Creative writing courses
Help me choose a courseIntroduction to Creative writing
Discover practical online writing courses that will help you grow as a writer. It doesn’t matter if you want to pen a novel, become a poet, work as a journalist, or write for the joy of it—there’s a study option to suit you here.
These courses will teach you the craft behind different writing styles, so you can discover what inspires you most. You can search short courses or full qualifications. Either way, you will learn from published authors and editors who can guide you towards wherever you want to be in your writing career.
Start comparing online creative writing courses across universities. We can offer advice on entry requirements, flexible study arrangements, fees and enrolments. When you study through us, it’s easier to balance your learning with other commitments in your life.
Explore creative writing courses
Discover creative writing courses
Online creative writing subjects and short courses
UndergraduateCUR-PWP110
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 26 Aug 2024
UndergraduateGRF-CWR111
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 04 Nov 2024
UndergraduateCUR-CWG100
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 27 May 2024, 25 Nov 2024
Next enrolment closes 19 May
UndergraduateCUR-CWG320
100% online
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Starts 26 Aug 2024
Online creative writing degrees
UndergraduateMAQ-ART-DEG
An arts degree that no one else has
Make your degree unique and study what interests you. Analyse critically, think creatively and problem-solve at work or in everyday life. Complete foundational studies then tailor your degree with a major. Create a portfolio and build your connections.
100% online
3 years full time or part time equivalent
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Available majors
- Ancient History,
- Applied Ethics,
- Creative Writing,
- English,
- Indigenous Studies,
- International Relations,
- Modern History,
- Philosophy,
- Politics,
- Sociology
UndergraduateGRF-ART-DEG
Innovators, communicators and creators start here!
Develop critical thinking, writing, and research skills in demand across all industries. You can follow your passion with majors and electives that interest you. Develop connections through peer learning, networking, and work experience.
100% online
3 years full time or part time equivalent
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
Available majors
- Art History,
- Creative Writing,
- Criminal Justice,
- History,
- Journalism,
- Literature,
- Public Relations,
- Screen and Media Studies,
- Sociology
UndergraduateUSQ-ACW-DEG
100% online
3 years full time or part time equivalent
UndergraduateCUR-CWP-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
Write your own stories and develop the work of others
Develop your own voice as you explore genres including poetry. You’ll learn how to plan and research your projects. Polish your grammar, practice proofreading and copyediting. Witness words transforming from wispy thoughts to professional pieces.
Online & on-campus
3 years full time or part time equivalent
No ATAR required. Start with a subject.
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Creative writing study FAQs
A creative writing course teaches you how to approach different styles of writing, like fiction, short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction. You will be encouraged to share your work so it can be critiqued by others, which helps you develop your skills to a publishable standard.
Creative writing courses are both inspiring and practical. You’re given the space to experiment with your own ideas, but you also learn writing for different genres, platforms and formats.
Depending on your course, you’ll learn how to:
- kickstart your creativity
- develop a distinctive writing style
- think critically about work produced by other writers
- write across areas like short fiction, long-form fiction, genre fiction, poetry and children’s fiction
- act on feedback and edit your own work
- deliver critical feedback during virtual workshop discussions
- submit your work for publication
- navigate the Australian publishing industry.
There are countless reasons to study creative writing. Enrol if you want to develop your craft, write professionally, or inspire yourself artistically. You’ll have the space to work on projects that matter to you, which could lead to a publishable story, collection or manuscript that you might not have finished otherwise.
You’ll gain incredibly valuable knowledge about the path to publication from people who’ve been there. And you’ll network with like-minded creatives from all over the country. These connections often end up being the writers, editors and publishers you collaborate with in your career.
It’s not uncommon to juggle your creative projects with other work. Studying online gives you the time and flexibility to do that. Plus, you’re not restricted by location—you can access universities from across Australia. This has its advantages. It means you can choose your course based on the writing teachers who appeal to you most.
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
- You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there. - You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you. - You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students. - We’ll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
- You can enrol without entry requirements
It depends on the course and whether you choose something short or long-term. Here’s a general guide:
Course Duration Single subject 10-18 weeks Short course 10-18 weeks Undergraduate certificate 6 months (if full time) Diploma 1 year (if full time) Associate degree 2 years (if full time) Bachelor degree 3 years (if full time) Graduate certificate 6 months (if full time) Graduate diploma 1 year (if full time) Masters degree 2 years (if full time) If you study a degree in creative writing through Open Universities Australia, you have the flexibility to choose how many subjects you take per term. This means you can complete your qualification at a faster or slower pace than you would on campus.
Creative writing is a skill that requires practice and patience—but it’s a skill anyone can learn with the right guidance. Many of our students find workshopping to be the hardest thing about their course, because they can’t help taking the feedback about their work personally. It’s tricky to separate yourself from your writing, but your tutors and peers only have your development in mind. If you’re open to a bit of constructive criticism, you should find your course fun and rewardingly challenging.
Creative writing graduates have the critical thinking and writing skills to work across all sorts of industries. Students commonly pursue work as:
- Authors
- Journalists
- Copywriters
- Digital marketers
- Magazine publishers and editors
- Book publishers and editors
- Screenwriters
- Arts administrators
- Teachers
Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.
Chat with us to find out more.
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
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Studying through Open Universities Australia means we take care of the guesswork and administration of university study, so you can focus on learning.
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You have the flexibility to start at multiple points during the year
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