(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado)—A new Introduction to Magazine Publishing course introduced in Africa in 2019 will for the first time be available online, according to Magazine Training International (MTI). The 20-week course will be offered as a series of three six-to-eight week online courses beginning this fall.

The Introduction to Magazine Management course, the first in the series, will be held Sept. 23 through Nov. 18, 2023. The Introduction to Magazine Editing course will be offered April 6 through May 18, 2024, and will be followed by the Introduction to Magazine Design course in the fall of 2024.

The Introduction to Magazine Publishing course was offered onsite as a six-day course in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019 and in Ghana in 2022. Six trainers from the U.S. and Kenya who taught the course in Africa will also teach the online series.

A 220-to-250-page Introduction to Magazine Publishing textbook is available in French and English editions. Participants in each of the three online courses will receive a 75-to-94-page e-book. Those who complete the series will also receive a soft cover edition of the Introduction to Magazine Publishing textbook.

Participants may attend the entire series or take one or more individual courses. Each course will include weekly live sessions, assignments, personalized feedback, opportunities for consulting, and encouragement and interaction with other classmates in the forum. The students will gain an overview of magazine publishing, including a basic understanding of the elements of magazine business, editing, and design.

The management course will be led by David Renard, a partner with mediaIDEAS, and Francis Ayieko, founder and publisher of Nairobi-based Christian newspaper The Shepherd. They will discuss how to assess the status of the magazine, identify problem areas, and find solutions in order to lay a successful foundation for a new magazine or a more solid basis for an existing periodical. Participants will learn how to apply sound financial principles, develop strategic plans, and refine an effective management style for long-term success as a leader and publisher.

Jeremy Weber, director of CT Global, and Esther Nyaga, publishing manager of Publishing Institute of Africa, will lead the magazine editing course, teaching the principles of editorial planning, how to develop a magazine profile, and work with writers. Participants will learn how to select, shape, and edit manuscripts, and write impactful leads, conclusions, headlines, and callouts.

Design course trainers Lea Greene, publication content manager and designer for SACONNECTS, and James Njoroge, art director of Timazi, will discuss how to design a magazine that draws the readers’ attention, enhances readability, effectively communicates the magazine’s message, and makes a visual impact. Participants will learn how to design attractive covers, enticing spreads, appealing departments, and inviting tables of contents.

Those who complete each course will receive a certificate of completion for that course, but those who complete all three will receive a certificate of completion for the entire Introduction to Magazine Publishing series.

The series is offered by Magazine Training International. MTI began holding onsite conferences in 1989, and has additionally offered dozens of online workshops and courses since 2013.

More information about the new online series is available on MTI’s website at https://magazinetraining.com/events/category/online-courses/.

by Jennifer Howard, MTI Communications Director