Creative Writing
Being a great writer will set you up for success in any career path. Study Creative Writing at Waikato and hone your communication skills to develop professionally, or start on a whole new journey as an expert writer.
Creative Writing studies will not only build your confidence and improve your story-telling, but will teach you to write interesting and attention-grabbing copy. You will develop a strength in imaginative writing and creative non-fiction, and will learn to write effectively across a range of genres.
Learn to structure your writing clearly, articulate concepts, read and interpret imaginative and other types of writing, and develop an understanding of reader expectations.
Our English Programme is the proud home of Mayhem, an online literary journal showcasing the creative writing of students, staff and alumni of the University of Waikato.
Complementary subjects of Creative Writing include Creative Practices, English, History, Screen and Media Studies, Theatre Studies and Writing Studies.
Key information
| Study Location: | Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Area of Study: |
Study Creative Writing as a specialisation of
Papers
Available Creative Writing papers
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARTSC105 | Language in Context | 15.0 | 23B (Online) |
| Language in Context is an essential paper for students of a broad range of disciplines where language and communication are a focus. Students are given the tools to examine how human language reflects our histories, our social selves, and our immediate physical contexts. We observe how language is used to reinvent and to reinforce ... | |||
| ENGLI100 | Telling the Story | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the deep stories which are at the core of the English literary tradition and the wider Western canon, using picturebooks, fairytales, popular film, detective fiction and short stories. | |||
| ENGLI101 | Adapting Stories | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores the art of adaptation, examining the process of transformation that occurs when creative artists reimagine and retell stories in new ways and new media. | |||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| WRITE201 | Food Writing | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper uses writing about food, including recipes, memoirs, restaurant reviews and researched food writing, as the primary materials in a learning experience with an intensive applied writing focus. | |||
| WRITE202 | Creative Writing: Voice and Image | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This course explores the basic elements of imaginative writing - image and voice - concentrating the student's attention on the central writing practices of 'seeing' and 'saying.' | |||
| WRITE203 | Creative Writing: Inspiring Work | 15.0 | 23G (Hamilton) |
| This intensive, workshop-based paper, taught by award-winning novelist Catherine Chidgey, examines the concept of inspiration as it applies to creative writing. Students will consider historical theories of artistic inspiration as well as the methods of practising writers. Thematic lectures around the central topic will address rit... | |||
| WRITE205 | Writing for the Screen | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores foundational concepts in writing for the screen and develops practical skills in the application of these concepts during workshop sessions. The paper is organised around four main topic areas: world-making, characters, structures, and scenes/sequences. Students will produce a portfolio of writing, including pro... | |||
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGLI301 | Genre Studies: Challenging Forms | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper is an intensive study of specific literary forms such as tragedy, poetry, travel writing, autobiography, and crime writing. The focus will vary from year to year. | |||
| MAORI316 | Te Reo Ahurei | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper is intended for students who have completed Maori language proficiency to intermediate level or higher. The emphasis will be on developing oral and critical skills in the use of the Maori language and English with particular attention on the critical examination and understanding of composition styles, including performa... | |||
| WRITE300 | Creative Writing: Creative Non-fiction | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This course explores the key elements of creative non-fiction writing, engaging with a variety of non-fiction texts including memoir, biography, the personal/lyric essay, and auto/biographical meta-fiction. | |||
Scholarships and prizes
New to Waikato? The International Excellence Scholarship is worth up to $10,000.
Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Subject links
Subject Requirements
Creative Writing is available as a minor.
Creative Writing is available as a minor.
To complete a minor in Creative Writing students must complete at least 60 points in papers listed for the minor, including WRITE203 and WRITE300.
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the catalogue of papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone:
Contacts
School of Arts
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4922
General and Undergraduate Email Enquiries: [email protected]