Writing Studies
Do you love expressing yourself in words? Enjoy a learning environment in which you could explore your creativity as a poet or fiction writer. Acquire the skills in written communication that you can apply in business environments, or learn to write for digital media or for the screen.
Writing Studies at Waikato offers a writing-intensive learning experience that will enable you to grow as a writer no matter where your interest lies. It will give you the research skills needed to write convincingly about the past, or create a vivid sense of the contemporary world. It will develop the reading and analytical skills essential for effective writing.
You can structure your Writing Studies programme to suit your interests and needs. There are papers offered in:
- Creative writing
- Literary non-fiction, including food writing
- Business communication
- Professional speaking and speech writing
- Public relations writing
- The philosophy of language and communication
- Understanding the requirements of specific audiences and readers
- Science communication
- Writing for screen media
- Theories of reading
- Academic writing and research.
Writing Studies graduates seek employment opportunities working for newspapers and magazines, central and local government, schools, the media, theatres and publishing houses. Writing Studies also lends itself to a freelance career.
Key information
| Study Locations: | Hamilton, Tauranga, Online Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info. |
|---|---|
| Faculty: |
Study Writing Studies in these qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Communication Studies
- Bachelor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences with Honours
- Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Media and Creative Technologies (China only)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science (Technology)
- Bachelor of Social Sciences
- Certificate
- Diploma
- Graduate Certificate
Study Writing Studies as a specialisation of
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Communication Studies
- Bachelor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences with Honours
- Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Media and Creative Technologies (China only)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science (Technology)
- Bachelor of Social Sciences
- Certificate
- Diploma
- Graduate Certificate
Career opportunities
- Copy Writer
- Digital and Broadcast Media Writer
- Journalist
- Literary Non-Fiction Writer
- Public Relations Practitioner
- Report Writer
- Speech Writer
- Teacher
Papers
Available Writing Studies papers
Prescriptions for the GradCert(WritSt) and GradDip(WritSt)
A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Writing Studies at an advanced level in their first degree.
For further details, contact the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Office.
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ARTSC105 | Language in Context | 20A (Hamilton), 20A (Tauranga) & 20B (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 out immediate physical contexts. We observe how language is used to reinvent and to reinforce ... | ||
| ENGLI100 | Telling the Story | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the deep stories which are at the core of the English literary tradition and the wider Western canon, with examples from the epic of Gilgamesh to Star Wars IV: A New Hope. | ||
| WRITE100 | Writing for Academic Success | 20A (Hamilton), 20A (Online), 20A (Tauranga), 20B (Hamilton), 20B (Online), 20B (Tauranga) & 20X (Hamilton) |
| The paper gives opportunities for undergraduate students to develop their academic literacy skills. It begins with general academic communication and research skills and then embeds academic literacy practice within disciplines of study. | ||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ENGLI201 | Genre Studies: Tropes and Techniques | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper is an introductory study of specific literary forms. In 2020 the focus will be on utopian and dystopian writing and the way in which literature gives voice to the dreams and fears of humanity. | ||
| LINGS202 | Exploring English: From Grammar to Discourse | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper presents a hands-on introduction to the grammar of English, paying special attention to the syntactic components involved, as well as their strong connection to discourse. | ||
| LINGS203 | Language, Society and Culture | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper explores the relationship between language and culture, particularly in the context of changing Pacific cultures, and relates topics to the main themes of modern linguistics and anthropology. | ||
| PUBRL204 | Contemporary Public Relations Writing | 20A (Hamilton) |
| Modern communications professionals write to represent organisations across many different audiences, purposes and contexts. PUBRL204 teaches students to select and use a range of genres from established media to emerging digital platforms. | ||
| WRITE201 | Applied Writing: Food Writing | 20A (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 | 20B (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 | Special Topic: Inspiring Work | 20G (Hamilton) |
| This paper examines the concept of inspiration as it applies to creative writing, and enables students to develop their writing skills through a range of creative exercises and workshop activities. | ||
| WRITE205 | Writing for the Screen | 20B (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 | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| ENGLI301 | Genre Studies: Challenging Forms | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper is an intensive study of specific literary forms such as tragedy, travel writing, autobiography, and crime writing. The focus will vary from year to year. | ||
| LINGS301 | Research Apprenticeship | 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides students with an opportunity to pursue an extended research project, in a sub-discipline of linguistics or anthropology (e.g. sociolinguistics, typology, documentation, anthropology), focusing on a heritage language/culture. | ||
| LINGS304 | Applied Linguistics | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides an introduction to areas of research and professional practice in applied linguistics, including language acquisition, second language teaching, language planning, lexicography, translation, forensic linguistics and speech language therapy. | ||
| SCIEN300 | Science Communication | 20G (Hamilton) |
| This paper discusses different ways in which science can be communicated by scientists to others. It gives students opportunities to practise verbal, written, visual and other forms of communication. | ||
| WRITE300 | Creative Writing: Creative Non-fiction | 20A (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. | ||
| WRITE390 | Directed Study | 20A (Hamilton) & 20B (Hamilton) |
| This independent but guided writing project is compulsory for students majoring in Writing Studies | ||
| WRITE396 | Writing Studies Work Placement | 20X (Hamilton) |
| In this paper, students work as interns in a professional workplace where excellent writing is core business. Assessment is based on a written report and on workplace performance. | ||
500 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| APPLN501 | Research Methods in Applied Linguistics | 20A (Hamilton) |
| The overall aim of this paper is to provide students with a critical awareness of a range of issues and skills associated with carrying out research in the area of applied linguistics. | ||
| APPLN530 | Discourse Analysis and the Language Classroom | 20B (Hamilton) |
| The overall aim of this paper is to provide students with an awareness of a range of issues associated with the analysis and interpretation of text and discourse according to a variety of approaches, as well as an ability to apply a range of analytical approaches and assess the value of these in the field of second language teachin... | ||
| CWRT594 | Creative Writing Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students the opportunity to devise, carry out and revise an independent and original creative writing manuscript, while receiving supervision and peer feedback within a creative workshop environment. Students are selected by portfolio assessment: application portfolios due by June 1. | ||
| MEDIA501 | Theory and Research in Action | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This paper identifies the constraints and freedoms of research methods, and places a strong emphasis on research as an intellectual, theoretical, and processual activity as well as the roles of interdisciplinary projects in creating unique methodological and conceptual media research. | ||
| MEDIA506 | Scriptwriting | 20A (Hamilton) |
| This workshop-based paper develops understanding and experience of script-construction processes and practices as well as script analysis. Students will produce second draft scripts for the format, length and genre of their choice. | ||
| MEDIA507 | Creative Research Development | 20A (Hamilton) |
| Have you got a topic you are passionate about to research? This paper provides students the opportunity to engage with primary texts in preparation for writing their dissertation. You will explore research design frameworks which will support the completion of a robust dissertation. | ||
| WRITE501 | Writing for Publication | 20A (Hamilton) |
| Writing for Publication will focus on writing for professional publication, examining the modes, standards and practices associated with different forms of published output. Students will read examples from a variety of fields, including fiction and creative non-fiction, writing for advertising and digital media, and scholarly/acad... | ||
| WRITE503 | Professional Writing Internship | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper allows students to gain professional writing experience in the workplace, under the guidance of an academic supervisor and the specialist supervision of a workplace mentor. | ||
| WRITE546 | Creative Writing: Writing and Embodiment | 20A (Hamilton) |
| A writing-intensive paper focused on the ways in which 'embodiment' is key in generating vital characters, shaping dramatic narratives, and crafting resonant sentences aware of the sensory impact of language. | ||
| WRITE590 | Directed Study | 20A (Hamilton) & 20B (Hamilton) |
| This paper involves an independent but guided writing project on a topic of the student's choice. | ||
| WRITE591 | Dissertation | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide graduate students with the opportunity to devise, carry out and revise a writing-focused dissertation, under appropriate supervision and guidance. | ||
| WRITE592 | Dissertation | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students with the opportunity to devise, carry out and revise an extended writing-focused dissertation, under appropriate supervision and guidance. | ||
| WRITE593 | Professional Writing Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students the opportunity to devise, carry out and revise an independent thesis focussed on a specialised field of writing studies, under appropriate supervision and guidance. | ||
| WRITE594 | Professional Writing Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| This paper will provide students the opportunity to devise, carry out and revise an extended and independent thesis focussed on a specialised field of writing studies, under appropriate supervision. | ||
900 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|
| CWRT900 | Creative Writing PhD Thesis | 20X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | ||
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
For more information about subject requirements please refer to the catalogue of papers for the most up to date information.
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
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4922
General and Undergraduate Email Enquiries: engl-fass@waikato.ac.nz