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

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Creative writing

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Make innovative contributions to contemporary literature

Creative writing at UNSW School of the Arts & Media will empower you to produce innovative contributions to contemporary literature. You’ll explore fresh, experimental writing across genres in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction and ficto-criticism.

Your study in creative writing will balance literary study and creative practice, with a grounding in the development of new literary techniques, forms and genres throughout history. You’ll be taught by award-winning writers with internationally recognised expertise in teaching and creative writing. Through your study, you’ll achieve a thorough understanding of the critical and social contexts in which your work circulates.

Prepare yourself for a career in the creative arts

As part of UNSW School of the Arts & Media, you’ll analyse links between writing and other forms of art and media through elective courses in film studies, theatre and performance and media and communications. Learning to write creatively and effectively will allow you to apply these skills in various creative industries such as public relations, copywriting, social media and scriptwriting.

Learn from national leaders in research

You'll be taught by award-winning academics, scholars and writers in an innovative, creative and stimulating environment. We support a strong research culture, and our school is benchmarked with the highest global rating of 5 by Excellence Research in Australia (ERA). Our staff have received the Vice-Chancellor's and Dean's Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research Supervision.

Connect with the wider literary community

UNSWriting runs a series of masterclasses and “in conversation” events with visiting local and international authors. These events enable students to connect with the wider literary community. UNSWriting cultivates ideas and good writing, giving you the chance to experience special events, workshops and public talks with professionals in the field.

Our network of writers, publishers and students gives you valuable industry connections, which will support your future career path – wherever that may lead.

Write for our student-run publication

The  UNSWeetened Literary Journal  is an annual publication run by students at Arc. It provides a voice for students, showcasing the university's creative writing talent and features poetry and prose from both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Quick links

The undergraduate major includes core courses in creative writing with a range of prescribed electives in English literary studies, media and communications, film studies and theatre and performance. During your study, you’ll produce your own body of creative work by developing practical skills in the craft of writing, and by learning how this craft relates to the history of literary forms.

At UNSW, you'll hone your practical knowledge of creative writing through participation in group workshops. You'll come to view yourself as a participant in the public life of literature and to understand the political and ethical dimensions of the aesthetic choices you’ll make as a writer.

We offer the below undergraduate courses with a major or minor in Creative writing: 

  • Bachelor of Arts 
  • Bachelor of Arts/Law
  • Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)/Arts
  • Bachelor of Commerce/Arts 
  • Bachelor of Computer Science/Arts
  • Bachelor of Economics/Arts
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Arts
  • Bachelor of Environmental Management/Arts
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts/Arts
  • Bachelor of Media / Arts
  • Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine/Arts
  • Bachelor of Science/Arts
  • Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics)(Honours)/Arts
  • Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Arts

We offer the below undergraduate courses with a minor only in Creative writing: 

  • Bachelor of Arts/Education (Secondary)
  • Bachelor of Design
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts
  • Bachelor of Media
  • Bachelor of Social Sciences

You’ll have the option to continue your studies into an honours year. Working closely with a supervisor, you’ll produce a thesis comprising of two complementary parts: a creative work and a scholarly essay. The honours degree provides a basis for further study at the postgraduate research level.

The PhD in creating writing supports students to produce a full-length creative work in any genre (novel, collection of poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, biography, ficto-criticism, etc.) and an accompanying scholarly dissertation of at least 30,000 words.

This original work will explore the flexible connection between the creative and the critical. Previous PhD students in creative writing include prize-winning and best-selling authors: Charlotte Wood and Anna Westbrook.

You can find more information on the variety of scholarships on offer at UNSW.