creative writing auckland university

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How do I apply for the Master of Creative Writing (MCW) programme?

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Apply for the Master of Creative Writing programme

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Creative Writing (MCW) programme.

The deadline for Master of Creative Writing applications is 8 April.

You need to submit two separate applications:

• An Application for Admission to study at the University of Auckland
• This application form including a sample of your work

Admission to the University of Auckland does not guarantee you a place on the MCW; the offer is conditional, subject to approval by the programme convenor.

Form Unavailable

This form is currently unavailable, please come back later.

Please attach a creative portfolio.

• This must include a 20-page creative writing sample in the genre for which you are applying: novel, story collection, poetry collection or work of creative non fiction.
• Prose samples must be double-spaced and in 12 point type. No samples of drama, screenwriting or academic work are acceptable as a writing sample.

Please attach a summary of intention.

• In one or two pages, please describe the project on which you will work during the Master of Creative Writing year.

Master of Creative Writing

Course details, about the course, about the provider.

Since its founding in 1883, the University of Auckland has grown to become New Zealand's flagship, research-led university, known for the excellence of its teaching, its research, and its service to local, national and international communities.

The university has more than 40,000 students of whom 11,000 are postgraduate and 6,000 are international. The University of Auckland's research programmes range across all disciplines and are world leaders in such fields as cancer drug development, inductive (wireless) power transfer and computational physiology.

As the university looks to the future one thing is certain - knowledge will be a key resource and will be highly sought-after within New Zealand and around the world. The university's challenge is to help to generate ideas that will benefit society, and to educate and train people to work in fields where they will be valued both for their specialised knowledge, and for their ability to research, communicate and solve problems.

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Creative Writing Major - Bachelor of Arts

Are you dreaming up a novel, a screenplay, short stories, poems, the lyrics to an album, or a graphic novel? With the Creative Writing major you develop your creative writing skills for the page, screen and spaces in-between.

Explore style and genre, media, and the demands of readers, editors and publishers. You develop your skills as a writer, testing your creative ideas in an environment that challenges, critiques and supports you as you go.

Talk to us about your study options

Thinking about studying at AUT? Book a time with us to discuss your study options.

BOOK A SESSION

This is part of the Bachelor of Arts .

Bachelor of Arts

Download programme guides

• Culture & Society (2024)
• Culture & Society (2025)
• Te Ara Poutama A (2025)
• What you study
• Career opportunities
• Related programmes

Your work will range from reflective portfolios to a sustained literary or multimedia work. The degree will prepare you for employment in the creative and professional writing industries.

Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.

Core courses

All Bachelor of Arts students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.

Choose one of:

• COMM570 Academic Communication
• COMM590 Learning in a Digital World

Complete one course from each of the following clusters. Each cluster aligns with one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Partnerships and Reduced Inequalities

• CLSY502 Intercultural Competence
• ENGL502 Reading New Zealand
• ENGL503 A Pacific Reader
• JAPA511 Speak Japanese I
• KORE500 Korean Language and Culture 1
• MAOR505 Te Mānūtanga Beginners Māori Language 1
• MAOR506 Te Ekenga Waka Beginners Māori Language 2
• NZSL502 Deaf Community and Culture I
• NZSL510 New Zealand Sign Language I
• NZSL520 New Zealand Sign Language II
• SPAN501 Spanish 1A
• SPAN502 Spanish 1B

Peace and Justice, Climate Action and Economic World

• CRIM580 Criminology and Criminal Justice
• HIST500 Introduction to New Zealand History
• HIST501 The Holocaust: Its Causes, Character, and Legacy
• PSYC580 Introduction to Psychology A
• SOSC582 Social Thinking
• SOSC583 Social Institutions
• SOSC585 Climate Action
• TOUR511 Global Issues in Tourism

Sustainability, Health and Wellbeing

• FOOD501 Food and the Senses
• HOSP503 Organisation and Human Behaviour Perspectives
• HOSP509 Hospitality Social Enterprise
• TOUR512 Tourism and Sustainability

Quality Education, Gender Equality and Reduced Poverty

• EDUC503 Critical Questions in Education
• EDUC504 Places and Learning
• EDUC506 Education, Careers and Employability
• EDUC511 Introduction to Social Education Practice
• EDUC517 The Child in Aotearoa New Zealand
• HIST504 Gender and Development in Asia and the Pacific since WWII (Online)
• CLSY504 Knowledge and Inquiry
• EDUC516 Creative Learning Inquiries
• PHIL500 Introduction to Philosophy
• SOSC584 Introduction to Social Data Analytics

Workplace experience is an important part of your degree, and the Work Integrated Learning course is the final part of your degree. This is a supervised work placement related to your major(s), for an organisation of your choice. It's a great way to get industry experience while still being able to get feedback from AUT lecturers, and for many of our students this workplace experience also leads to a job offer.

Recent placements included:

• Woman’s Day magazine
• Imersia Ltd
• Namseoul University

You could also take the Foundations in Research course if you’re considering continuing into postgraduate study.

Want more info about work integrated learning at AUT?

Read more about workplace experience in AUT programmes, how it works and why it’s so beneficial when you start your career.

Workplace experience in AUT programmes

Creative writing major courses

If you're majoring in creative writing, this is the main subject area you specialise in. It makes up one third of your degree and consists of seven creative writing-related courses you study throughout your degree (including one 30-point course).

Year 1 courses

Complete two of:

• CWRT501 Creative Writing
• CWRT560 Writing (in) Māori Shorts

Year 2 courses

Complete the following courses:

• CWRT602 Creative Writing: Voices
• CWRT603 Creative Writing: Storylines
• ENGL604 The Novel: Jane Austen Mania

Year 3 courses

• CWRT700 Creative Writing Project
• ENGL701 New Literatures

Build your degree

Use our online tool to build your own degree and see what your three years of study could look like.

• Social media management
• Web content management
• Fiction writing
• Media writing
• Performance arts
• Screenwriting
• Travel writing
• Gaming narrative designer
• Virtual and augmented reality content producers

Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.

Creative Writing Careers

Other majors in the Bachelor of Arts

• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Culinary Arts
• Event Management
• Global Tourism
• International Studies
• Interpreting
• Māori Development
• Māori Media
• New Zealand Sign Language & Deaf Studies
• New Zealand Sign Language - English Interpreting*
• Social Sciences

*This major focuses on New Zealand Sign Language and developing the skills to become a Sign Language interpreter. It doesn’t include the option to include courses from different subjects.

• Only major of its kind in New Zealand
• You’ll be mentored by a published author
• Workplace experience in your final semester
• Option to include subjects from across AUT in your degree
• Imaginative and resourceful
• Intrigued by words

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar .

CREWRIT 797A : Creative Writing

2024 semester two (1245) (60 points), course prescription, course overview.

The MCW is a restricted-entry programme that begins in July each year; applications are due in early April. Please note that entry is highly competitive. The programme is designed for writers working on a book-length creative work (rather than a play or screenplay). For ten weeks each semester there are weekly workshops and seminars. In workshops writers submit their own creative work for discussion. In seminars the focus is on aspects of technique, incorporating close readings of published work. Attendance at all classes is mandatory. Students also have four in-person supervisions during the year.

Course Requirements

Capabilities developed in this course, learning outcomes.

• Create new works of fiction, poetry or nonfiction. (Capability 3)
• Develop skills in aspects of technique and close reading of literature. (Capability 3)
• Demonstrate an understanding of of technical issues and artistic concerns. (Capability 3)
• Develop skills in editing and revision. (Capability 5)
• Understand and critically evaluate literary texts. (Capability 4)
• Be able to describe and discuss creative work. (Capability 6)

Assessments

Workload expectations.

This course is a 60-point course (per semester: 120 total) and students are expected to dedicated 40 hours per week to their creative work and course obligations. There is a substantial amount of peer reading (and comments) demanded – up to 30,000 words in each week of the second semester of the course.

Delivery Mode

Campus experience.

Attendance is required at scheduled workshops and seminars. No element of the course is recorded or delivered online.

This course  is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside New Zealand, though in-person international students are welcome to apply.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Students will be given a reading list and asked to develop their own reading list as well.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Note that the MCW does not submit SET evaluations, but are encouraged to ask for specific seminars or raise issues directly with the Course Director during the MCW itself.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894 , which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html .

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html .

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Bachelor of Arts - Creative Writing

This course is available

Level of Study

Bachelor's Degree

Next start date

Expected Jul 2024

Auckland University of Technology

With the AUT Bachelor of Arts you can choose from majors in areas as diverse as languages, international studies, criminology, psychology, event management and education. Build a degree that fits your passions and interests with the Bachelor of Arts. Get an in depth understanding of the wider world and your role in it, and learn how you can make a positive difference.

Are you dreaming up a novel, a screenplay, short stories, poems, the lyrics to an album, or a graphic novel? With the Creative Writing major you develop your creative writing skills for the page, screen and spaces in-between.

Explore style and genre, media, and the demands of readers, editors and publishers. You develop your skills as a writer, testing your creative ideas in an environment that challenges, critiques and supports you as you go. Key features:

• Only major of its kind in New Zealand
• You’ll be mentored by a published author
• Workplace experience in your final semester
• Option to include subjects from across AUT in your degree

Career opportunities:

• Social media management
• Web content management
• Fiction writing
• Media writing
• Performance arts
• Screenwriting
• Travel writing
• Gaming narrative designer
• Virtual and augmented reality content producers

Entry criteria

University Entrance or equivalent.

Useful New Zealand school subjects

All subjects are useful, in particular Classical Studies, English, Geography, History, History of Art, Media Studies and other languages.

English Language Requirements:

Minimum IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 overall with all bands 5.5 or higher; or equivalent; TOEFL iBT score of 80; Certificate in English for Academic Study (CertEAS) with B/B+ grade; AUT Academic English with B grade; CAE minimum overall score of 169; PTE minimum overall score of 50.

Studying in NZ

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Creative Writing – Bachelor of Arts

Unlock your imagination, expand your creative thinking and polish your writing.

Planning information

Entry requirements.

• Fees & scholarships
• Careers & jobs

International students

Where you can study.

International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.

Definition of New Zealand citizens and residents

Specialise in Creative Writing for your Bachelor of Arts at Massey

Inspiration, communication and vocation are at the heart of Massey’s exciting Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing).

It offers you the chance to develop your writing so that it’s pitch-perfect for a variety of audiences. You’ll enhance your critical thinking and master a wide range of transferable communication skills while pursuing your own creative vision.

Choose your canvas

Creative writing offers you flexibility in writing original work in a variety of genres. Learn to write fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, travel writing, and scripts for the stage and screen.

Learn from published authors

Our award-winning teachers are internationally acclaimed writers in their own right. They teach from their own first-hand experience in moving from idea to page, polishing their work and sending it off to be published or performed.

Your third year has a vocational focus. You’ll develop your writing in a genre of your choice and learn how to submit it for publishing. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain hands-on editing and publishing experience, or facilitate a creative writing arts project in your local community.

Get published

Students who have taken our creative writing courses have gone on to publish poems, stories, essays and books as well as winning some of New Zealand’s top writing prizes. Why not join them?

A Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing is a good fit if you:

• are seeking opportunities to get creative, get writing and get published
• want practical writing experience in a range of genres
• enjoy critical and creative thinking.

If you study full time, in the first year you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.

If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school if you wish. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.

You need to pass five courses at 300-level for your BA. One of these ( 230310 ) is in the compulsory core and three are required for your major. If you are not taking a double major or a minor, you will need to take one 300-level elective course to meet this requirement.

About this major

The Creative Writing major in the Bachelor of Arts consists of 120 credits.

Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.

A minor must be in a different subject from your major.

A Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) with a minor

You may choose a minor from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Science. If the minor is from another degree the regulations of that qualification will apply.

A creative writing minor (for students who are studying a different degree) 

If you are not studying towards a BA (Creative Writing) and wish to complete a minor in creative writing see the BA regulations for requirements.  

• More on minors

Official regulations

To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification .

You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.

Returning students

For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.

In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.

Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.

Courses you can enrol in

Course planning key, core courses for the bachelor of arts.

As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.

Bachelor of Arts core courses

Creative Writing courses

Compulsory courses.

An exploration of the processes involved in writing poetry and short stories. Students learn the fundamental elements of craft, such as metaphor, structure and plot, through the close reading of published poetry and fiction, through their own practice as creative writers, and through providing and receiving workshop feedback.

An intermediate-level introduction to the craft of nonfiction writing in a variety of genres, with a particular focus on the application of techniques usually associated with fiction and poetry to nonfiction material.

Restrictions: 139327

An advanced study of the process of writing that consolidates knowledge of creative writing craft, expands understanding of genre, and analyses aesthetic and/or cultural aspects of published manuscripts across genres. The first portion of an envisioned full-length creative manuscript will be drafted with an emphasis on the critical evaluation of its aesthetic and/or cultural implications.

Prerequisites: Any 200-level Creative Writing course

Subject courses

An investigation of human creativity that involves the study of creative practice and the making of original works of performance, film and writing.

Students will receive a grounding in the skills of writing experimental theatre and an opportunity to employ these skills in the creation of original scripts.

An intermediate-level introduction to the craft of writing targeted at ‘middle readers’ – roughly 9-13 years – across a variety of forms.

A creative writing course in which students develop and advance poetry skills within the major modes of lyric poetry and within the context of a more advanced engagement with fundamental elements of craft. In addition to reading poetry and critical essays on the genre, students will write original poetry and critically review their own work and the work of peers.

An intermediate-level study of the craft of fiction, investigating a range of forms by means of creative production, workshopping and peer review.

A study of the relationships between creative writing and ecological concerns, covering a range of contemporary forms from eco-fictions, nonfictions, or poetry, to nature writing, to animal stories. It engages students in the workshopped production of original creative work.

Restrictions: 139381

An in-depth study of the skills, formats, technique and terminology of professional script writing, with emphasis on the adaptation of traditional approaches across the diversity of contemporary media.

A study of travel writing, involving both critical and ideological analysis and creative writing developed from the students' own field work.

An exploration of the poetics and politics of experimentation and subversion in contemporary fiction and metafiction including analysis of the work (both creative and critical) of major practitioners, theorists and original student compositions.

The course provides an applied service learning project in the disciplines of expressive arts and media studies. Working collaboratively, students apply skills in theatre, performance, film-making, creative writing, media practice or mixed media to developing a creative response to a social issue or community need.

Prerequisites: Any one of 139123 , 139104 , 139133 , 154204 , or 139223

In this course, students study and experience the principles, processes and practice of publishing, through the co-production of an online publication. Key concepts include teamwork, co-production, theme selection, peer review, production scheduling, source selection, and online publishing.

Prerequisites: Any 200-level course with a 139 prefix or 219202

A study of contemporary Oceanic (Māori and Pasifika) literature in English contextualised in relation to customary and pre-colonial Oceanic literatures, narratives, and storytelling methods.

Elective subject courses

A study of short stories, novellas and novels from the last 50 years emphasising the varieties of award-winning fiction.

An introduction to the nature and functions of literary texts and the ways in which they are invested with meaning, with a focus on the skills necessary for reading and writing critically about them.

Restrictions: 139171

Admission to Massey

All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.

• Massey University entry requirements

Specific requirements

There are no specific entry requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing), outside of university admission regulations.

English language requirements

To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.

•  Massey University English language requirements

If you have already completed a bachelor degree

If you have already completed a bachelor degree you may replace 230111 Tū Kupu: Writing and Inquiry or  230112 Tū Arohae: Critical Thinking with courses of your choice. You will need to apply for replacement courses via a  Special permission  request in your portal and you will need to attach evidence of your completed degree with the request.

English language skills

If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.

Can't meet the entry requirements?

If you need to do a course before you start your qualification, there may be options for you in Summer School.

• Summer School

Fees and scholarships

Fees, student loans and free fees scheme.

Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.

There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

• Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
• View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.

• Course search

Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme

You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.

Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.

• Student loans ( StudyLink )
• Student portal

Scholarship and award opportunities

• William Broughton Bursary in New Zealand Literary Studies

Fees disclaimer

This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice .

Careers and job opportunities

A Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) is one of the most creative and enriching degrees you can do. Employers seek out BA students for their lateral and analytical thinking, communication skills and creative ability.

There are various possibilities for creative writing graduates, including:

• writing for television, magazines, blogs or the book-publishing industry
• corporate or non-profit freelance writing
• creative arts project coordination
• inter-arts collaboration for arts festivals
• writing for public relations
• creative writing in advertising
• working in communications
• being a journalist
• performance-related writing and production
• writing and advising on government policy
• writing for social media.

New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.

• Find out more about life as an international student at Massey, applying to Massey and getting help .
• Entry requirements for international students .

Related study options

Creative writing – graduate certificate in arts.

With a Graduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing) you’ll examine inspiring creative writing and start developing your own.

Creative Writing – Diploma in Arts

With a Diploma in Arts (Creative Writing) you will examine inspiring creative works and explore your personal creative approach through poetry, life writing, scriptwriting, and fiction.

Creative Writing – Graduate Diploma in Arts

Examine great creative works and start writing your own. The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Creative Writing) will give you the equivalent of an undergraduate major in creative writing without completing a second bachelor’s degree.

English – Graduate Certificate in Arts

Understand how words shape our world with the Graduate Certificate in Arts (English).

English – Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

With Massey’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (English), you can take your undergraduate study of English further.

English – Bachelor of Arts

Develop your passion for literature. Understand how great writing has shaped identity, culture, and society.

English – Diploma in Arts

Do you have a passion for literature? The Diploma in Arts (English) will give you versatile and transferable skills that can open many career pathways.

English – Postgraduate Diploma in Arts

A Massey Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (English) will help you understand how language shapes the world we live in.

English – Master of Arts

With Massey’s Master of Arts (English) you can build on your undergraduate study and follow your passion for literature. Complete advanced research into an aspect of English, rhetoric or theatre studies.

English – Graduate Diploma in Arts

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (English) will give you the equivalent of an undergraduate major in English without having to complete a second bachelor’s degree.

Master of Creative Writing – MCW

Use your passion for writing to transform yourself and the world through an intense exploration of language.

Creating writing teachers

Professor Bryan Walpert

Bryan is the author of three poetry collections, most recently Native Bird; a novel, Late Sonata; a collection of short stories, Ephraim’s Eyes, and two scholarly books, Resistance to Science in Contemporary American Poetry and Poetry and Mindfulness: Interruption to a Journey. He has received writing awards in New Zealand, Australia and the US.

• View Bryan Walpert's profile

Professor Elspeth Tilley

Elspeth is a three-time winner of the British Theatre Challenge international playwriting competition and a three-time official playwright for Climate Change Theatre Action. Her award-winning plays have been published and produced globally including off-Broadway and off-West End. Elspeth received the 2018 College of Humanities & Social Sciences award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching.

• View Elspeth Tilley's profile

Dr Gigi Fenster

Gigi's first novel , The Intentions Book , was a finalist in the New Zealand book awards and was longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Award and Commonwealth Prize. Her second novel , A Good Winter, won the Michael Gifkins Award and was a finalist in the Ockham Fiction Awards. Her memoir, Feverish , was born out of her creative writing PhD. Gigi is currently working on a children's nonfiction book and novel.

• View Gigi Fenster's profile

Associate Professor Robert Sullivan

Robert has won the 2022 Lauris Edmond Memorial Award for his contribution to New Zealand poetry, the Montana New Zealand Book Award for co-editing Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English, the Māori Literature Award for co-editing Puna Wai Kōrero: An Anthology of Māori Poetry in English, and the New Zealand Post Children’s Book of the Year.

• View Robert Sullivan's profile

Dr Thom Conroy

Thom is currently a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing and is also Editor-in-Chief of the literary journal Headland .

Thom has authored The Salted Air and The Naturalist (Penguin Random-House) and is editor of the personal essay collection Home (Massey University Press). He has won the Katherine Anne Porter Fiction Prize and has published short fiction in literary journals.

• View Thom Conroy's profile

Whiti Hereaka

Whiti Hereaka is a novelist and playwright based in Wellington. She is the author of four novels: The Graphologist’s Apprentice , and the award-winning YA novels Bugs , Legacy and her latest novel Kurangaituku . Legacy won the New Zealand Children’s and Young Adult Book Award for YA fiction in 2019 and Kurangaituku won the 2022 Jann Medlicott Acorn Award for fiction at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

• View Whiti Hereaka's profile

Useful planning information

• Find more courses or qualifications
• Planning your study
• Application process overview
• Semester dates
• Fees and funding
• Scholarships and awards search
• International students’ information

Key information for students

Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz

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Courses - Faculty of Arts

Creative writing, postgraduate 700 level courses.

Creative Writing - Level 9

Students will work on a large-scale creative writing project: a novel, short story collection, full-length work of creative nonfiction, or poetry collection. The course includes weekly workshops and seminars, as well as supervision and masterclasses.

Restriction: ENGLISH 763

To complete this course students must enrol in CREWRIT 797 A and B

• Faculty of Arts
• Business School
• Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries
• Faculty of Education and Social Work
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Ashleigh F. Streiff B. 2000, Maryland, USA.

“Juried Undergraduate Exhibition,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID At Invitation, University of Idaho’s President’s House, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID “In Medias Res,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID

At Invitation, “Painting Show,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID “VAC is Back!”, Reflections Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID “Pens, Pencils & Paint,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID At Invitation, University of Idaho’s President’s House, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. 2023-2024 “Palouse Plein Air,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. (Winner: City Purchase Award) “Mirage,” Reflections Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. At Invitation, “Painting Show,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. Fall 2023-Spring 2024

“Figures”, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI “Palouse Plein Air”, Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. (Winner: Best Watercolor) At Invitation, “Student Painters,” Moscow City Council, Moscow, ID. At Invitation, “Student Printmakers,” Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. “Clay?!”, Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID.

At Invitation, “Student Show”, Iolan’i Gallery, Windward Community College, Kaneohe, HI.

“Foundations Juried Exhibition”, The Looking Glass Gallery, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

“Student Show”, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC.

Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting and Ceramics, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. (Forthcoming)

Extracurriculars and Honors

2022 - 2024

President of Visual Arts Community (VAC), University of Idaho President of Vandal Print Guild (VPG), University of Idaho Volunteer Artist, Vandaljacks, University of Idaho Dean’s List, University of Idaho Alumni Award for Excellence, University of Idaho

2019 - 2020

Resident Artist, Cannon Hall, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.

Work Experience / Training

2021 - 2022

Gallery Attendant, Iolan’i Gallery, Windward Community College, Kaneohe, HI.

Studied Under:

Kelly Oakes, Durham, NC. 2019-2020. William Zwick, Honolulu, HI. 2020. Mark Brown, Honolulu, HI, 2020-2022. Daunna Yanoviak, Kailua, HI. 2021- 2022. Mark Norseth, Honolulu, HI. 2021-2023.

“Introduction to Figure Drawing,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Printmaking; Mono-prints,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Mixed Media,” Stacey Leanza, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2018. “Introduction to Portrait Drawing,” Kelly Oakes, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Painting Portraits in Alla Prima,” Kelly Oakes, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Demystifying the Modern Portrait,” Marie Rossettie, Class, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Intuitive Painting,” Heather Gerni, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Oil Painting Crash Course,” Vanessa Murray, Workshop, The Arts Center, Carrboro, NC. 2019. “Live Portrait Sessions,” Alla Parsons, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI. 2023. “Introduction to Watercolor,” Dwayne Adams, Class, Downtown Arts Center, Honolulu, HI. 2023.

Creative Writing:

“Writing the Killer Mystery,” C1121, Central Carolina Community College, 2019. “Flash Fiction Made Easy,” C1058, Central Carolina Community College, 2019. “Charting Your Path To Publication,” C1060, Central Carolina Community College, 2019.

Newspapers and Articles

Long, Maryanne, “Windward Artists Turn Impression Into Expression,” Windward O’ahu Voice, February 9th, 2022.

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• News and opinion

Second time a charm for aspiring architect

18 April 2024

Giving , Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries

With the help of an Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students, Sophia Yapedzieff-Watson is pursuing her goal of becoming an architect.

Having taken an unconventional route to entering university, Sophia Yapedzieff-Watson is more determined than ever to realise her dream of becoming an architect.

The 22-year-old, who is the first in her family to attend university, completed her first year of a Bachelor of Architecture in 2023, a degree she entered with the help of a Tertiary Foundation Certificate (TFC) and subsequently an Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students.

The TFC is a bridging programme for students lacking the preliminary grades necessary to enrol in university courses. It helps motivated students get up to speed academically and prepare for the rigours of university study.

For Sophia, the programme offered her a second chance to pursue her architectural goal. After initially enrolling in her second choice of study, design school, Sophia soon realised she would never be happy compromising on her dream. And so leaving her design studies to pursue full-time work for a stint, Sophia reenrolled as a student in the TFC programme in 2022 – determined that this time she would make the cut.

“I had a lot more drive than at high school so I really enjoyed my TFC experience and found the support at TFC really helpful,” she says. “It was great to have that opportunity to come back to university.”

After completing the one-year certificate, Sophia was encouraged by her teachers to apply for an Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students. To her surprise, she won the scholarship, which not only helped cover some of her living costs but also gave her a valuable confidence boost.

“I’d never even thought of applying for scholarships, I never thought I was the type to get a scholarship, so it was really, really cool.”

The Alumni Scholarship for Tertiary Foundation Certificate Students was established in 2019 and is funded by the Alumni Scholarships Fund, which is supported by donations from the University’s alumni and friends made through our appeal programme.

Sophia says it’s inspiring to know that programmes like the Tertiary Foundation Certificate exist to offer students an alternative pathway into university and that she’s extremely grateful to all those who donated to the University’s appeals.

“It makes me feel like there’s someone believing in tertiary students,” she says. “And it really does take a lot of pressure off the first year for students like me who may not have started their university life the ideal way.”

Media contact

Helen Borne | Communications and Marketing Manager Alumni Relations and Development Email:  h.borne@auckland.ac.nz