Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The preparation and release of publications and documentation in this profession invariably requires both a high degree of editorial competence and a sound knowledge of a discipline. Professionals know their work but the education they receive in their field does not prepare them to be a professional editor. Professional publishing (of journals and books in print or electronic form) employs graduates of a wide variety of the professional disciplines, not just the humanities. This program equips trained professionals from a wide variety of fields to undertake publishing ventures and to enter the publishing industries.

In particular, this course offers the component of professional education in editing to graduates who are about to begin their professional career, or to those who want to develop special skills in editing for professional purposes.

On completion of this course students should:

• be able to apply the skills of a professional editor to a variety of practical publishing situations
• be able to further develop his/her skills as professional editor
• have the ability to critically review standard editorial style guides and production manuals
• understand the role of the professional editor in the development of complex electronic publications
• undertake the role of the senior or managing editor in a variety of publishing situations
• undertake the responsibilities of the professional editor in the management of publishing projects and, for this purpose, in-house or freelance editors, designers, illustrators and book production staff
• be able to scrutinise and consider codes of publishing practice and newly evolving formal statements of editorial standards.

This course consists of three core units.

Students complete:

• PUB4007 Advanced editing
• PUB4008 The professional editor
• PUB4020 Professional copy editing

Students who complete the graduate certificate with a minimum credit average, may apply to transfer to the related graduate diploma.

Graduate Certificate in Professional Editing