English and Creative Writing

The English and Creative Writing major rests on the idea of the importance of literature as a living cultural practice.

You will focus on the global significance of text as a literary form, broadly understood to include all its variants - from the short story, to the sonnet, from the blog to the bildungsroman, and from pastoral to performance poetry.

Understanding the intimate relationship between the literary and the creative, you’ll get to study English literature while developing knowledge and skill in critical and creative reflection and writing practice. Therefore you will be required to read, view, listen and write critically, professionally and creatively in response to a wide range of written, visual and other texts.

3 reasons to study English and Creative Writing at Murdoch

1. Work with real organisations on real projects, and complete internships through our work integrated learning program. Some of our students have worked with the Blue Room, WA Fringe Festival and the Heath Ledger Theatre.
2. Number 1 in WA for teaching quality for communications by the Good Universities Guide 2024.
3. Showcase your creative work through local, national or even global competitions. Our students have had their writing published and won film awards that have landed them jobs with global film and music producers.

What you’ll learn

Build the knowledge and skills you need to meet your career or study goals. In this course you will:

• Build an extensive knowledge of a broad range of texts – literary, public, performative – from the Renaissance to the present day.
• Work to identify how texts function aesthetically, socially and politically in everyday life and as culturally-specific forms of creative and professional writing, literature and performance.
• Develop skills in professional writing and editing to create well-constructed, clear and persuasive texts and oral communications in a variety of genres, modes and styles. 

Your future career

When you graduate you could become an author or editor and will be well prepared for employment in advertising, design, teaching, public administration, journalism, publishing, computer arts, and many fields of business. Careers could include:

• Copywriter
• Editor
• Journalist
• Arts Administrator
• Professional Writer

The industries you could work in include the arts, publishing, communications, government or even working for yourself as a free-lancer.

Previous admission information is available at Murdoch Admission Information - Arts.