‘right place’ I was looking for at which to begin my career. ...
Posted on 25 Jan 2016 around 5pm •
Christine Modafferi
Adrienn Jelinek
Adrienn Jelinek completed the MA in Publishing by the part-time route over two years.
I now work as a Marketing Assistant at an independent international academic publisher in Oxford. I received an offer before submitting my major project, which meant that immediately after finishing the MA, I had a full-time position waiting for me. I am convinced that my part time office-based job, which I was doing for almost two years, as well as my varied and extensive work experience within the publishing industry were all essential in securing my current position. ...
Posted on 25 Jan 2016 around 5pm •
Adrienn Jelinek
Constance Young, MA Publishing
I wanted to give long overdue thanks to the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies (OICPS). I was in the Master's course in 2011-2012 and from there I took an internship in the logistics department at Boardworks, which led to an editorial internship and then an editorial assistant role. I’ve been at Boardworks for over three years and am now the senior editor of the science division. ...
Posted on 27 Oct 2015 around 2pm •
Constance Young
Class of 2005 reunion
Alumni from the MA Publishing class of 2005-6 met up on Saturday 10 October at Oxford Brookes. They were impressed with the building works that had taken place since their time at the University, and had a tour of the new facilities such as in the John Henry Brookes Building.
Posted on 13 Oct 2015 around 3pm •
MA students with lecturers from OICPS
Tanya Ashfaq, BA Publishing
I graduated from the undergraduate degree in June 2014. I am happy to say that I am now a Marketing Assistant for BioMed Central, an open access academic publisher, working on the journal portfolio in biological sciences. I manage the marketing activity for over 50 journals, in what is a very busy and fast-paced environment. It is extremely rewarding and great fun!
Posted on 12 Jun 2015 around 3pm •
Tanya Ashfaq
Brianna Corbett, MA Publishing
Brianna Corbett (MA Publishing 2010), who is the Production Archivist at Taylor & Francis, was shortlisted for the prestigious Kim Scott Walwyn Prize in 2015. Founded in 2003, the Kim Scott Walwyn Prize honours the life and career of Kim Scott Walwyn - who was Publishing Director at Oxford University Press and who died in 2002 - and celebrates exceptional women in publishing. The 2015 prize was awarded to Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, who is an Editor at Puffin Books...
Posted on 04 Jun 2015 around 12pm •
Brianna Corbett
Alex Dyakowski, MA Publishing
I initially applied for the MA in Publishing course in 2009 after having spent a year or two working as an English teacher in Japan, and deciding that I needed to find an actual career to pursue. The course gave me an excellent grounding in the multiplicity of different areas of publishing, both within the industry as a whole and within the departments that make up any publishing company. This introduction has stood me in good stead over the five years or so that I have now worked in the industry and has allowed me to develop and take on new roles, about which I would otherwise have had no clue! ...
Posted on 22 May 2015 around 9am •
Alex Dyakowski
Verity Powell, BA Publishing Media
The undergraduate programme at Oxford Brookes was an excellent start to my career in publishing. During the course I especially enjoyed the Production module and was able to follow this up through work experience at A&C Black. By the time my degree had finished I had made the decision to work in Production, and on my leaver form I wrote that I would like to work in the Production Department at Penguin, which I ultimately did end up doing, but before that …
Posted on 05 May 2015 around 3pm •
Verity Powell
Pippa Cox, BA Publishing Media
(Marketing Assistant, at Pavilion Publishing and Media)
Books Are My Bag: The London Book Fair 2015
April is one of the best months of the year; the evenings are brighter, Creme Eggs are on sale, and the London Book Fair comes to Olympia.
As a Publishing Media graduate, I have the fondest memories of exploring the fair whilst I mastered competitor research, tried to scribble down witty quotes for essays, and assessed which stands my wardrobe would best suit in the future.
Posted on 22 Apr 2015 around 12pm •
Pippa Cox
Jan Kasprzycki-Rosikon, MA International Publishing
During a fascinating year at Oxford Brookes studying on the MA International Publishing, I met lots of interesting people - many of whom became friends - and worked as an intern at Harcourt Education (today part of Pearson) and a printer based in Oxford. I then moved to Washington DC to work as an intern, later a consultant, at the World Bank in the communication department. Half a year later I returned to Europe to work in Rights at Pearson Education (2006-11)...
Posted on 29 Sep 2014 around 1pm •
Jan Kasprzycki-Rosikon
Flavius Ardelean, MA Publishing
I will just start by saying that studying at the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies was the best thing that could have happened to me on a professional level. It helped me structure the internal turmoil that was provoked by my love for books and offered me a host of opportunities.
Posted on 04 Sep 2014 around 7am •
Flavius Ardelean
Emma Horton, BA Publishing
Emma was recently interviewed by the University for an alumni profile.
After graduating from Brookes what were the next steps for your career, and where are you working now?
During my final year at Brookes I knew that I wanted to work in marketing so began applying for jobs in this area. A few months after graduating, I began working as a Marketing Coordinator at Routledge, Taylor & Francis, an academic publisher based in Oxfordshire, where I was able to apply a lot of what I had learnt during my course...
Posted on 08 Jul 2014 around 3pm •
Emma Horton
Kristen Scott, MA Publishing
Now settled in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, I am currently working as a Digital Copywriter and Editor for a marketing and design company in the city.
Embarrassingly unexperienced before my MA, nonprofit publishing peaked my interest through an internship at New Internationalist in Oxford. The internship in Geneva at the ILO was not only an eye-opening experience but it opened doors that I otherwise wouldn't have even been able to knock on. I had the pleasure of spending the six months with Sophie Hall, a fellow MA student. I was lucky that she had the same sense of humour but different strengths which was the perfect recipe for stressful times.
...
Posted on 24 Jun 2014 around 12pm •
Kristen Scott