Creative Writing
Coursework
The Master of Creative Writing is designed to enable students to explore and develop skills in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and other forms of writing in a stimulating academic environment. Emphasis is on developing core skills of writing, structuring and editing in tandem with understanding theories, histories and practices of writing. Our students work in experimental or traditional ways within, across or between genres and media. We offer you intimate access to Sydney’s literary life, including a constant calendar of readings, performances, major literary and cultural events, and a host of celebrated visitors. We support all kinds of literary ambition in a setting that builds capacity, encourages diversity and experimentation, and supports professional writing.
As well as core units in research-led creative practice, writers at work and forms of narrative writing, we offer specialised multi-genre workshop units in experiments in form and life writing. Further selective and elective units allow students to pursue interests in literary studies, publishing and writing for different media and contexts including screen, games, podcasting and business.
In many units of study you will work in small groups with distinguished staff and visitors to extend and deepen your writing and close reading skills, thinking and engagement with the work of others. As well as coursework, all master's students undertake a substantial, individually supervised creative dissertation or project and participate in a lively calendar of readings, talks and symposia.
Writers on staff include Vanessa Berry, Belinda Castles, Briohny Doyle, Toby Fitch, Peter Minter and Beth Yahp. Visitors to the program have included Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Simon Armitage, Shankari Chandran, Peter Boyle, Pam Brown, Quinn Eades, Ceridwen Dovey, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Michael Farrell, Kate Forsyth, Carla Harryman, Lyn Hejinian, Natalie Harkin, Sarah Holland-Batt, Gail Jones, Mireille Juchau, Julie Koh, Michelle de Kretser, Fiona McFarlane, David Malouf, Jamie Marina Lau, Drusilla Modjeska, Eileen Myles, Felicity Plunkett, John Tranter, Omar Sakr, Barrett Watten, and Charlotte Wood.
See also: English Studies
Awards and requirements
Please refer to the course resolutions in this handbook for information on the specific admission requirements for different award courses.
Master of Creative Writing
Candidates for the Master of Creative Writing must complete 72 credit points of units of study, including:
- 24 credit points of core units of study
- a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 42 credit points of selective units of study
- a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 credit points of capstone units of study
- a maximum of 18 credit points of elective units of study.
Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing
Candidates for the Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing must complete 48 credit points of units of study, including:
- 24 credit points of core units of study
- a minimum of 18 credit points of selective units of study
- a maximum of 6 credit points of elective units of study.
Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing
Candidates for Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing must complete 24 credit points of units of study, including:
- 12 credit points of core units of study
- a minimum of 6 credit points of selective units of study
- a maximum of 6 credit points of elective units of study.
Contacts and further information
Contact details can be found on these websites:
