Duration 
Study Intakes 
Units 
Fees 
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing is designed to introduce students to fundamental principles and practices of modern creative writing.
It provides a condensed exploration of creative writing skills, empowering students to develop their writing abilities and express themselves effectively.
After completing your Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing, you can continue your studies to gain a Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing to refine your storytelling and literary finesse and a full Master of Creative Writing to master the art of storytelling.
*Duration depends on individual study path and unit availability. Please speak to a Student Enrolment Advisor for advice.
For more information about our fast-tracked master degree, contact one of our Student Enrolment Advisors on 1300 707 760 or request a call-back.
Why study a Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing with ECU Online?
Taught by top industry experts
Learning is led by accomplished authors who bring real-world publishing experience to the classroom. Gain invaluable insights, personalised feedback, and practical tips to elevate your writing skills.-
Enhance your writing craft
Acquire contemporary creative writing techniques to spark new ideas, unlock your creativity, and craft compelling stories. -
Discover varied writing styles
Immerse yourself in a hands-on course where you'll encounter a variety of writing styles, discover diverse voices, and better understand the fundamentals of modern creative writing techniques.
Don't just take our word for it, read the written works of our most notable staff and alumni, and feel inspired.
Images sourced from Amazon Australia.
Learning outcomes
The Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing is designed for students seeking to improve their writing skills.
You will gain an understanding of contemporary writing principles and practices, enabling you to develop as a proficient writer.
Refine your writing skills
- Develop essential creative writing techniques to ignite your creativity.
- Begin crafting the stories you're eager to share.
Discover your writing path
- Explore different writing forms through dynamic coursework.
- Apply your new skills to personal projects and writing goals.
- Customise your learning by choosing subjects aligned with your interests.
What you will study
The online Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing consists of 3 units from a pool of 5.
Writing Fiction
- This unit introduces the fundamentals of writing fiction through reading a range of short stories.
Writing Realities
- This unit explores writing based on actual events, including history, biography, true crime and stories of place and family.
Writing for Performance
- This unit introduces skills for writing drama or monologue for performance.
Writing and Audience
- This unit cultivates a writer's understanding of their work with consideration of genre and readership, including online audiences.
Editing and Publishing
- This unit explores the business of writing, editing, and publishing, including processes and workflow for professional editing, seeking publication, and presenting the professional author platform.
- Managing People and Organisations
- Marketing for Leaders
- Financial Performance, Accountability and Risk
- Data Analytics and Organisational Decision Making
- Strategic Management and International Competitiveness
- Responsible Management
- Managing Change
- Transformative Leadership
- Business Innovation Project
Entry criteria
Admission requirements:
To gain entry to the Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing, applicants must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in any discipline; OR
- Equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience or students must submit a piece of published work.
For more information about our fast-tracked master degree, contact one of our Student Enrolment Advisors on 1300 707 760 or request a call-back.
Meet the teaching team
Donna Mazza
Associate Professor
Donna, a notable fiction writer and researcher, specialises in environmental and feminist speculative fiction. Her recent novel "Fauna" (2020) was shortlisted for Aurealis Best Science Fiction Novel. She's the author of "The Albanian" (2007), winning the TAG Hungerford Award. Donna is a prominent figure in conferences, festivals, and radio discussions, while also contributing to public art projects.
Dr. Aksel Dadswell
Lecturer
Aksel Dadswell is an award-winning West Australian horror and weird fiction writer. Holding a PhD in creative writing, his work explores race and belonging, featured in anthologies like "Test Patterns: Creature Features" (2018) and "Hymns of Abomination: Secret Songs of Leeds" (2021).
To find out more about our teaching team download the course guide.
Fees and FEE-HELP
The cost of our Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing is $11,340* for all 3 units.
To assist with some or all of your tuition fees, FEE-HELP is available for eligible students. This government-supported loan scheme is designed to help eligible full-fee paying students pay their postgraduate tuition fees.
To find out if you are eligible for FEE-HELP, you can contact one of our Student Enrolment Advisors on 1300 707 760.
*2025 student fees are shown and are subject to change.
Our Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing comprises 6 units and is a great option for students looking to enhance their writing skills through the application of modern principles and practices and apply these new skills to reach their creative and professional goals. Our Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing comprises 3 units and provides students with a foundational understanding of the techniques of creative writing practice.
If you do not have an undergraduate degree, you may be eligible for the Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing if you have equivalent prior learning, including at least two years of relevant professional experience or you arrange with ECU Online to submit a piece of published work. To find out more we recommend contacting our Student Enrolment Advisors to provide a tailored assessment of your eligibility.
At ECU Online we understand that everyone has different work arrangements, family responsibilities, locations and learning styles. This is why our postgraduate courses are offered 100% online, so you can balance your study with other commitments. As an ECU Online student, you will have access to academic and non-academic support.
Our accelerated online courses are developed by industry experts and engaged academics. You can easily connect with learning facilitators and course coordinators through our easy-to-use online learning environment to gain feedback and ask academic questions. You can also reach out to a Learning Advisor who can help with things like assessment writing, study skills and more.
You will have a dedicated Student Success Advisor available to you from when you start studying through to graduation. They will be available to provide non-academic support, such as assistance with scheduling time to study and more.
As an ECU online student, you also have access to all the support offered by ECU, both on-campus and online:
- Access and inclusion services
- Student health services
- Psychological counselling support
- Careers and employability services
- Student Guild, clubs, and associations
No, the Graduate Certificate of Creative Writing is 100% online and does not include any on-campus components. We have designed this course to be flexible so you can tailor your studies to fit your lifestyle.
