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Penguin Collectors Society


Penguin Collectors Society (PCS) Post-Graduate (PG) Bursary Scheme

PCS is an educational charity and wishes to get closer to Universities, Departments and Post-Graduate Students studying disciplines of interest to PCS. In 2013 it identified the subject areas and the Universities best representing them and shared proposals for a PG Bursary scheme with the Course Directors.

The relevant subjects include History of the Book, Publishing, Book Art, Illustration and Design. The following Universities have relevant post-graduate provision and are now affiliated to PCS and participate in the bursary scheme.

Affiliated Universities and Courses

1.1 University of the Arts London


   MA Visual Arts: Book Arts
   MA Fine Arts: Printmaking. Camberwell College of Arts

      Courses contact Dr Johanna Love [email protected]
      Dr Johanna Love
      Camberwell College of Arts
      University of the Arts London
      45-65 Peckham Road
      London SE5 8UF

   MA Publishing. London College of Communication

      Course Leader Frania Hall [email protected]
      Frania Hall
      London College of Communication
      Elephant and Castle
      London SE1 6SB

   MA Book Art and Print Making. Central Saint Martins

      Central St Martins
      Granary Building
      1 Granary Square
      Kings Cross
      London N1C 4AA


1.2 Oxford Brookes University


   MA Book History and Publishing Culture
   MA Publishing
   MA Publishing Media

      The Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies
      Richard Hamilton Building
      Oxford Brookes University
      Headington
      Oxford OX3 0BP
      Course Leader Polly Silk [email protected]

  

1.3 University of Edinburgh
   

   MSc Book History and Material Culture

      School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
      University of Edinburgh
      Edinburgh EH1 1HT
      Programme Director Dr Jonathon Wild [email protected]


1.4 University of London


   MA/MRes History of the Book

      Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study
      University of London
      Senate House,
      Malet St
      London WC1E 7HU
      Programme Lead Dr Cynthia Johnston [email protected]


1.5 University of Reading


   MA Book Design

      Department of Typography and Graphic Communication
      University of Reading
      Whiteknights
      Reading
      RG6 6AH
      Director Prof Ruth Blacksell [email protected]


1.6 Anglia Ruskin University


   MA Children’s Book Illustration
   MA Publishing

      Cambridge School of Creative Studies
      East Road
      Cambridge CB1 1PT
      Course Lead Dr Katherine Reeve [email protected]


1.7 Edinburgh Napier University

   MSc Publishing

      Scottish Centre for the Book
      Merchiston Campus
      10 Colinton Rd
      Edinburgh EH10 5DT
      Course Leader Prof Avril Gray [email protected]


1.8 University of Stirling

   MLitt/MRes Publishing Studies

      Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication
      Pathfoot Building
      University of Stirling
      Stirling FK9 4LA     
      Director Dr Caroline Wintersgill [email protected]
   

1.9 University of Plymouth

   MA Publishing

      School of Art, Design and Architecture
      701b Roland Levinsky Building
      Drakes Circus
      Plymouth PL4 8AA
      Programme Leader Dr Miranda Spicer [email protected]
      

1.10 Kingston University

   
MA Publishing

      Department of Journalism and Publishing
      Kingston University
      Penrhyn Road
      Kingston upon Thames
      KT1 2EE
      Course Director Ms Emma Tait [email protected]


1.11 City University

   
MA Publishing
   MA International Publishing

      School of Arts and Social Sciences
      Department of Journalism
      City University
      Northampton Square
      London EC1V 0HB
      Course Director Dr Patrick Brindle [email protected]


1.12 University College London

 

   MA Publishing Studies in conjunction with Senate House, University of London
   MA Publishing

      UCL Centre for Publishing
      Department of Information Studies
      University College London
      Foster Court, Gower Street
      London WC1E 6BT
      Course Director Dr Daniel Boswell [email protected]


1.13 Bath Spa University

   
MA Children's Publishing

      College of Liberal Arts
      Department of Writing, Film and Digital Creativity
      Bath Spa University
      Newton St Loe
      Bath BA2 9BN
      Course Director Jason Bennett [email protected]


1.14 University of Central Lancashire

   MA Publishing

      Faculty of Culture and Creative Industries
      School of Arts and Media
      University of Central Lancashire
      13 Fylde Road
      Preston PR1 2HE
      Course Director Dr Wayne Noble [email protected]

  

1.15 Exeter University

   MA Publishing

      Department of English
      University of Exeter
      Queens Building
      The Queens Drive
      Exeter EX4 4QH
      Course Director Dr Kate Wallis [email protected]

Affiliate University Status

Terms of the PCS Bursary (2023-24)

A Bursary is available through open competition to post-graduate students studying at one of the above-named Affiliated Universities. The University annual member will internally advertise the Bursary to master’s students studying one of their approved awards either as a single subject or in a combined study. The Bursary is to support the Dissertation Module or its equivalent where independent study is to be demonstrated. This is normally taken in Semester 2 of a one-year, full-time programme or in year two of a part-time programme. Depending on its credit value the Dissertation will have a word limit of between 12-15,000 words in an MA/MSc and up to 20,000 words in a MRes.

The Bursary is available to support travel and access to archival material, library collections, named people employed by Penguin Books or authors/illustrators involved in Penguin publications. The Bursary will be disbursed by the annual member.

The Affiliated University will require students to submit an Independent Study Proposal to the course leader in January/February. They can then submit up to two suitable proposals to the PCS Trustees by 31 March. A Trustee panel will decide on the award(s) in early April and inform the course leader, and thereafter the successful student(s), before the end of the month.

Each year PCS will provide on its website, a collation of past bursary winners published work in The Collector and some information on Penguin-related anniversaries which could be celebrated through student research. We will also provide examples of areas of study we would be pleased to support but will not be overly prescriptive in this regard (see below).

A Bursary holder will be required to successfully complete the study for the University award and to provide an electronic copy of their dissertation to the editor of the PCS journal, The Penguin Collector, along with either a recommendation of an extract from it or a précis of the whole text, in either case of no more than 2,000 words. This will be considered for publication as adding to the body of work already published on the history, content and design of Penguin Books Ltd.

We would expect the Award Ceremony Proceedings to acknowledge the graduate student as having been awarded a PCS Bursary.

Annual members and their supported students would be invited to contribute to PCS Study Days and AGM proceedings as appropriate.

In the event of a bursary award being made but the conditions of the award not being met, PCS retains the right to withdraw the Affiliate status from the university until such time as the Trustees are reassured.

The Open Competition started in the Academic year 2014-2015 and PCS made its inaugural award to Kelly Neubeiser at Oxford Brookes University. Her study was entitled ‘Defining the Classics how Penguin impacted upon the evolution of a timeless genre’. A report of her work was published in Penguin Collector 86 (June 2016). Subsequent award winners have had their research reports published annually in the June edition.

The 2022-23 Bursary Scheme was launched on 1 October 2022 and closed on 31st March 2023. The Trustees awarded one Bursary to Phoebe Williams, an MA Publishing student at University College London. Her dissertation title was 'For Older Boys' and Girls': Peacock Books and the New Teenager'. We look forward to reading an extract of her findings in The Collector next June.

Bursary winners will become (subscription-free) annual members of PCS for five years and will receive copies of all in-year publications and invitations to our Study Days and AGMs. We also hope more students will become members.

The 2023-24 Bursary Scheme will be launched on the 1st October 2023. Once again, we will try and whet student appetites with reference to notable Penguin-related anniversaries. It is the 80th anniversary of Modern Painters and Reference, the 75th anniversary of Music Scores and the 65th anniversary of Plays.


Other examples of potential areas of study


Prof Jeff Lucas [email protected]
PCS Trustee (Post-Graduate Bursary Scheme)
September 2023