Duration 
Study Intakes 
Units 
Fees 
Course overview
Whether you aspire to elevate your writing capabilities or embark on a writing-focused career, this Diploma equips you with the essential tools to excel in the realm of creative storytelling.
With the Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing, you can choose to explore six pivotal units within the course structure provided to equip you with indispensable skills needed to craft compelling narratives.
After completing your Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing, you can continue your studies to gain a Master of Creative Writing to refine your storytelling and literary finesse and reach audiences across various mediums.
*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 Diploma 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 ignite your passion for writing and improve your skills to professional levels.-
Enhance your writing craft
Build a contemporary toolkit of creative writing techniques allowing you to generate fresh ideas, unleash your artistic potential and write the stories you're burning to tell. -
Diverse forms of writing
Engage with diverse forms of writing including fiction, poetry and plays as well as non-fiction, including content writing, in our immersive and hands-on course.
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 Diploma of Creative Writing is for students looking to enhance their writing skills. Students will learn modern writing principles and practices - empowering them to thrive as skilled wordsmiths.
Enhance your writing craft
- Build a contemporary toolkit of creative writing techniques allowing you to generate fresh ideas.
- Unleash your artistic potential and;
- Write the stories you're burning to tell.
Write your own story
- Tailor your skills to the forms of writing that inspire you with our dynamic course.
- Apply new learnings to passion projects and work towards personal writing goals.
- Choose electives that best align with your interests.
What you will study
The online Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing consists of 6 units from a pool of 8.
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.
Writing for the Planet’s Future
- This unit takes an ecocritical approach to writing about place and environment in the production of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.
Writing and Empathy
- This unit explores the core practice of writing and embodiment - including writing about love and characters outside our own viewpoint.
Writing Fiction that Scares and Unsettles
- This unit explores the darker aspects of fiction including genres such as horror and gothic, as well as thematic concerns like violence, trauma, and conflict.
- 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 Diploma 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 Diploma of Creative Writing is $22,680* for all 6 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 Diploma 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.
After successfully completing your Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing, you can continue your studies by pursuing a Master of Creative Writing. Alternatively, you can apply the skills you gain from this postgraduate diploma to advance your current career or open the door to new opportunities in content creation management and editing, brand storytelling and as a writer for media, advertising, not-for-profit sectors or in pursuit of your personal writing goals.
Whether a Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing is worth pursuing depends on your personal and professional goals. It’s important to consider:
- Career Aspirations:
The Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing offers a unique platform to showcase advanced writing prowess, cultivate the essential skills for successful publication, and craft captivating written material. Graduates can unlock pathways to elevated roles in writing and editing within their selected domains.
- Personal Growth:
Through the Graduate Diploma of Creative Writing, students can refine their creative voices, communication expertise, and purpose-driven strategies. Graduates often find a deeper connection with their personal goals and are equipped to integrate their passions into their careers, fostering positive change and personal fulfillment.
- Versatile Skills:
In addition to gaining a comprehensive understanding of various writing techniques, students learn to creatively apply them to achieve their own unique career and personal objectives. They become adept at crafting impactful messages that resonate with diverse audiences while addressing the broader needs and values of the community.
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 Diploma 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.
