Spring-summer magazine professional development courses at Ryerson's Chang School

Spring-loaded professional development

The Magazine and Web Publishing Program at the Chang School at Ryerson University in Toronto offers a number of its courses in the spring-summer term. 

39-hour courses

• Magazine Copy Editing (CDJN119)

Monday & Wednesday, May 2 – June 15, 6:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. 

This is an introduction to the skills and knowledge that results in magazines’ reputation for precision, consistency and accuracy. The copy editor for a print or online magazine attends to the details, with all the “polishing” skills: checking grammar, punctuation, and spelling, consistency of style, logic and usage. Copy editors see the editorial production process through to the press or online publication. Instructor: Bernadette Kuncevicius

• Magazine Production (CDJN205)

Tuesday, May 3 – July 26, 6:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. 

Though it doesn’t scrimp on the fundamentals of print production, this course places major emphasis on multi-purposing of text and pictures for the Web, as well as creating digitally formatted documents for display across multiple platforms, including e-readers, tablets and mobile devices. Learn how magazine manufacturing is managed, how they are printed and bound, scheduled and budgeted and learn about ad portals, pre-media, printing process and quality control. Instructor: Kim Latreille

19.5-hour courses

• Magazine Packaging (CDJN121) DISTANCE ED. – INTERNET

May 2 – 11 June

The focus is on packaging print and digital service journalism in ways that will delight reader, keep them coming back and making it easy for them to access the information they want and need in print or online. Students are encouraged to think of magazines as both digital and   products, preferably both.  [Note, this course is offered as a classroom lecture in the fall term.] Instructor: Jessica Ross

• Success as a Freelancer (CDJN123)

May 5 – 16 June, 6:30 – 9:30

This is a primer on how to run a freelance business as a writer or editor for either print or online or both. It is aimed at students who are looking to get ahead in freelance work in the magazine and web industry (and beyond) and looking to gain hands-on tools and feedback to achieve their goals. Instructor: Diane Peters

• Creating Website Editorial (CDJN206)

Tuesday, May 6 – June 17, 6:30 P.M. – 9:30 P.M.

For magazine editors with website responsibilities, the challenge is to use digital elements such as chats, blogs and streaming video to their best advantage while maintaining the print magazine’s identity and mission. This course provides a valuable understanding of web tools and students workshop appropriate content to use those tools, also addressing common strategic, logistical and business-related challenges that result in producing great magazine websites.  [Note, this course is offered via distance education in the fall term.] Instructor: Christopher Frey