- Where you can study
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Auckland campusDistance and onlineManawatū campus (Palmerston North)
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International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
- Not open to international students
Specialise in Creative Writing for your Graduate Certificate in Arts at Massey
The Graduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing) is a bridging tool for graduates in other subjects to gain knowledge of creative writing. You can use it to study another subject area without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Be inspired
Inspiration, communication and vocation are at the heart of this exciting qualification.
You’ll develop your writing so that it’s pitch-perfect for a variety of audiences. You’ll enhance your critical thinking. You will master a wide range of transferrable 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, and scripts for the stage and screen.
Learn from published authors
Our award-winning teachers are acclaimed and best-selling writers who 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.
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?
Further study
Once you have completed your Graduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing) you can go on to postgraduate study if you wish.
A Graduate Certificate in Arts in Creative Writing is a good fit if you:
- have a bachelor’s degree and want to expand your horizons
- want to develop your interest in creative writing
- are interested in doing postgraduate study.
Planning information
Planning information
This qualification may be completed in 1 semester of full-time study (depending on sequencing of courses) or over a longer period of part-time study.
Not all courses will be offered in all modes or across all campuses in any given year.
100-level prerequisites
When you are granted entry to the qualification, you are not required to pass any 100-level prerequisite course/s for the specialisation. You may need to apply for 200-level courses via a Special Request if your previous study was not completed at Massey. If you plan to take any electives in subjects such as Languages, Economics, Mathematics or Statistics, you will need to meet the 100-level prerequisite requirements.
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 Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
Courses you can enrol in
Courses you can enrol in
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Compulsory courses
Course code: 299280 Creative Writing II: Creative Nonfiction 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 299380 Creative Writing III: Starting Your Manuscript 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsSubject courses
Course code: 139362 Oceanic Literatures of Aotearoa: Ngā Tuhinga Kōrero o te Moana nui a Kiwa 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 299309 Writing the Environment 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 299323 Script Writing 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 299329 Advanced Fiction Writing 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsCourse code: 299333 Creativity in the Community 15 credits
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.
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Entry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
To enter the Graduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing) you will have been awarded or qualified for a bachelor's degree.
You will need to provide copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
This qualification is classified as NZQF Level 7 and requires the same English language standard as most undergraduate bachelor degrees, diplomas and certificates.
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
Fees and scholarships
Fees and scholarships
2026 tuition fees
- Domestic students: $4,210
- International students: Not applicable
Tuition fees are estimates only. The exact fees charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment. The estimates are for full-time study (60 credits). Fees are in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The estimates do not include the Student Services Fee. This fee is $582 for on-campus students and $474 for distance students for full-time study (60 credits). For more information about this fee and other fees you may need to pay, see non-tuition fees.
There may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
Course fees
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
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. Students who are eligible for final-year fees free can normally receive up to 120 credits of fees free. However, if you choose to study this certificate you will only receive up to 60 credits fees free. You will not be able to claim the remaining 60 credits of fees free for future qualifications. For further information see the Inland Revenue website.
Scholarship and award opportunities
Search our scholarships and awardsFees 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
Careers and job opportunities
In a global marketplace, creativity and related skills are more important than ever. Creative writing will prepare you not just for the range of careers that exists today, but also for new roles that will appear in the future.
Gain marketable skills
Massey’s Graduate Certificate in Arts (Creative Writing) will prepare you to work in the creative world and provide transferable skills for other industries.
The following careers are a natural fit for creative writing graduates:
- writing for television, magazines, social media or the book-publishing industry
- corporate or non-profit freelance writing
- creative arts project coordination
- advertising
- performance-related writing and production
- writing and advising on government policy.
Related study options
Creative Writing – Bachelor of Arts
Unlock your imagination, expand your creative thinking and polish your writing.
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.
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