Why Study / Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Media and Communication, majoring in Creative Writing and Publishing, is designed for students who want to combine creative writing with professional skills in editing, publishing and literary industries. Swinburne describes the major as developing creative and literary-industry capability through writing festivals, readings, workshops, portfolio development and mentoring from industry-connected educators.

Key benefits include:

• Practical, career-oriented media and communication education.
• Development of creative writing, editing, publishing and content-creation skills.
• Opportunities to work on real industry briefs and projects.
• Portfolio development that can support future employment or freelance work.
• Exposure to current media-industry practices and technologies.
• Flexibility to combine the major with a second major, co-major, minor and/or electives.
• Opportunities for internships, professional placements and other industry experiences.
• Swinburne currently lists the university as Top 200 for Communication and #1 in Melbourne for overall experience.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The course consists of 300 credit points, with 4 core units, 8 major units and additional elective/other-study units.

Core units:

• MDA10001 Introduction to Media Studies
• MDA10008 Global Media Industries
• MDA10012 Communicating with Data
• MDA10018 Content Creator Lab

Creative Writing and Publishing major:

• LIT10002 Writing Fiction
• PWR10002 Editing for Writers
• PWR20002 Writing and Publishing Studio
• LIT20002 Diversity in Australian Writing
• LIT20003 Prose Poetics
• LIT30007 Sudden Writing
• PWR30001 Pitch, Edit, Publish
• LIT30004 Literary Industry Practice

Indicative progression shown by Swinburne includes:

Year 1:

• Communicating with Data
• Content Creator Lab
• Writing Fiction
• Introduction to Media Studies
• Global Media Industries
• Editing for Writers
• Electives

Year 2:

• Writing and Publishing Studio
• Diversity in Australian Writing
• Prose Poetics
• Electives

Year 3:

• Sudden Writing
• Pitch, Edit, Publish
• Literary Industry Practice
• Electives.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The selected specialisation is Creative Writing and Publishing.

Within the broader Bachelor of Media and Communication, students can also access other majors such as:

• Advertising
• Cinema and Screen Studies
• Creative Writing and Publishing
• Immersive Media
• Journalism
• Public Relations
• Social Media.

Programme Highlights

The Creative Writing and Publishing major provides a combination of:

• Creative writing practice
• Editing
• Publishing
• Literary studies
• Professional writing
• Portfolio development
• Industry practice
• Workshops and readings
• Writing festivals
• Mentoring from industry-connected educators.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies the following potential career outcomes for the Creative Writing and Publishing major:

• Journalist
• Publisher
• Writer
• Editor
• Novelist
• Screenwriter.

International Student Visa Requirements

The relevant visa for an international student studying this bachelor degree in Australia is the Student visa (subclass 500).

Key requirements include:

• Valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Genuine Student requirement.
• Evidence of English proficiency where required.
• Financial capacity where required.
• Health requirements.
• Character requirements.
• Compliance with Australian visa conditions.
• Australian Values Statement where applicable.