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- Develop practical skills working creatively on writing novels, poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, memoir, and genre fiction.
- Learn from highly experienced and published authors, scholars, and experts in creative writing.
- Gain opportunities for exposure with internships at writers' festivals, literary events, publishing houses, and public readings.
- Unique course structure allows you to engage in major transdisciplinary projects with creatives from other fields to develop transferable skills across a range of industries.
- Flexibility to design your creative writing degree to suit you with a choice of a second major or combination of other creative field majors, minors and course units across multiple subjects or consider one of our double degrees.
Highlights
- Develop practical skills working creatively on writing novels, poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, memoir, and genre fiction.
- Learn from highly experienced and published authors, scholars, and experts in creative writing.
- Gain opportunities for exposure with internships at writers' festivals, literary events, publishing houses, and public readings.
- Unique course structure allows you to engage in major transdisciplinary projects with creatives from other fields to develop transferable skills across a range of industries.
- Flexibility to design your creative writing degree to suit you with a choice of a second major or combination of other creative field majors, minors and course units across multiple subjects or consider one of our double degrees.
Why choose this course?
Writing is more central to our culture than ever before. The communication revolution demands written content - on the page, on the screen, and in new and evolving forms and spaces. Writers, storytellers and experts with nuanced and creative language are needed to provoke, entertain and connect to audiences in expanding ways. QUT offers the largest and most comprehensive undergraduate writing course in Queensland with the broadest range of units on offer.
This course will give you insight into the national contexts into which your writing will enter as well as the debates and ideas that are enlivening and challenging the ways in which writers create.
Real-world learning
Guest lectures from writers, editors and publishers will help you gain a unique perspective on writing as a vocation, and provide access to the industry and national writing communities. A thriving on-campus literary culture and associations with festivals and local publishing houses will keep you engaged with fellow travellers and industry tastemakers as you develop your craft. You will benefit from a transdisciplinary approach from the outset, encouraging you as a specialist creative writer to work in teams with others who have different creative skill sets. We aim to produce writers who not only have sophisticated writing skills, but who are critically engaged thinkers with knowledge about the debates and cultural contexts informing our practices today.
Visit the student and graduate blog to find out more about what it's like to study creative arts and where a QUT degree can take you.
Explore this course
Your studies will begin with you working intensively on your writing in a number of forms and genres including:
- novels
- short stories
- creative non-fiction
- science fiction and fantasy writing
- media
- poetry
- digital media
- editing
- scriptwriting
There will be a focus on new and emergent forms, while learning to think and write critically about texts. From there, you will build specialist writing skills for professional applications via deep engagement with industry partners and contexts. Later in your degree you will choose electives to tailor your course to your strengths and vocational interests. You will write a sustained piece of creative work in a genre of your choice and participate in editing and developing a manuscript for a targeted market.
Tailor your creative writing degree for your future with a second major or a combination of interdisciplinary majors, minors and course units across multiple subjects.
Double degrees
Combine creative writing with a second study area for greater career flexibility and opportunities in other industries. Consider a double degree with:
- behavioural science (psychology): combine your passion for creativity with psychology for an innovative career as a creative counsellor or practitioner
- business: develop your career as a creative writer, publishing professional or public relations consultant
- law: use your skills for a career as an in-house lawyer, solicitor in private practice, policy adviser, intellectual property lawyer supporting creative arts businesses or crime writer
- education (secondary): combine your interests in the arts and education to prepare you to teach in secondary schools and other education environments. Additional entry requirements apply to the Bachelor of Education.
Careers and outcomes
With advanced writing and communication capabilities as well as analytic and editorial experience, the Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing) degree will open many career doors. These rare, real-world skills that are keenly sought by employers to work as fiction writers, editors, embedded creatives in technical and corporate contexts, technical writers, script writers, reviewers, travel writers, feature writers, journalists, publishers, media workers, policy workers, government employees and teachers.
Graduates with a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing) degree find success working in the publishing and screen industries, advertising and public relations agencies, magazines, newspapers, digital content providers, government and large corporations all require specialist writers with a flair for language.
If teaching is your ambition, this course can be also followed with a graduate-entry teacher education Master of Teaching course, which enables you to become a qualified teacher. Check the entry requirements for specific teaching courses.
Pathways also exist to prepare you for further study including research.
Possible careers
- Academic
- Advertising professional
- Art writer
- Copywriter
- Digital content designer
- Digital content producer
- Journalist
- Publisher
- Publishing professional
In order to complete this course, you must complete a total of 288 credit points comprising:
- Six common units: 72 credit points
- Creative Writing major: 96 credit points
- QUT You: 24 credit points
- Complementary studies: 96 credit points chosen from:
- one 96 credit point second major; OR
- one 84 credit point second major and one unit option (elective); OR
- one 72 credit point second major and two unit options (electives); OR
- two minors; OR
- one minor and 48 credit points chosen from unit options (electives); OR
- 96 credit points chosen from unit options (electives).
In order to complete this course, you must complete a total of 288 credit points comprising:
- Six common units: 72 credit points
- Creative Writing major: 96 credit points
- QUT You: 24 credit points
- Complementary studies: 96 credit points chosen from:
- one 96 credit point second major; OR
- one 84 credit point second major and one unit option (elective); OR
- one 72 credit point second major and two unit options (electives); OR
- two minors; OR
- one minor and 48 credit points chosen from unit options (electives); OR
- 96 credit points chosen from unit options (electives).
- Course code
- CA01
- QTAC code
- 419282
- CRICOS code
- 116102H
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- Kelvin Grove
-
- Kelvin Grove
- 3 years full-time
- 6 years part-time
- 3 years full-time
- February and July
- February and July
Assumed knowledge
Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we strongly encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:
- English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C)
Year 12 early offer scheme
If you're a current Queensland Year 12 student, you may be eligible to receive an offer for this course on the last day of Queensland Year 12, before receiving your ATAR or selection rank.
Find out more about the QUT Year 12 Early Offer Scheme
Helping you to get into your course
If you don't think your ATAR or selection rank is high enough to get into this course, you can guarantee your entry with guaranteed advanced standing by upgrading through one the following programs which you can select as one of your QTAC preferences:
QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
As a QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries graduate you will automatically receive an offer to start the Bachelor of Creative Arts within one week after completion of the diploma. You will also automatically receive up to 1.0 year (96 credit points) credit transfer and be able to complete the degree in 2 years as a full-time student (or equivalent part-time).
Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
Helping you to get into your course
If you don't think your ATAR or selection rank is high enough to get into this course, you can guarantee your entry with guaranteed advanced standing by upgrading through one the following programs which you can select as one of your QTAC preferences:
QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
As a QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries graduate you will automatically receive an offer to start the Bachelor of Creative Arts within one week after completion of the diploma. You will also automatically receive up to 1.0 year (96 credit points) credit transfer and be able to complete the degree in 2 years as a full-time student (or equivalent part-time).
Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Creative Industries
Offer guarantee
If you achieve an ATAR or selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
VET guarantee
If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
Advanced standing
If you have prior studies or work experience, you may be eligible for advanced standing (credit). You can apply for advanced standing once you've been accepted to QUT. If you're in your first semester of study, you must apply for advanced standing within 10 days of receiving your offer.
Deferment
You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.
More about deferring your offer
Adjustments to your ATAR/selection rank
Any adjustments you receive to your ATAR or selection rank will be applied to this course.
Find out if you’re eligible for an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank
Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2024
As this is a new course, Semester 1, 2024 information is not available.
You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.
Other admission options
If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide to the grades you need to apply for this course.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
I completed secondary school in Australia
Offer guarantee
If you completed secondary school in Australia and achieve an ATAR/selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
VET guarantee
If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.
Minimum English language requirements
Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide on meeting QUT’s English language requirements.
Your scores and prior qualifications in English-speaking countries are considered. Approved English-speaking countries are Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, United States of America and Wales.
If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.
We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests undertaken in a secure test centre. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.
| English Test | Overall | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / IELTS One Skills Retake | 6.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
|
Cambridge English Score
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website. |
176 | 169 | 169 | 169 | 169 |
| PTE Academic | 58 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| TOEFL iBT / Paper | 79 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 18 |
Don't have the English language score you need? We can help!
We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.
When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.
Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.
2025 fees
2025: CSP $11,500 per year full-time (96 credit points)
2025 fees
2025: $37,400 per year full-time (96 credit points)
Student services and amenities fees
You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.
HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay for your course fees
You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.
You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.
QUT Excellence Scholarship (Academic)
QUT's premier offering for students with outstanding academic achievement.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
QUT Real World International Scholarship
A scholarship to cover tuition fees, with eligibility based on your prior academic achievements.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
QUT Excellence Scholarship (Creative Arts)
QUT Excellence Scholarships are the university's premier offering for students with outstanding excellence in creative arts.
- Scholarship eligibility
- Academic performance
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