I am an international student from America with an undergraduate degree in Communication Studies. Books have always been an important part of my life, so the decision to pursue a career in the field of publishing seemed quite natural. I chose the MLitt in Publishing Studies program at Stirling because of its wonderful reputation and a strong desire to gain a broader world view. The course is a terrific mix of UK and international students which creates a unique learning environment. The professors all have professional publishing experience and thus are well able to prepare us for what awaits after graduation. I am enjoying the structure and pace of the course and am finding the content extremely beneficial; particularly, learning how to operate publishing software. We frequently have guest speakers who come from many different areas of the publishing industry, such as bookstore owners, editors, and literary agents. So far, this program has lived up to my expectations and I am eager to see what more is to come.