Major overview
Major in English and creative writing and bring stories and ideas to life
Study creative writing and turn your passion for storytelling into a set of practical, creative and analytical skills. With the English and Creative Writing major within our Bachelor of Arts, you’ll read widely, think critically and develop your own voice as a writer across a range of forms and styles.
Throughout your creative writing and English literature major, you’ll explore writing as a living and evolving practice, engaging with works from different time periods, cultures and genres – from classic literature to contemporary media. You’ll write, edit and refine your own work while learning how texts shape meaning, influence audiences and reflect the world around us.
You’ll be part of a supportive creative community, sharing your work in workshops and developing your ideas through feedback and collaboration, while building a portfolio that reflects your skills and creative practice.
You can tailor your degree to your interests and career goals by combining this major with others within our Bachelor of Arts. Pair our English and Creative Writing major with Theatre and Creative Production to adapt your writing for performance and screen or deepen your critical thinking with History or Philosophy to strengthen your analysis of texts and ideas. You can also combine your studies with Sociology, Community Development or Sustainable Development to explore how writing can engage with social issues and real-world challenges, or add Politics and International Studies, Asian Studies, Indonesian or Japanese, International Aid and Development or Tourism and Events to develop writing that connects with global audiences and cross-cultural contexts.
3 reasons to study English and Creative Writing at Murdoch University
- Participate in collaborative workshops where you’ll share your work, build your ideas and grow your confidence as a writer alongside peers and teachers.
- Showcase your writing through local, national and global competitions, with opportunities to have your work recognised and published.
- Study at a university rated five stars for student support at both undergraduate and postgraduate level (Good Universities Guide 2026).
What you’ll learn
- Build confidence writing across forms including fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and professional writing.
- Experiment with different writing techniques, forms and storytelling approaches.
- Develop your own writing style and voice through drafting, editing and refining original work.
- Analyse literary and contemporary texts to understand how meaning is created across genres and contexts.
- Apply critical thinking to interpret texts across different cultures, time periods and media.
- Communicate ideas clearly and creatively for different audiences and purposes.
Having completed three semesters and my honours research in Indonesia, I was able to get a much better idea of development on the ground. I found that when I graduated, I had a more realistic idea of what to expect in the workplace.
Karis Erceg, Bachelor of Arts
Your future career in writing and communication
With an English and Creative Writing major, you’ll graduate with strong writing, analytical and communication skills that prepare you for a writing career across a wide range of industries. These capabilities are valued in publishing, media, communications, government, education and the creative industries, as well as freelance and self-directed careers.
Potential roles include:
- Writer or author
- Editor or publisher
- Copywriter
- Journalist
- Content creator
- Communications specialist
- Arts administrator
For more details about our English and Creative Writing major, download our information pack.
Start dates
| Starting period | Location | Face to Face | Online | Mixed mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1, 2026 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 2, 2026 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 1, 2027 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Semester 2, 2027 | Murdoch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
View the dates for our teaching periods or find out more about attendance modes.
Major Structure
Visit the Course Handbook - Get detailed information on units, prerequisites, and pathways.
To help plan the structure of your course, search for our suggested course plans.
| Unit code | Unit name | Credit points |
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How to Apply
Majors are part of a degree and can't be applied on their own. Apply for a related degree first, then choose your major once enrolled.
Undergraduate
Course
Study a Bachelor of Arts at Murdoch University and choose from a wide range of flexible majors to tailor your degree. Apply today.
Undergraduate
Course
Study a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts at Murdoch University. Add an arts major to your legal studies and build skills for a diverse career. Apply now.