Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature

2021 Deakin University Handbook

Note: You are seeing the 2021 view of this course information. These details may no longer be current. [Go to the current version]
Year

2021 course information

Award granted Graduate Certificate of Writing and Literature
Course Map

This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2021.

This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2021.

This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 3 2021.

Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.

CampusOffered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Cloud CampusYes
Duration

0.5 year full time or equivalent

Deakin course codeA535
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

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 those looking to continue their studies, this course is an approved pathway into the Graduate Diploma of Writing and Literature and Master of Arts (Writing and Literature).

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, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

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;
  • 1 credit point of Literature units;
  • AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

Course structure

Core Units

ALL743Foundations in Narrative Theory

ALW740Foundations in Writing

Writing and Literature units

Writing units 

ACA715Creating Your Arts Business

ALC708Social Media Content Creation

ALJ728Feature Writing

ALW730Creative Nonfiction: the Personal Essay

ALW732Fiction Writing: Story, Structure and Starting Out

ALW738Editing

ALW739Publishing

Literature units 

ALL705Vision and Revision: Short Stories Now

ALL706Exploring Genre: Historical Fictions

ALL708Graphic Narratives

ALL721Writing for Children

ALL722Texts for Young Adults

ALL784Life Writing Now

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.

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.