Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature
2020 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2020 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature |
| Course Map | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2020. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2020. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2020. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Cloud Campus | Yes |
| Duration | 0.5 year full time or equivalent |
| Deakin course code | A535 |
| Approval status | This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Other learning experiences
Course overview
Turn your love for reading and writing into a successful career with the Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature. Get an introduction to the craft and conventions of creative writing, professional writing and publishing, and use this course as a stepping stone into the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature).
Ready to explore the work of great authors while developing your own writing skills?
If you’re looking to change the narrative of your career, the Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature gives you the skills and practical experience you need to take the next step. Discover how to make your words stand out from the sea of content that exists in today’s digital age and gain a deep understanding of the theory and craft stemming from traditional literature. The course attracts a diverse group of students with a shared passion for writing, from authors to marketers, lawyers to teachers, all striving to become confident writers and brilliant communicators.
The course can be used as an entry point into the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) and includes two core units from the masters program.
You’ll then choose your remaining two units from a broad list of writing and literature study areas. This allows you to build specialist skills and design a degree based on your career aspirations.
Importantly, the course provides more than just writing expertise. The projects and assessment tasks you work on train you in transferable skills, including critical analysis, communication, problem solving and research – incredibly valuable in every field of work. You’ll also get to debate literature, creativity and modern writing challenges with like-minded people from different corners of business and life. This exposure to new ways of thinking helps you develop as a writer and shows you how literature can be used to make sense of different aspects of culture, place and history.
Career opportunities
You’ll graduate from this course with more than just advanced writing skills. You’ll also have expertise in communication, problem solving, critical thinking and research – the kind of skills employers across all industries value.
This course puts you in a strong position to explore a range of career pathways, including:
- author
- editor
- literary critic
- publisher
- advertising executive
- communications specialist
- copywriter
- journalist
- public relations practitioner
- English teacher.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, your fee category and the year you started. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities | Acquire specialised knowledge of various aspects of writing and literature in particular the interplay between the study of literature and the production of effective creative and professional writing and specialised skills. Apply this knowledge through independent critical thinking, sophisticated practice, and the ability to communicate your ideas more effectively. |
| Communication | Communicate through writing that is technically proficient and demonstrates awareness of, or ability to extend, established writing conventions to produce works that communicate complex ideas effectively using suitable written forms and specialised techniques. |
| Digital literacy | Employ a range of generic and specialised industry digital technologies for the research, production and presentation of texts, including technologies for the innovative generation or dissemination of complex ideas and works, or those required in various specialised professional contexts. |
| Critical thinking | Demonstrate specialised competencies in the production of texts and discourses informed by rigorous research, close reading, critical thinking and analysis, and by selecting and applying the appropriate writing forms and conventions to provide solutions to complex problems or specialised writing briefs. |
| Problem solving | Analyse and respond to editorial or publishing briefs or opportunities by employing specialised creative and professional writing or communication strategies to identify, solve or reframe complex aesthetic, theoretical or real-world challenges and limitations. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate personal and professional responsibility for learning through autonomy, accountability and a continued commitment to specialised learning and skill development, as a reflective practitioner in professional scholarly and other contexts |
| Teamwork | Actively participate in and make constructive contributions to processes of creative and critical collaboration within or across disciplines, sharing of peer feedback in writing workshops and online forums, and demonstrate professional and ethical negotiation with collaborators and colleagues. |
| Global citizenship | Demonstrate ethical global citizenship and awareness of cultural diversity and social responsibility when engaging in scholarship and in professional roles and community collaborations. |
| Approved by Faculty Board June 2014 | |
Course rules
To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature, students must successfully complete 4 credit points of study comprised of:
- 2 credit points of core units;
- 1 credit point of Writing units from List A;
- 1 credit point of Literature units from List B,
- AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
Course structure
Core Units
| ALL743 | Foundations in Narrative Theory |
| ALW740 | Foundations in Professional and Creative Writing |
Course structure
Literature Units List B
| ALL701 | Retelling Myths and Tales: Classic to Contemporary |
| ALL702 | Criticism of Literature for Children: A Variety of Approaches |
| ALL705 | Vision and Revision: Short Stories Now |
| ALL706 | Historical Fiction |
| ALL708 | The Picture Book: Reading and Writing |
| ALL721 | Writing Fiction for Young Adults |
| ALL722 | Texts for Young Adults |
| ALL727 | Sex, the Body, and American Poetry |
| ALL784 | Life Writing Now |
Course structure
Writing Units List A
| ACA715 | Creating Your Arts Business |
| ALC708 | Social Media Content Creation |
| ALJ728 | Feature Writing |
| ALW730 | Creative Nonfiction: the Personal Essay |
| ALW732 | Fiction Writing: Story, Structure and Starting Out |
| ALW734 | Script Writing (Final year of offer 2020) |
| ALW736 | Experiments in Writing |
| ALW738 | Editing |
| ALW739 | Publishing |
Work experience
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Other course information
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Other learning experiences
There will be opportunities throughout the course for students to engage with industry professionals. These experiences will be integrated into units where students will have external clients or industry representatives provide content to more closely connect the learning experience with industry practices.