University of Groningen

What you'll study

This programme combines principles of information design, markup languages, automated typesetting and digital publishing workflows. Core study areas include structured document authoring (markup and semantic tagging), advanced typesetting and layout, document automation and scripting, version control and collaborative publishing, and accessibility and metadata for scholarly and commercial publishing. Modules typically cover:

• Introduction to Markup and Structured Documents: fundamentals of semantic markup, document schemas and conversion between formats.
• Typesetting and Layout: principles of typography, grid systems, responsive layouts and automated composition tools.
• Scripting for Publishing: scripting languages and toolchains used to automate document production and transform source content into multiple output formats.
• Digital Workflows and Version Control: collaborative authoring, Git-based workflows, continuous integration for publishing and package management.
• Metadata, Accessibility and Preservation: standards for discoverability, accessibility best practice and long-term archiving of digital documents.
• Project and Studio Practice: studio modules in which students produce portfolio pieces such as books, technical manuals, journals or interactive documents for web and e-readers.

The curriculum balances technical workshops, theory classes on information design and media studies, and project work. Students normally complete a final bachelor project or internship in which they apply toolchains and design principles to a real-world publishing brief.

Entry requirements

Admission is based on a recognized secondary school diploma or equivalent qualification demonstrating readiness for university-level study. International applicants must meet the University of Groningen's general entry requirements for bachelors, including proficiency in English. Typical evidence includes a high-school diploma or international baccalaureate and an English language test or approved exemption. Some applicants may be asked to submit a portfolio of relevant work (for example sample documents, code snippets or design exercises) or to attend an interview to demonstrate motivation and basic technical aptitude. Specific subject prerequisites are not usually strict, but familiarity with computing concepts and an interest in design and writing are highly recommended.

Career prospects

Graduates enter a range of roles where strong skills in structured authoring, typesetting and digital publishing are valued. Common career paths include:

• Technical writer or documentation specialist producing manuals, help systems and developer documentation
• Digital or academic publisher working on journals, books and ebooks
• Content engineer or information architect working on content modelling, CMS integration and metadata
• Typesetting and layout specialist for print and digital media
• UX or content designer focusing on readability and accessibility of long-form content
• Freelance publishing consultant, or roles in libraries, archives and digital repositories

Graduates often combine technical and editorial skills to work in interdisciplinary teams in industry, research institutes, technology companies and cultural institutions.

Why study at University of Groningen

The University of Groningen provides a research-led teaching environment with access to technical facilities, printing and digital lab resources and opportunities to collaborate with other humanities and computing programmes. The institution's international student community and connections with regional publishers and tech firms offer practical internship and project possibilities. Teaching emphasises both theoretical grounding in information and media studies and hands-on experience with contemporary publishing toolchains, preparing students for a changing landscape of digital content production.