Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing
2021 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2021 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing |
| 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. 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 | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS course code | 095260E Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Deakin course code | A661 |
| 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
Develop the skills and business acumen to pursue a career as an agile and versatile writer through Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing. In your course, you’ll explore the foundations of good writing, discover how to write to a range of different briefs, and learn how to professionally manage your writing work.
Build an impressive portfolio of work and comprehensive skills in editorial management that will help you secure positions across a range of industries.
Are you ready to become a highly sought-after writer, with the ability to move between genres, platforms and audiences with ease?
In core units, you’ll explore what makes for good writing and master the tools every working writer needs such as the ability to:
- research
- blueprint a draft
- take a concept through various stages of revision.
You’ll then tailor and refine your literary abilities by choosing from a range of different writing specialisations such as feature writing, social content creation, and general publishing. You will also complement your writing knowledge with electives chosen from the Master of Arts (Writing and Literature), Master of Creative Arts and Master of Communication, such as in the foundations of narrative in theory.
The cross-disciplinary knowledge, mentorship from working writers and combination of units offered in this course will ensure you graduate industry-ready, with an impressive set of skills to help you stand out from the crowd.
We also encourage students to get involved with Verandah, an annual student-run publication that showcases the best work of emerging writers and artists, and gives students the chance to develop expertise in selecting, editing and proofreading submissions for publication.
With an impressive body of work and highly developed critical thinking and creative skills, you’ll graduate ready to work as a professional writer in a range of different forums.
Career opportunities
Graduates are able to pursue work in a range of roles that call for writing and editing skills and agility, such as:
- freelance writer
- journalist
- content creator
- editor.
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 | Demonstrate specialised technical and theoretical knowledge of the practice of professional writing and advanced skills in writing for a range of industry contexts and audiences. |
| Communication | Demonstrate advanced communication skills, including the specialized, developed ability to write in a style appropriate for a range of professional contexts and a variety of audiences, including industry, academic and community. |
| Digital literacy | A specialized, developed knowledge of a range of digital technologies for the preparation and publication of written material pertinent to professional writing contexts |
| Critical thinking | Demonstrate advanced understanding of methods for the critical evaluation and application of conventions, styles and techniques of professional writing and skills to create content that meets scholarly and industry standards and requirements. |
| Problem solving | Demonstrate expertise in the use of specialist theoretical, professional and practice-led approaches to writing that is reflected in the design and execution of creative and scholarly solutions to a range of industry, technical, professional, aesthetic, critical and/or ideological problems. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate initiative, autonomy, creativity, responsibility and accountability under time pressure and an ongoing commitment to reflective learning in professional writing practice and scholarship. |
| Teamwork | Demonstrate advanced skills and awareness in working collaboratively with peers, colleagues, other professionals and community members in scholarly and/or professional contexts. |
| Global citizenship | Demonstrate specialist ethical, legal and cultural knowledge when engaging in professional writing practice in a range of diverse cultural, social and political environments. |
| Approved by Faculty Board November 2018 | |
Course rules
To qualify for the Graduate Diploma of Professional Writing, a student must successfully complete 8 credit points of study comprising of:
- 5 credit points of core units, 4 of which can be chosen from the Course Elective List A below;
- 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
| ALW740 | Foundations in Writing |
Electives
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.
Course Electives List A
Complete four of the following units:
| ACA715 | Creating Your Arts Business |
| ALC708 | Social Media Content Creation |
| ALJ728 | Feature Writing |
| ALW738 | Editing |
| ALW739 | Publishing |
Students may choose to include the 5th unit listed above as one of the 3 electives
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.