Graduate Diploma of Children's Literature

2021 Deakin University Handbook

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

Gain a deeper understanding of the stories we choose to tell future generations, and why and how we tell them. Study our Graduate Diploma of Children’s Literature to explore key literary genres, while analysing storytelling methods and formats and developing critical thinking skills. Deakin is the only university in Australia to offer a graduate diploma in this field.

Interested in developing a unique understanding of one of the world’s most important literary genres?

Begin your course by exploring the fundamentals of narrative theory and how they apply to children’s literature. Then choose a specialisation from six options, such as graphic narratives, where you’ll focus your knowledge and creative practice.

You’ll also benefit from the chance to master complementary abilities, such as the ability to pitch or market a book, in electives selected from the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), Master of Creative Arts, or Master of Communication.

This course draws a wide range of students from a wide range of backgrounds, from English teachers looking to understand their curriculum better to working writers looking to better explore their genre of choice. The intersection of new voices, ideas, and experience offered in your course will in turn help you discover your views as a reader, strengthen your voice as a writer, and help you broaden your understanding of what children’s literature can do and be. We encourage you to seize every opportunity to collaborate with your classmates and debate new and old ideas with them.

To further your ability to create and critique texts, we also offer publication opportunities and editorial experience in our student-run journals Wordly and Verandah, where you’ll get the chance to share your work or gain practical experience in shaping texts for publication. Many students additionally take advantage of our strong partnerships to secure industry internships, while other writing and literature alumni have gone on to win such awards as the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award and the Melbourne Prize for Literature.

Importantly, this course will provide you with more than expertise in one genre. The projects you’ll work on will train equip you with transferable skills such as critical analysis, communication, problem solving and research – incredibly valuable in every field of work.

Career opportunities

Graduates understand the importance of children’s writing in how we understand children and childhood. They expand their knowledge of a wide variety of text types for children and young adults to develop their understanding of how language and narrative shape the way we understand the world, and how literature can simultaneously reflect and provide insights into aspects of culture, place, and history. Studying children’s literature develops high-level writing skills, critical analysis, and the capacity to undertake independent and collaborative research. Writing and literature graduates have gone on to win awards like the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award Melbourne Prize for Literature for their published works.

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

Course rules

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma of Children's Literature, a student must successfully complete 8 credit points of study comprising:

• 1 credit points of compulsory core units;
• 4 credit points of course electives from list A
• 3 credit points of electives chosen from units within the specialisations of the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) or the Master of Communication or the core or electives of the Master of Creative Arts
• AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

Course structure

Core unit

Course Electives List A

Complete four 1-credit point units chosen from the following course electives list A below:

Students may choose to include the 5th unit listed above as one of the 3 electives

Elective units

3 credit points of electives chosen from units within the specialisations of the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) or the Master of Communication or the core or electives of the Master of Creative Arts.

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.