Introduction to Creative Writing (11113.1)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Introduction to Creative Writing
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods Online real-time
On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Arts And Communications Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 4 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan Social Work_Exclude 0905)
This unit engages students with diverse forms of imaginative writing, while introducing concepts that are core to sound creative development. As students read and write poetry, fiction, essays, screenplays and multimedia texts they foster skills in language, narrative and creativity that can be applied beyond the given form and beyond the classroom. Students will be encouraged to develop their writer's eye, to keep a writing journal, and to make disciplined and inventive use of the revision process. The unit will introduce students to the professional field of writing and publishing, and will also develop their abilities to create and participate in a fertile writing community.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Write short creative works for different audiences;
2. Utilise and develop individual and collaborative strategies for creative productivity;
3. Produce work to a professional standard; and
4. Discover and engage with the communities and marketplaces that support contemporary writing.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

8304 Introduction to Creative Writing.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 Online real-time Ms Andi Stapp-Gaunt
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 On-campus Ms Andi Stapp-Gaunt
2025 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 26 May 2025 Online real-time Mr Paul Bissett
2025 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 26 May 2025 On-campus Mr Paul Bissett
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 16 February 2026 On-campus Ms Andi Stapp-Gaunt
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 16 February 2026 Online real-time Ms Andi Stapp-Gaunt
2026 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 08 June 2026 Online real-time Mr Paul Bissett
2026 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 08 June 2026 On-campus Mr Paul Bissett
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

Required readings will be supplied via the unit's Canvas page. Students are advised to look ahead at the schedule, and to complete the required readings in time for the lecture and their tutorial of the following week. 

It is highly recommended that students read broadly and independently in the genres they are attempting for their assessment submissions. Please consult your lecturer for recommendations if you need them. 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Artificial intelligence

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment
the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.
Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for StudentsLinks to an external site. Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

All assignments must be set out according to the prescribed, professional format and must:

  • Be typewritten or word processed
  • Be 12 point size typeface
  • Show page numbers
  • Show word count
  • Have 1.5 line spacing (1. for poetry)

Referencing requirements:

Where appropriate, students in this unit are expected to use a standard academic form for all referencing and annotating. MLA is the preferred form. Students not familiar with this should contact Study Skills at the Library or on Moodle.

Handing in assessment:

As stated above, assessment items will be submitted online via the unit's Canvas site, or, for work which requires a hard copy or performance, arrange delivery with your tutor. It is the student's responsibility to upload assignments in either .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats only. You should also closely monitor your student email account in the period following assignment submission in case your file has failed to open or is corrupt. In this case it is your responsibility to get a valid file or hardcopy to your tutor within twenty-four hours of an advice email being sent to your student email address. In case of lost or missing assignments, ensure that you always retain a hard copy of any assignment submitted.

Extensions:

Extensions will be authorised only by the convenor and only for a valid reason, such as illness. A medical certificate or other appropriate documentation must accompany requests for extensions. Lack of personal organisation or pressure of work are not considered valid reasons for an extension. Unless the unit convenor has given you an extension, you must submit each piece of assessable work by the due date.

Late submissions:

Students submitting work late will receive a reduction in available marks of 5% per day (e.g. if an assessment was submitted three days late a mark of 70% would be reduced to 55%, or put another way, if a student was awarded 21 out of 30 and submitted three days late their mark would be reduced to 16.5 out of 30), up to a maximum of seven days at which time the assignment will no longer be accepted, unless there are approved extenuating circumstances. Detailed information is found in section 9.12 of the Assessment Policy and Procedures. Late submissions may result in reduced feedback being provided to students.

Returning assessment:

As all written assessments in this unit use online submission through the unit Canvas site, feedback will be similarly be made available through Canvas once all assignments have been marked and moderation is completed. Insofar as assignments are the property of students, the University/Faculty is not required to retain assignments.

Ethical Issues

Writers have great freedom in their work, but also clear constraints on what they may write and present to others. Consequently, while writing students may write any story that engages them, in the voice, from the perspective, and using the characterisation that they choose, they must also comply with the University of Canberra's Regulation of Student Conduct rules (which requires that students not engage in a course of behaviour offensive to a university authority, board or committee, to an officer or employee of the university, or to another student). Students and their work must also comply with Australian law, specifically the Office of Film and Literature Classification Code. This code prohibits the publication/dissemination of material that 'appears to purposefully debase or abuse for the enjoyment of readers/viewers, and which lacks moral, artistic or other values to the extent that they offend against generally accepted standards of morality, decency and propriety'.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Learner engagement

It is anticipated that, in order to be able to most effectively pass this unit, all students will need to attend at least 80% of the tutorial classes and listen to all lectures. Students attending less than this amount are likely to have difficulty passing this unit.

Lectures are digitally recorded and available online through the UCLearn site.

Participation requirements

In order to be able to effectively pass this intensive unit, students should attend the tutorials, listen to lectures, complete readings, and complete their assessments to the best of their ability. Attendance at tutorials is highly recommended: the peer-to- peer interaction and critique is an integral part of the unit's learning outcomes and an efficient way to garner the feedback necessary for producing good writing. While online forums on UCLearn will be available for students to post and comment on each other's work, it is incumbent on all students to ensure they receive appropriate feedback. Students who choose to not attend tutorials cannot rely on tutors to provide this outside of class.

Required IT skills

Students participating in this unit will need the ability to use word processing software and email. You will need to be able to access the internet and to use the University's UCLearn (Canvas) and e-reserve systems.

In-unit costs

Students will be required to obtain or set up a paper or electronic writing journal for use during the duration of this unit.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

To pass the unit:

  • All assessment requirements must be submitted on or by the due date, unless an extension has been granted.
  • All work must be your own.
  • Assignments that have been assessed in another unit can not be presented for assessment again.

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