creative writing courses melbourne rmit

Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing

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Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing - CUA40118

Explore writing and editing through a professional and creative lens, and gain highly transferrable skills essential to a career in writing.

You're viewing program information for local students.

RMIT considers you a local student if you are:

• a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or
• a New Zealand citizen, or
• a person seeking asylum who holds either a: Temporary Protection Visa (TPV), or Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) or Bridging Visa E or Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa or Temporary Humanitarian Concern Visa.

Asylum seekers who reside in Australia and study onshore are required to pay international onshore tuition fees for higher education courses.

If you are unsure or hold a different visa type, please contact  Study@RMIT for more information.

Not a local student?

You're viewing program information for international students..

RMIT considers you an international student if you are:

• intending to study on a student visa, or
• not a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or
• not a New Zealand citizen, or
• not a a person seeking asylum who holds either a: Temporary Protection Visa (TPV), or Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) or Bridging Visa E or Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) visa or Temporary Humanitarian Concern Visa.

If you are unsure or  hold a different visa type, please contact  Study@RMIT for more information.

Not an international student?

Not applicable

​​Are you keen to explore your creativity, while gaining solid technical skills?

The Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing offers you the fundamentals to write and edit professionally.

Working with expert teachers, you hone your writing skills in fiction and non-fiction, and sharpen your editing skills for publication. You also learn to write clearly with confidence, as well as craft, design and produce content for target audiences across platforms.

Suited both full- and part-time students, this certificate gives you broad, transferable writing and editing skills relevant to any creative or professional writing context.

Why study professional writing and editing at RMIT?

Expert educators.

Learn from active professionals who share their insights and skills.

Industry feedback

Present your work to an industry practitioner for analysis and critique.

State-of-the-art facilities

Practise design and experiment on industry-standard software.

This training is delivered with Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding.

Please note:  this certificate is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa. If you are holding a temporary visa (other than a student visa) and your visa has a full study entitlement, you may be eligible to apply. For more information, see the  international students with other temporary (non-student) visas.

How you will learn

Learning and teaching.

All subjects in the Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing are delivered in a blended learning mode, requiring both face-to-face and online learning.

Learning activities include lectures, workshops, demonstrations, presentations, project work, practical exercises, and discussion in class and online forums. You benefit from regular feedback from your teacher and from peers in class workshopping. Industry speakers share their specialist knowledge and expertise, and in designated courses provide feedback on your work.

Assessment methods

Your assessment tasks are closely linked to work performed by professional writers and editors. You write short stories, flash fiction, articles, reviews, essays, advertising copy, online content, journal entries and more. You edit reports and publications, as well as your own and your peers' fiction and non-fiction writing. You design and produce templates, documents and publications using industry-standard software.

Learning at RMIT

The types of classes you have will depend on the course you’re studying. Classes are offered in various formats designed to provide meaningful engagement with staff, industry and peers and provide for access and use of spaces where learning can be applied and active, including an array of specialised equipment.

Most RMIT courses do not include passive large-scale classes such as lectures, instead the content traditionally provided in lectures is made available online. This may be in the form of readings, videos or other on-demand learning materials. This content will also support the basis of interactive learning that takes place in on-campus classes.

Your teachers are practitioners in the field and bring their industry know-how to your classes.

Drawing on their strong networks, they organise guest speakers to share their specialist knowledge and experiences. In  BSBWRT501 Write persuasive copy , you will present your copywriting to an industry practitioner for feedback.

The design of this qualification has also been informed by an industry advisory committee comprising professional writers and editors, both in-house and freelance.

Contact hours and study load

To achieve this qualification, students must complete 12 subjects (6 core and 6 elective).

The training comprises of 824 hours of structured activities and 546​ hours of unstructured activities.

Learning outcomes

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this certificate and how they can be applied in your career are described in the  learning outcomes .

Electives and course plan

This certificate is flexible and modular in design, catering for full- and part-time students. You must complete all 12 subjects to graduate from this qualification.

Core subjects are:

• Perform writing and editing tasks
• Write fiction material  
• Write nonfiction material
• Write simple stories
• Write persuasive copy
• Implement copyright arrangements.

Elective subjects are: 

• Develop content for publication  
• Write content for a range of media 
• Document design and production
• Design and produce text documents
• Produce complex desktop publishing documents 
• Work effectively in the creative arts industry
• Provide freelance services.

Course structure

Choose a plan below to find out more about the subjects you will study and the course structure.

With a writing and editing skill set, your career opportunities are broad.

Work exists in technical writing, corporate writing, writing in digital media, copywriting, creative writing in myriad forms, journalism and publishing. Employment possibilities range from paid positions to freelance work as either a writer or editor.

Specialised skills are in increasing demand, especially in the areas of social media, content management and copywriting. Your software skills, including facility with Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office, are vital for such work.

You need to satisfy all of the following academic (entry) requirements to be considered for entry into this course.

Academic requirements

Prerequisites, selection tasks.

There are no minimum academic entry requirements.

All applicants must submit the selection task

Applicants who are seeking admission on the basis of an approved RMIT pathway will be able to indicate this in the selection task and submit.

All other applicants must complete and submit the selection task requirements.

There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.

Semester 2, 2024

Entry into this program is competitive, and applications are assessed in the order that they are received until this date, if places are still available. For your best chance at admission into this program, you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Selection task dates

Selection task dates for direct applicants.

If you are applying direct to RMIT, you must complete and submit your direct application. The link to submit your selection task will appear on the applicant dashboard after you have submitted your application. Please see the Apply page for information on eligibility to apply direct.

The selection task requires:

• A statement outlining your interest in professional writing and editing (maximum 500 words).
• You must upload your writing sample in a Word document or PDF.

Understanding pathways

Undertaking a certificate, diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree can help you meet the entry requirements for your preferred degree. These qualifications often provide credit, reducing the duration of your bachelor degree.

There it is.

You can see it.

The degree you're after.

But sometimes, things happen.

You can miss the mark, or miss the boat, or drop the ball, or simply fall short.

Don't worry.

Whatever obstacles lie between you and your degree, there are different pathways at RMIT to help you get there.

The great thing about these pathways is that they're available across a range of study areas and can provide skills and training to help unlock job opportunities.

Many have smaller class sizes and great support from teachers, and they can allow you to gain credits for better studies.

Which means you'll get to your degree sooner than you think.

Visit rmit.edu.au/pathways to find the one that's right for you. 

Pathway options

Even though there are no formal pathways into this course, there are often other ways you can gain entry.

Credit and recognition of prior learning

Credit, recognition of prior learning, professional experience and accreditation from a professional body can reduce the duration of your study by acknowledging your earlier, relevant experience.

Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the  RMIT Credit Policy .

Further study

Successful completion of the Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing guarantees entry into the following qualifications:

• Advanced Diploma of Professional Screenwriting
• Associate Degree in Professional Writing and Editing

For more information, explore our  Pathway finder , or contact  Study@RMIT .

Fee summary

Tuition fees.

The tuition fees you will pay for this program will depend on whether you are offered a Victorian Government subsidised place or a full-fee place. To find out if you are eligible for a government subsidised place, follow the steps at  How to check if you are eligible .

• 2024 government subsidised place (with concession): AU$1,300* per annum
• 2024 government subsidised place (no concession): AU$6,500* per annum
• 2024 full-fee place: AU$11,500* per annum

*Fees shown are indicative only and subject to change given individual circumstances at the time of enrolment.

Use our  fee finder  to get an estimate of your fees for this program.

Additional expenses

• Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$351 maximum fee for 2024.
• Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.

Annual fee adjustment

The student tuition fees as displayed by the fee finder are indicative only and subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.

Eligibility Exemption criteria

**The Victorian Government is currently waiving three (3) eligibility criteria around prior qualifications. This means that more people who want to study a vocational education program at RMIT, and who have studied previously, will be able to access a government subsidised place in a program. Find out  how to check your eligibility

Payments and refunds

For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see  Paying your fees and applying for refunds .

In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual  student services and amenities fee (SSAF) , which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.

The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2024 is $351.

You may also be required to purchase other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These  additional fees and expenses  vary from program to program.

Fee assistance

You may be entitled to apply for a  fee concession or exemption  if you are in a Victorian Government subsidised place and you meet the  eligibility criteria .

If your application for a fee concession is approved, you will be charged 20% of the standard government subsidised tuition fee for your program. You will also be charged a lower rate on your student services and amenities fee (SSAF).

RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.

The annual tuition fee for 2022 is AU$XX,XXX.

The total indicative tuition fee for 2022 commencement is AU$XX,XXX.

Other costs

In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:

• Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) in each calendar year.
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)  - Student visa holders must have cover for the total duration of their visa.
• Some programs incur  additional expenses .

You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the  cost of living  in Melbourne.

Student services and amenities fee (SSAF)

Important fee information.

Find out more details about  how fees are calculated  and the expected annual increase.

Applying for refunds

Find information on how to apply for a  refund  as a continuing international student.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Looking for answers or more general information.

Use our Frequently Asked Questions to learn about the application process and its equity access schemes, find out how to accept or defer your offer or request a leave of absence, discover information about your fees, refunds and scholarships, and explore the various student support and advocacy services, as well as how to find out more about your preferred program, and more.

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Sorry, this program is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa.

If you hold a different visa type, you may be eligible. Please contact Study@RMIT  for more information.

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

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Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing)

Rmit university.

Type of institution: University/Higher Education Institution Level: Undergraduate CRICOS: 00122A

Work closely on your writing in an intensive studio model with world-leading lecturers and creative practitioners, improving your writing and solving problems from industry. This degree is designed to make you confident, skilled and adaptable in today’s creative industries - where writing and editing are essential skills, and so are creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Along with leading genres like fiction, screen and digital writing, you’ll become an adaptable writer by learning the skills to adjust to a constantly changing industry, spending deep time with your creative work, trying experiments, and gaining new knowledge. A flair for creative expression will be complemented by proficiency in the business of writing, allowing you to understand the publishing process and learn the skills required to become a freelance writer, collaborator or creative entrepreneur, across multiple media platforms.

Total Credit Points: 288

Standard entry requirements

You must have successfully completed an Australian Year 12 (or equivalent qualification).

Study information

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Institution Title: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Also trading as: rmit university (rmit), institution cricos code: 00122a, institution type: government, location: victoria  3001, website: https://www.rmit.edu.au, total number of students: 23020.

RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), is a public university located in Melbourne.

Established in 1887 as a private college, RMIT’s teaching, learning and research programs have been continually updated so that students, staff and graduates are equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

During the 1990s, RMIT gained university status and developed campuses in Bundoora and Brunswick in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, and later in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam.

In 2013, RMIT opened a research and industry collaboration centre in Barcelona, Spain. The main campus of RMIT is situated in the city centre of Melbourne.

RMIT’s courses of study are offered across 4 academic colleges and 16 academic schools:

Academic schools

• Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain
• Architecture and Urban Design
• Business and Law
• Computing Technologies
• Economics, Finance and Marketing
• Engineering
• Fashion and textiles
• Health and Biomedical Sciences
• Global, Urban and Social Studies
• Media and Communication
• Property, Construction and Project Management

Academic Colleges

• College of Business and Law
• College of Design and Social Context
• College of Vocational Education
• STEM College

#206 in the World, QS World University Rankings 2022

#301 – 350 in the World, Times Higher Education World rankings 2022

#18 in the World, QS Top 50 under 50 2021

#3 globally for Environmental, social and economic impact, Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2021

#57, Times Young University Rankings 2021

Rankings by Subject

QS World University Rankings 2021

No 12 in Australia and 101-150th in the World for Accounting and Finance

No 9 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Agriculture & Forestry

No 3 in Australia and 28th in the World for Architecture & Built Environment

No 1 in Australia and 15th in the World for Art & Design

No 8 in Australia and 116th in the World for Arts and Humanities

No 13 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Business and Management

No 12 in Australia and 251-300th in the World for Chemistry

No 3 in Australia and 41st in the World for Communication & Media Studies

No 10 in Australia and 141st in the World for Computer Science and Information Systems

No 5 in Australia and 51-100th in the World for Development Studies

No 13 in Australia and 101-150th in the World for Education & Training

No 8 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Chemical Engineering

No 9 in Australia and 51-100th in the World for Civil & Structural Engineering

No 9 in Australia and 127th in the World for Electrical & Electronic Engineering

No 7 in Australia and 134th in the World for Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering

No 11 in Australia and 51-60th in the World for Mineral & Mining Engineering

No 9 in Australia and 144th in the World for Engineering & Technology

No 14 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Environmental Sciences

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No 15 in Australia and 251-300th in the World for Mathematics

No 21 in Australia and 251-300th in the World for Psychology

No 13 in Australia and 223rd in the World for Social Sciences & Management

No 14 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Sociology

No 10 in Australia and 151-200th in the World for Statistics

Melbourne City Campus

Melbourne City campus is located in the cosmopolitan heart of Melbourne’s CBD and is surrounded by public transport, restaurants, cafes, theatres, galleries and parks. It is known for its striking contemporary architecture as well as its well-preserved Victorian era and interwar period buildings.

At the intersection of La Trobe Street and Swanston Street, the campus also benefits from its proximity to the State Library of Victoria as well as the adjacent Melbourne Central Shopping Centre and its City Loop underground railway station. It is also well-serviced by the city tram network along La Trobe Street and Swanston Street and has its own tram stop in the densest section of the campus.

Bundoora campus

Established in 1992 the Bundoora campus, is in the north-eastern suburbs of Melbourne 18 km from the City campus. Bundoora is set in a tranquil parkland environment complete with outdoor sporting facilities.

Brunswick campus

The Brunswick campus, six kilometres north of the city, is part of the creative and multicultural Sydney Road district close to markets, eclectic shops, pubs, and a thriving art and music scene.

Regional sites

RMIT has three regional sites in Hamilton, Point Cook and Bendigo all offering students state-of-the-art training facilities.

Free course and Visa application help!

The form is a comprehensive tool to help us understand your academic profile and preferences, which assists us in offering personalized course selection and visa application support. 

Program: Bachelor Degree of Communication and Media Studies

Faculty: creative arts, level: bachelor degree, class size:, study hours per week:, entry level:, minimum age:, placement test:, broad field: 10 - creative arts, narrow field : 1007 - communication and media studies, detailed field: 100705 - written communication, foundation studies: no, work component: no, course language: english, duration (weeks): 156 weeks, tuition fees range: 115,200 aud (non tuition fee: 1,053 aud), tuition fees range per year: 38.333333333333,000, dual qualification: no, entry requirements :, subjects you can study:, further information:, location: melbourne, course duration: 156 weeks (3 years), course cricos code: 065130g, - please enter information in english, if your age is below 18 years, it is imperative that this form be completed by your parents., choose your preferred courses: (optional).

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United Education Group Pty Ltd. ABN 25 636 821 031 Address: Southbank VIC 3006 P: +61 1800 90 7777 M: +61 478 709 999 Email: [email protected]

Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing)

Study level, course detail, intake time, standard duration, about the course.

In this degree you’ll be surrounded by a group of passionate writers of different levels and experience. You’ll work closely on your writing in an intensive studio model with world-leading lecturers and creative practitioners, improving your writing and solving problems from industry. This degree is designed to make you confident, skilled and adaptable in today’s creative industries - where writing and editing are essential skills, and so are creativity, communication, and critical thinking. Along with leading genres like fiction, screen, and digital writing, you’ll become an adaptable writer by learning the skills to adjust to a constantly changing industry, spending deep time with your creative work, making new experiments, and gaining a diversity of knowledges. Your flair for creative expression will be complemented by becoming proficient in the business side of writing, allowing you to understand the publishing process as well as learn the skills required to become a freelance writer, collaborator or creative entrepreneur, working in events and digital media. With a strong emphasis on industry connections, you will develop a large network of relationships throughout the degree, maximising your opportunities to gain employment upon graduation, and building a lifelong network of creative peers. Graduates in this degree can expect to work in a variety of roles, including working as writers, editors, publishers, screenwriters, screen producers, digital and mobile media writers, and producers of events like writers’ festivals

Requirements

Average score, background requirements, rmit university.

Institute Ranking

#223 in qs world university rankings 2021, #15 in australia, program ranking, #4 in australia for communication and media, #44 in the world. *qs world university rankings by subject 2020.

Creative Writing Courses Melbourne: The Best 7 Reviewed & Ranked

If you’re looking for a creative writing course to take in Melbourne, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re looking for a beginners course or a short course, we’ll find you the best one!

Melbourne is a city that inspires the artistic streak. Especially with so many hidden cafes down laneways, perfect for typing out plots on keyboards on rainy days.

Creative writing is also one of the most versatile forms of professional writing and journalism, used by freelance writers, journalists, and other people in the creative writing industry. That makes this skill a great source of career opportunities on top of being a great mode of expression. This is a field for aspiring and existing local writers who contribute to magazines, blogs, and many different platforms for written content. It’s also great for those who are looking to write novels or books in the creative nonfiction category as well.

Writing, as you must have already come to know, is also a branch of the creative arts. Combining both schools of thought (no pun intended), it is only logical that you enrol under the best possible course to craft yourself into a better creative writer.

If you’re also looking to start out and hone your writing skills or further improve your creative practice as a writer, here are some of the best options that could be a great fit for you.

Melbourne Young Writers’ Studio | RMIT University | Writers’ Studio | Melbourne Polytechnic | Faber Writing Academy  | CAE | Australian Writers Centre

1. Story Studios Australia

Story Studios Australia, previously Melbourne Young Writers’ Studio , is the go-to place for creative writing and storytelling courses for young and emerging writers. They offer term based creative story writing clubs, private mentorships, school programs (incursions, excursions and online), and holiday programs for writers 7 – 18. As well as a rotating roster of short courses and events for adult writers.

At Story Studios, they take a story-first approach to teaching creative writing as the attention is on character, story craft, and empowering writers to express themselves and bring their ideas to life. From there they help writers of all ages hone their professional skills.

Courses for writers aged 7 – 18 include:

• Creative Story Writing Groups (in-person and online)

• Private Mentorships (1:1 and 1:2, in-person and online)

• School programs (incursions, excursions and online)

• Holiday programs (in-person and online)

Courses and events for adult writers include (but are not limited to):

• Story and the Self: awaking the writer within

• Intro to Screenwriting

• Thursday Write Night

• Screenwriters Club

Story Studios Australia is based in Carlton and online and offers a beautiful dedicated writing space, industry professionals as coaches, and a holistic approach to teaching stories and inspiring creative minds.

Address: 170 Elgin Street, Carlton

Website: mywritersstudio.com.au

2. RMIT University Short Writing Courses

The RMIT University Short Courses are developed for people looking to do quick creative writing workshop offers and courses.

RMIT University has established a reputation for itself as being an expert in media and communication. That puts them in an excellent position to offer such courses to the general populace.

What they do, in essence, is to identify the basic models of all creative writing and teach them to their students. That way, every student can quickly adapt to any form of creative writing that they might face.

The short courses on display at RMIT include:

• Writing Creative Fiction
• Comedy Writing
• Screenwriting
• Non-fiction Writing

On top of that, they offer their creative writing students a shot at Feature writing with Sian Prior – a PhD holder in creative writing with over 25 years of experience in journalism.

If you’d like to move to professional writing courses after your short courses, they have provisions for that too.

3. Unlocking Creativity by Writers’ Studio

Perfecting its creative writing courses over 25 years, Writer’s Studio has made the Unlocking Creativity’ writing workshop is one of the best out there.

Designed to span four weeks, the course gives young writers the freedom of access from anywhere since it is based online. Likewise, interested students can get up to USD$50 off when they cop the course early enough.

Refining the course over the years, Writers’ Studio has landed upon a teaching formula that has turned out a good number of professional writers out of their creative writing graduates. This comes in the form of:

• Helping writers recognise and embrace their imagination
• Exploring limits in the way of maximum creative potentials
• Developing a practical understanding of character development and know-how of classical story structure
• Practical assignment to assess the student based on what has been taught so far

This form of teaching and feedback system has proven successful for students of this course. You could be the next!

4. Melbourne Polytechnic – Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing

For those who are looking for full-time, professional writing courses in Melbourne, you might have to look no further than the learning environment at the Melbourne Polytechnic.

The course takes things a notch further than many online courses, offering you a fully-integrated and structured learning experience. Interested students will be taught the concepts of editing. That not only makes them a better writers but gives them an additional skill too.

From the course contents, students are set up to develop their skills in:

• Professional writing
• Advanced editing
• Design for print/web publishing (digital media skills)

If we haven’t mentioned this already, the course is taught by a variety of top performers: Edwin Preston (author of The Inheritance of Ivorie Hammer which garnered rave reviews), Alex Senior (sPh.D. student under the Creative Writing discipline) and so much more.

At the end of the course, students will be conferred with a Bachelor of Arts degree. If interested, make sure to check out the entry requirements below.

5. Faber Writing Academy’s Creative Writing Courses

The Faber Writing Academy offers a wide range of creative writing courses to students, all within the Melbourne area. The sessions are also spaced out, allowing each student to take on as many creative writing courses as they hope to handle.

We also love the way this academy provides a place for those looking to get professional writing courses in the Melbourne area.

Taking a quick look at the course information on their website, options to be enrolled for include:

• Creative writing for children and young adults
• Courses on developing substantial biographies and autobiographies
• Novel-writing courses, and so much more.

They also have different pricing plans to take care of each dedicated form of writing.

6. Beginning Creative Writing at CAE

CAE believes that ‘Every good story begins somewhere,’ and they plan to be the place where all of your great stories will start from.

Their Beginner Creative Writing course is designed to be a fun and exciting class for people who are unsure of where to start. That makes it ideally suited to beginners who might be sceptical about trying their hands at creative writing in the first place.

What this project does is take beginners through a series of steps that allows them to find themselves before doing any other thing. That sort of generic model helps writers focus on creative writing styles and models they will settle for in the end.

With multiple teaching and learning sessions to boot, the overall course aims at helping writers:

• Find the inspiration to write
• Build their characters and associated voices
• Develop better plots and structure
• Form winning dialogues
• Get better at rewriting and editing and
• Avoid clichés in writing

This course is also made better in the way the instructors prefer to show rather than tell.

7. Australian Writers’ Centre

The Australian Writers’ Centre (AWS) has been around for a while now. Their creative writing course has been able to develop writers with better creativity to tell compelling stories.

More than being a general professional writing course, the AWS offering has carved a niche for itself for being a great novel writing course in Melbourne. Other reasons why this course features on this list owes to its being:

• Highly flexible in allowing students to take classes online or on-site (in Melbourne)
• Uniform pricing across different locations and offerings.
• Tailored to writers at different stages of their writing development and so much more

The teaching methodology allows fellow writers to tap into personal creative prowess too. That is as opposed to being forced to conform to a particular template. Taking you by the hand through various models of creative writing, you are sure to get the best out of it.

So there you go, Melbourne’s best creative writing classes, featuring everything from short stories to copywriting. We’ll keep this list updated regularly and keep adding more information to it with time.

Is there a course that we’ve missed? Drop us a note in the comments below.

Chemical Engineer by day. Writer by night. Superhero at every other time.

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Hi there, I live in Melbourne and rather than online, I’m looking at writing my life story but need to attend a course that will help me create this project. Do you have anything that would help me accomplish this or do you know of where else I could go?

Thank you so much. Sue

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Creative writing, major overview.

Available in these courses

If you love reading, this major offers you the opportunity to explore your feelings, thoughts and ideas in the written form. Unleash and explore your creative potential across the avant-garde, cross-genre and experimental forms of writing.

You’ll also be encouraged to critically test contemporary theoretical and philosophical schools of thought in all forms of writing.

Gain focused knowledge on: fiction, poetry, non-fiction, autobiography theatre and screen - and more.

Related study areas

• Arts, humanities and social sciences
• Culture and communication
• Music, visual and performing arts

• Faculty of Arts
• School of Culture and Communication
• Discipline areas

Creative Writing

Creative Writing is a medium used to communicate, resist, provoke and seek or find understanding. Our research investigates the artistic, historical, cultural and societal impacts of the written word.

Creative Writing at Melbourne

Academic staff in the Creative Writing program are widely published writers, industry professionals, and leading researchers in areas including:

• Fiction, non-fiction and poetry, creative nonfiction
• Contemporary Australian writing and Aboriginal literature
• Writing for screen, theatre, live art, videogames and performance
• Graphic narratives and experimental poetics
• The theory and teaching of creative writing, creativity and composition

Our graduate students and researchers position Creative Writing as political, cultural, and critical discourse. We value working and writing together: generating connection, collaboration, and collegiality.

Our academic staff publish on dynamic and diverse topics including living poetry, video games, storytelling and genre-shifting work. Recent examples of this published work include a project investigating the history of contemporary Australian comics, an examination of the function of the theatre in Western culture and a project exploring artistic innovation and the work of disability artists in Australia.

View our staff

Featured writing

Academic staff within the Creative Writing program are also published authors in genres such as creative non-fiction, graphic memoir, poetry and fiction.

Death at the Dog Park

Death at the Dog Park (Glom Press, 2021) – Dr Radha O’Meara, Senior Lecturer and Eloise Grills

Once Upon a Pixel

Once Upon a Pixel (CRC Press, 2019) – Dr Eddie Paterson, Head of Program

Axiomatic (Brow Books, 2018) – Dr Maria Tumarkin, Senior Lecturer

Intention and Unintention

Intention and Unintention or the Hyperconscious in Contemporary Lyric Impulse (Aracadia Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2018) – Dr Grant Caldwell, Senior Lecturer

Walk Back Over

Walk Back Over (Cordite Books, 2018) – Dr Jeanine Leanne, Senior Lecturer

Drawing Sybylla

Drawing Sybylla: The Real and Imagined Lives of Australian (UWA Press, 2017) – Dr Odette Kelada

Rendition for Harp and Kalashnikov (Puncher & Wattmann, 2017) – Dr Amanda Johnson

The Xenotext

The Xenotext: Book 1 (Coach House Books, 2015) – Professor Christian Bök

More featured Creative Writing

Featured research

Our research engages with a wide audience through industry and community partnerships, and is supported by a range of funding sources, including the Australian Research Council (ARC).

Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia: The Last Avant Garde

The Last Avant Garde is an ARC Linkage project exploring artistic innovation and the work of disability artists in Australia.

Contemporary Australian Comics 1980-2020: A New History

An ARC Linkage project mapping the contemporary history and cultural impact of comics as a narrative art form in Australia.

Indigenous Storytelling and the Living Archive of Aboriginal Knowledge

An ARC Discovery Indigenous Fellowship project that aims to develop a non-linear, interactive archiving system in collaboration with Aboriginal people.

More featured research

Study with us

Develop your expertise in Creative Writing through our undergraduate, higher degree and other programs.

Learn more about applying for high degree programs, including Graduate research and Graduate coursework, in which students participate in writing, publication, thesis and seminar programs designed to foster creative and critical debate.

Undergraduate

• Bachelor of Arts Creative Writing Major
• Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours)

Graduate coursework

• Graduate Certificate in Arts
• Graduate Diploma in Arts
• Graduate Certificate in Arts (Advanced)
• Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced)
• Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing

Graduate research

• Master of Arts (Thesis Only)
• Master of Arts (Advanced Seminar and Shorter Thesis)
• Doctor of Philosophy – Arts

Meet our Creative Writing staff

Academic staff in the Creative Writing program are leading teachers, researchers and industry professionals, with expertise across fiction, creative non-fiction, screenwriting, graphic novels, critical scholarly work and beyond. Our award-winning staff have also been recently recognised across the industry – Maria Tumurkin has received the  Windham Campbell Prize for nonfiction in Australia and Amanda Johnson received the 2020 Peter Porter Poetry Prize.

Dr Grant Caldwell

Dr Odette Kelada

A/Prof Jeanine Leane

Dr Elizabeth MacFarlane

Dr Cath Moore

Dr Nadia Niaz

Dr Radha O'Meara

A/Prof Eddie Paterson

Dr Hayley Singer

A/Prof Maria Tumarkin

Creative Writing honorary staff

Creative writing courses

Learn how to tell a compelling story

Introduction to Creative writing

Discover practical online writing courses that will help you grow as a writer. It doesn’t matter if you want to pen a novel, become a poet, work as a journalist, or write for the joy of it—there’s a study option to suit you here. 

These courses will teach you the craft behind different writing styles, so you can discover what inspires you most. You can search short courses or full qualifications. Either way, you will learn from published authors and editors who can guide you towards wherever you want to be in your writing career. 

Start comparing online creative writing courses across universities. We can offer advice on entry requirements, flexible study arrangements, fees and enrolments. When you study through us, it’s easier to balance your learning with other commitments in your life. 

Discover creative writing courses

Online creative writing subjects and short courses.

Undergraduate | CUR-PWP110

Introduction to Creative and Professional Writing

100% online

No ATAR required. Start with a subject.

Starts 26 Aug 2024

Undergraduate | GRF-CWR111

Writing the Short Story

Starts 04 Nov 2024

Undergraduate | CUR-CWG100

Creative Writing

Starts 27 May 2024, 25 Nov 2024

Next enrolment closes 19 May

Undergraduate | CUR-CWG320

Travel Writing

Online creative writing degrees

Undergraduate | MAQ-ART-DEG

Bachelor of Arts

An arts degree that no one else has

Make your degree unique and study what interests you. Analyse critically, think creatively and problem-solve at work or in everyday life. Complete foundational studies then tailor your degree with a major. Create a portfolio and build your connections.

3 years full time or part time equivalent

Available majors

• Ancient History , 
• Applied Ethics , 
• Creative Writing , 
• Indigenous Studies , 
• International Relations , 
• Modern History , 
• Philosophy , 
• Politics , 

Undergraduate | GRF-ART-DEG

Innovators, communicators and creators start here!

Develop critical thinking, writing, and research skills in demand across all industries. You can follow your passion with majors and electives that interest you. Develop connections through peer learning, networking, and work experience.

• Art History , 
• Criminal Justice , 
• Journalism , 
• Literature , 
• Public Relations , 
• Screen and Media Studies , 

Undergraduate | USQ-ACW-DEG

Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing)

Undergraduate | CUR-CWP-DEG

Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) (Professional Writing and Publishing)

Write your own stories and develop the work of others

Develop your own voice as you explore genres including poetry. You’ll learn how to plan and research your projects. Polish your grammar, practice proofreading and copyediting. Witness words transforming from wispy thoughts to professional pieces.

Online & on-campus

Discover 80 ways to study creative writing with leading Australian universities.

Need help choosing the right course?

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Creative writing study FAQs

What is a creative writing course.

A creative writing course teaches you how to approach different styles of writing, like fiction, short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction. You will be encouraged to share your work so it can be critiqued by others, which helps you develop your skills to a publishable standard. 

What do you learn in a creative writing course?

Creative writing courses are both inspiring and practical. You’re given the space to experiment with your own ideas, but you also learn writing for different genres, platforms and formats. 

Depending on your course, you’ll learn how to:

• kickstart your creativity
• develop a distinctive writing style
• think critically about work produced by other writers 
• write across areas like short fiction, long-form fiction, genre fiction, poetry and children’s fiction
• act on feedback and edit your own work
• deliver critical feedback during virtual workshop discussions
• submit your work for publication
• navigate the Australian publishing industry.

Why should I study creative writing?

There are countless reasons to study creative writing. Enrol if you want to develop your craft, write professionally, or inspire yourself artistically. You’ll have the space to work on projects that matter to you, which could lead to a publishable story, collection or manuscript that you might not have finished otherwise. 

You’ll gain incredibly valuable knowledge about the path to publication from people who’ve been there. And you’ll network with like-minded creatives from all over the country. These connections often end up being the writers, editors and publishers you collaborate with in your career.   

Why should I study an online course in creative writing?

It’s not uncommon to juggle your creative projects with other work. Studying online gives you the time and flexibility to do that. Plus, you’re not restricted by location—you can access universities from across Australia. This has its advantages. It means you can choose your course based on the writing teachers who appeal to you most.  

Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

• You can enrol without entry requirements  We have a unique open-door policy  that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
• You have total control over how you study Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
• You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.
• We’ll help you navigate the university world Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

How long is a creative writing course?

It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide: 

If you study a degree in creative writing through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.   

Is creative writing a difficult course?

Creative writing is a skill that requires practice and patience—but it’s a skill anyone can learn with the right guidance. Many of our students find workshopping to be the hardest thing about their course, because they can’t help taking the feedback about their work personally. It’s tricky to separate yourself from your writing, but your tutors and peers only have your development in mind. If you’re open to a bit of constructive criticism, you should find your course fun and rewardingly challenging. 

What jobs can you get with a creative writing degree?

Creative writing graduates have the critical thinking and writing skills to work across all sorts of industries. Students commonly pursue work as:

• Journalists
• Copywriters 
• Digital marketers
• Magazine publishers and editors
• Book publishers and editors
• Screenwriters
• Arts administrators

How do I know if I’m eligible to apply for a course?

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Chat with us  to find out more.

How do I enrol?

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool , or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI)  during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us  and we’ll talk you through it.

You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions .

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We’re here to guide you to the right uni course.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation helping every Australian to access thousands of university courses.

Over 515,000 students have enrolled in university through us since 1993.

How we can help you

Studying through Open Universities Australia means we take care of the guesswork and administration of university study, so you can focus on learning.

You don't need a strong academic history to go to uni

We make it possible for everyone to start university through single subjects, regardless of ATAR or study experience. These subjects are covered by government loans, and can be used to upskill or gain entry into a qualification.

You have the flexibility to start at multiple points during the year

We’re not restricted by a traditional academic calendar, so you can enrol when it suits your life. You also have total control over how you study. You can scale up (or down) your study load and even pause your course if you need to.

You can rely on us as an unbiased destination for online tertiary education

As a not for profit, we have your best interests at heart. Our advisors are here 7 days a week to guide and support you. It’s our priority to get you qualified with the university of your choice.

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Creative Writing and Literature

Writing is more than words on a page. It’s ideas brought to life. It’s storytelling. It’s finding your voice (or that of an imagined character) and sharing it with the world. 

Our creative writing and literature courses don’t just train your ability to write creatively. Our writing classes teach you to expand your literary horizons and think in entirely new ways so you can create exciting, bold and innovative works of art.

Sharpen your ability to edit and critique through a creative writing and literature degree at Swinburne and learn to confidently and accurately use the English language to explain complex ideas and notions. 

With that grounding, you’ll be able to bring your creative writing skills to any professional or artistic endeavour. Browse our courses to find detailed course information, application dates, entry requirements, fees, subjects,  ATAR calculator  and more. 

Browse our Creative Writing and Literature courses

Join us at the midyear study expo | tuesday 4 june 2024.

If you're looking to start in Semester 2, our Study Expo is your one-stop-shop for course info, career advice, and application assistance, covering all study areas and study levels.

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