Master of Writing

Higher education

You must meet one of the following requirements:

• A recognised bachelor degree in any of the fields of: creative arts, society and culture, education, health, and management and commerce; or
• A Graduate Certificate of Writing or Graduate Certificate of Arts (Writing)

English Proficiency Requirements

English language requirements: (International students only)

IELTS (Academic Module): Overall 6.5 with no individual band below 6.0; or Swinburne English Language Centre: EAP 5 Advanced level with overall 70% and all skills 65% or above; or TOEFL iBT: minimum score 79 (Reading no less than 18, Writing no less than 20); or equivalent measures available at http://www.swinburne.edu.au/study/international/apply/entry-requirements/

Please note: This course is not available to international students who will be studying in Australia on a student visa (subclass 500).

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process where a student may be granted credit or partial credit towards a qualification in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. For further details for students considering Higher Education degrees visit the RPL website: http://www.future.swinburne.edu.au/pathways/workforce/index.html

Credit Transfer

Applicants with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this degree may be granted ‘credit’ and/or entry into the degree with ‘advanced standing’. University policies apply and applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. For further information please refer to http://www.swinburne.edu.au/open-universities-australia/advanced-standing-rpl.html

The Master of Writing encourages students to explore the range of writing styles needed to work professionally and creatively in publication industries. Students will also develop their own writerly voice through learning and practice in craft, in theory that enriches their writing, and through research and long form creative projects.

The goal of Swinburne's writing programs is to teach the writing skills that are needed for success in today’s writing and publishing environment, and to expose students to opportunities for publication.

The Master of Writing forms the final stage in a three-stage nested suite of programs consisting of:

• Graduate Certificate of Writing
• Graduate Diploma of Writing
• Master of Writing

Recommended Study Pattern

To qualify for a Master of Writing, a student must complete all twelve core subjects. A subject can only be counted once. The program is delivered entirely online and is supported with eTutors, tutorials, print materials, websites and CD-ROMs.

Each subject is worth 12.5 credit points so a total of 150 credit points (12 subjects) must be studied to complete the Master of Writing qualification. In each year, eight subjects normally constitute a full-time load of 100 credit points and four subjects normally constitute a part-time load of 50 credit points. 

Students who did not commence their program in the current year are required to follow the program structure available to them at the time of admission.

Taking time off from study (Absent Without Leave and Leave of Absence): How to apply for an approved leave of absence and minimise the risk of having to reapply for degree admission: https://www.swinburne.edu.au/current-students/manage-course/enrolment-timetable/time-off/

Award Requirements

To qualify for the award of Master of Writing students must complete 150 credit points comprising of:

• Twelve (12) core subjects (150 credit points)

Please note: You cannot re-enrol into Swinburne subjects that you have already passed.

Exit Points

The Master of Writing has two early exit points:

• Graduate Certificate of Writing (4 subjects) 
• Graduate Diploma of Writing (8 subjects)

From Study Period 1 2019, the Master of Arts (Writing) changed to the Master of Writing. The Course Structure will remain the same with some minor changes to subjects.

Master of Writing and nested courses including the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma

Students may choose to stay in the current Course title or transfer to the new Course title. Students who wish to transfer to the new Course title must complete the online Course Transition Application to change your Course before the close of enrolments for SP1, 2020.

Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma students

If you are enrolled in one of the nested levels of the Course (Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma) and are interested to apply for and enrol in the Masters, you must submit an OUA Course Transition Application online before close of enrolments for SP4, 2019. This is the last date that enrolments will be accepted.

For all students

The following changes to subjects apply from 2019:

PWR70002 Online Writing changing to PWR70002 Writing for Digital Media
PWR70003 Script Adaptation: Stage, Screen and Multimedia replaced by PWR70005 Scriptwriting
PWR80001 Critical and Creative Practices: The Writerly Identity changing to PWR80001 Creativity for Practice
PWR80002 Script Writing will no longer be offered
PWR80004 Writing and New Media replaced by PWR80006 Creative Industry Enterprise