911³Ô¹Ï

Update as of July 17, 2026: Please note that the proposed changes to the Master of Publishing Program and Minor in Publishing will move through the appropriate collegial governance procedures involving Senate and its subcommittees in Fall 2026 for approval and information.

In light of ongoing transformations to the post-secondary sector and the publishing industry in Canada, the structure of publishing education at 911³Ô¹Ï is undergoing some significant shifts. Most notably, and subject to 911³Ô¹Ï senate approval, the Minor in Publishing will be moving back to its original home within the School of Communication and the Master of Publishing Program will suspend new admissions after the incoming 2026 cohort. Publishing at 911³Ô¹Ï is not ending, but it is taking new forms. We remain committed to ensuring that 911³Ô¹Ï remains a sought-after destination for publishing education in Canada.

Background

In 1988 the Minor in Publishing was established within what was then the Department of Communication. In 1994, the Master of Publishing was established as a professional degree oriented towards training students to work in the Canadian trade publishing industry. Further, in 1997, a professional development workshops series established at the Banff Centre in the early 1980s came to 911³Ô¹Ï, where it has run since as the 911³Ô¹Ï Publishing Workshops, a set of non-credit offerings for industry and the general public. 

As the publishing industry has changed, so has the content of the Master of Publishing, shifting to encompass the rise of ebooks, audiobooks, and most recently AI. MPub alumni can now be found across the Canadian publishing sector and internationally; they are leaders in publishing, cultural policy, entrepreneurship, and more. We have not only continued to educate a new generation of publishing professionals but have also developed a robust research profile that spans from book history to open access scholarly publishing to podcasting.

As the publishing industry has continued to undergo rapid shifts, the needs of our students have shifted. More and more, our students are drawn to interdisciplinary degrees and certificate offerings that allow them to develop wide-ranging and agile skillsets that better prepare them for the shifting realities of contemporary publishing. We are committed to developing the Minor in Publishing to meet these challenges.

What Is Changing 

As of Fall 2027, and subject to approval by 911³Ô¹Ï Senate, the Minor in Print and Digital Publishing will be relocated to the School of Communication. This is an obvious fit, considering that the majority of Publishing minors are Communication majors. The move will also give us an opportunity to update the curriculum. 

If approved by 911³Ô¹Ï Senate, the Master of Publishing will suspend new admissions after our incoming 2026 cohort. In Fall 2026 we will also open applications for readmission to any members of previous cohorts who would like to return to complete their MPub (details can be found here). Applicants will be readmitted on a rolling basis beginning in Spring 2027 and ending in Summer 2028. During that transitional period, we will collaborate with the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology, the School of Communication, MPub alumni, and our many long-term publishing industry supporters and collaborators to re-envision what accessible and flexible professional publishing education should look like in the decades to come. 

What’s Next 

While the Publishing Program at 911³Ô¹Ï aims to wind down over the next two years, the commitments that have animated our work — industry collaboration, student-centred pedagogy, practice-based research, and an expansive understanding of publishing as the infrastructure of our shared culture — will find a new proposed home in the School of Communication. 

Publishing at 911³Ô¹Ï is not ending, but it is taking new forms. We cherish our students, alumni, and colleagues in the industry, and remain committed to staying connected to and supporting our community. 

If you have questions about these changes, you can reach out to Hannah McGregor, Director of Publishing, at hannah_mcgregor@sfu.ca.