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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 the fundamentals of research-led creative practice, ways of reading and writing, and writers at work, we offer specialised multi-genre workshop units focussing on narrative writing, experiments in form and life writing. 

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, Toby Fitch, Peter Minter and Beth Yahp. Visitors to the program have included Peter Boyle, Pam Brown, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Michael Farrell, Carla Harryman, Lyn Hejinian, Gail Jones, Michelle de Kretser, David Malouf, Drusilla Modjeska, Eileen Myles, Felicity Plunkett, John Tranter, Barrett Watten, Ceridwen Dovey, Julie Koh, Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Kate Forsyth, Mireille Juchau, Fiona McFarlane 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:

  • 18 credit points from core units of study
  • a minimum of 6 credit points and maximum of 12 credit points from capstone units of study
  • a minimum of 18 credit points and maximum of 36 credit points from workshop selective units of study
  • a minimum of 6 credit points and a maximum of 30 credit points from 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:

  • 18 credit points from core units of study
  • a minimum of 18 credit points and a maximum of 24 credit points from workshop selective units of study
  • a maximum of 12 credit points from 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:

  • a minimum of 6 credit points from core units of study
  • 12 credit points from workshop selective units of study
  • a maximum of 6 credit points from elective units of study.

Contacts and further information

Contact details can be found on these websites: