The Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing) requires three years of full-time study. The course is offered by the Faculty of Education, Humanities and Law.

Enrolment in the honours program may be offered to a student who meets certain academic criteria and subject to the school/department being able to provide appropriate resources and staff to supervise the program of study.

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Additionally, as an admission criterion, applicants will have to demonstrate their creative abilities through a portfolio.

Course aims

The aim of the course is to prepare students for a professional life by:

  • equipping students with practical skills in writing, research and editing, so that graduates will be experienced in a variety of forms that are required in both literary and professional contexts;
  • producing students who are critical readers with competent editing skills;
  • developing in students an understanding of literary genres, styles and forms, which includes an understanding of their historical, social and cultural contexts;
  • developing in students an understanding of the culture of writing and publishing in Australia;
  • producing graduates who will be able to think flexibly, collaborate with others on group projects and solve problems creatively;
  • enabling students to acquire communication skills that will enhance the performance of their own work as well as be useful in any profession where oral presentation of material is essential.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of their degree, students will have gained specific practical and analytical skills in creative writing. In addition, students will have developed a range of transferable skills.

Practical skills

In specialising in the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing), students should:

  • demonstrate their ability to produce creative work to a high standard in their chosen program
  • become effective members of creative production and planning teams
  • understand the processes involved in the production of creative work
  • be able to analyse and critically evaluate ideas and solve problems
  • be familiar with theories, factual content and research methods relevant to their program of study including an awareness of practices related to their chosen program
  • be familiar with aspects of the arts industries relevant to their chosen program.


Transferable skills

Students will also develop:

  • communication and presentation skills (oral, written, electronic, graphic)
  • teamwork and interpersonal skills
  • the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
  • management and planning skills.

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing), a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) on more than one occasion in the same topic may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University’s Policy on Student Progress.

Stream - Creative Writing

Core - Year 1 topics


22.5 units comprising

 CREA1001  Introduction to the Creative Arts  (4.5 units)
 CREA1021  Introduction to Creative Writing  (4.5 units)
 ENGL1101  Approaches to Literature  (4.5 units)
 ENGL1102  Reading and Writing Short Stories  (4.5 units)
 SCME1003  Essential Multimedia  (4.5 units)

Elective - Year 1 topics


plus 13.5 units of year 1 topics. Elective topics may be selected from any offered by the University, provided topic prerequisites are met.


Option - Year 2 - Group A topics


Select 27 units from the topics listed

 CREA2100  The Craft of Writing Workshop  (4.5 units)
 CREA2106  Creative Arts Theory and Practice  (4.5 units)
 CREA2122  Reading and Writing Poetry  (4.5 units)
 CREA2132  Writing for Children  (4.5 units)
 CREA2134  Publishing and Editing  (4.5 units)
 CREA2141  Life Writing  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2140  Epochs of English  (4.5 units)
 SCME2071  Introduction to Script Writing  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 2 - Group B topics


plus 9 units from the topics listed or other topic(s) approved by the course coordinator

 ENGL2120  Shakespeare  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2121  Adaptations: Reading Texts and Film  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2130  Crime Fiction and Film: From Poe to the Postmodern  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2131  Twenty-First Century Literature: Texts and Contexts  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2133  The Anglo Saxon World  (4.5 units)
 ENGL2142  Fiction for Young Readers  (4.5 units)

Option - Year 3 topics


Select 31.5 units from the topics listed

 CREA2122  Reading and Writing Poetry  (4.5 units)
 CREA2132  Writing for Children  (4.5 units)
 CREA2134  Publishing and Editing  (4.5 units)
 CREA2141  Life Writing  (4.5 units)
 CREA3100  Advanced Creative Writing Workshop  (4.5 units)
 CREA3101  Prose Fiction Writing  (4.5 units)
 ENGL3110  The Big Books 1  (4.5 units)
 ENGL3111  The Big Books 2  (4.5 units)
 SCME3074  Adaptation and Transformation  (4.5 units)

Elective - Year 3 topics


plus 4.5 units of upper level topics. Elective topics may be selected from any offered by the University, provided topic prerequisites are met.

Honours

Refer to Bachelor of Creative Arts (Honours)