Bachelor of Creative Writing and Secondary English Teaching

Turn your passion for writing into a career that shapes the next generation

Develop your writing and publishing expertise while preparing to shape the next generation as a secondary English teacher. With the combined Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing Master of Teaching in Secondary Education, you’ll build the knowledge and practical experience to teach secondary school English in an evolving educational landscape.

Complete both your undergraduate and postgraduate degree in four years. Develop advanced communication skills alongside a practical, job-ready teaching qualification, building a strong foundation in your discipline before beginning your teaching subjects from second year. This wider and deeper understanding can help you start your teaching career with confidence.

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Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing Master of Teaching in Secondary Education

CODE

UTS: C10405 (version 4)

CRICOS: 118359M

UAC: 600062 English/Society & Culture (Autumn Session), 600060 English (Autumn Session), 600061 English/EALD (Autumn Session)

LOWEST SELECTION RANK

75* (English/Society & Culture), 70* (English), 70* (English/EALD)

Don't have the ATAR?

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DURATION

4 years full time

INTAKE

Autumn D Session 2027

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Domestic (FT)

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

Choose a pathway that prepares you to teach English, English and Society and Culture, or English and English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EALD) in secondary schools.

In the Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing component, you’ll complete 96 credit points of disciplinary study. This includes 18 credit points of Communication core subjects, a 48-credit-point Creative Writing stream, a 6-credit-point core literary subject, and 24 credit points of Society and Culture subjects or electives.
In the Master of Teaching in Secondary Education component, you’ll complete 96 credit points focused on developing the knowledge and practical skills you’ll need as a teacher. This includes 54 credit points of core subjects covering the foundations of education, including learning, motivation and adolescent psychology, as well as Indigenous Australian studies, digital technologies in teaching, inclusive education and professional experience. You’ll also complete 42 credit points of teaching methods and electives, or teaching methods and additional discipline subjects if you choose English/EALD.

To progress into the final years of the program, you’ll need to achieve a credit average after four sessions of full-time study, or the part-time equivalent, typically at the end of your second year. You’ll also need to complete NSW Government’s LANTITE (Literacy and Numeracy test) before progressing to your first Professional Experience supervised teaching placement in Year 3.

Subjects at a glance

Core subjects

Subject Code	Subject Name
010046	Learning Futures: Teaching for Complexity and Diversity
013404	Inclusive Education
013407	Resetting the Future: Indigenous Australian Education
013408	Teaching and Learning with Digital Technologies
010048	Professional Learning
010049	Understanding and Engaging Adolescent Learners
010047	Literacy and Numeracy Across the Curriculum
013241	Professional Experience Teaching Practice 1
013242	Professional Experience Teaching Practice 2
52600	Communication and Society
52601	Communication and Technology
52602	Communication and Work Futures
52690	Narrative in Theory and Practice
52691	Creative Writing Foundations
52692	Imagining the Real
52603	Writing Through Form and Genre
52604	Experiments in Creative Writing
52695	Adaptations
52696	Publishing Industry Practices
52697	Major Writing Project
024411	Literary Narrative from Sendak to Shakespeare

See all subjects and majors in the UTS Handbook

Typical course program

The outline below shows an example program for the Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) Master of Teaching in Secondary Education based on a full-time study load. Please note that your exact program may differ based on your unique circumstances, such as your commencement date, subject selections and recognition of prior learning.

Course structure

3

core Communication subjects
4

Communication Electives

or

3

Communication Electives
8

Writing and Publishing major subjects
7

core Secondary Education subjects
9

Secondary Education specialisation subjects

First year

You’ll kick off your degree with your Communications studies, where you’ll learn about citizenship and digital literacy. You’ll build specialised knowledge through subjects in areas like narrative, writing and editing and complete two disciplinary electives of your choice.
Second year

This year, you’ll jump into your postgraduate coursework, learning critical perspectives, approaches and methodologies for teaching numeracy, literacy and English. You’ll also continue honing your writing and publishing acumen, developing your industry knowledge and practical skills in adaptation.
Third year

You’ll finalise your Communication degree, drawing together your learnings to produce an original piece of writing in your choice of genre and form. You’ll also acquire further competencies in teaching and undertake your first hands-on placement in a real classroom.
Fourth year

You’ll conclude your program by completing final-year subjects in teaching methods, inclusive education and digital technologies. You’ll carry out a second placement, establishing advanced capabilities in secondary education teaching and classroom management to support you as you begin your career.

First year

You’ll kick off your degree with your Communications studies, where you’ll learn about citizenship and digital literacy. You’ll build specialised knowledge through subjects in areas like narrative, writing and editing and complete two disciplinary electives of your choice.

Second year

This year, you’ll jump into your postgraduate coursework, learning critical perspectives, approaches and methodologies for teaching numeracy, literacy and English. You’ll also continue honing your writing and publishing acumen, developing your industry knowledge and practical skills in adaptation.

Third year

You’ll finalise your Communication degree, drawing together your learnings to produce an original piece of writing in your choice of genre and form. You’ll also acquire further competencies in teaching and undertake your first hands-on placement in a real classroom.

Fourth year

You’ll conclude your program by completing final-year subjects in teaching methods, inclusive education and digital technologies. You’ll carry out a second placement, establishing advanced capabilities in secondary education teaching and classroom management to support you as you begin your career.

See typical course program in the UTS Handbook

Course highlights

Learn Creative Writing and gain teaching qualifications within 4 years in this degree.

This degree gives you an up-to-date understanding of the contemporary publishing industry as well as expert writing and storytelling competencies across nonfiction, screenwriting, digital content and more. You’ll also become a competent, confident educator, blending your acute knowledge with the hands-on experience acquired from 80 days of professional experience in at least 2 secondary schools from over 200 school partners across NSW.

Admissions information

This course is designed for aspiring secondary school English teachers, including those interested in teaching English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) or Society and Culture. Choose this course to gain comprehensive knowledge in Communication in Creative Writing alongside a Master of Teaching, equipping you to teach confidently in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
What sets this course apart is its vertical structure (undergraduate and postgraduate degree), enabling you to gain a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge in English/Creative Writing, and Society and Culture or EALD before commencing your teaching methods and foundation education subjects from your second year. Gaining a wider and deeper understanding in your disciplinary field, including of recent developments, aims to ensure you start your teaching career with confidence and are highly valued by schools. It also means that you do not need to meet the standard three Band 5 HSC results, including English, for admission to an initial teacher education course.
To ensure  you are academically prepared to undertake the required level of study, you will need to achieve a credit average at the completion of four sessions of full-time study (or part-time equivalence), typically at the end of second year,  to progress into the final years of the program. If you do not meet the credit average, you will be transferred into the Bachelor of Communication in Creative Writing and complete studies to graduate with that qualification. 
In the second half of the course, you'll continue your disciplinary subjects, and also develop knowledge and skills in lesson and assessment planning, classroom management, differentiation for diverse learners, educational sociology, Indigenous Australian studies, and the integration of digital technologies in teaching.
The course includes 80 days of professional experience across at least two secondary schools from our 200+ partner schools throughout NSW. These placements provide authentic classroom experiences that will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to become an effective secondary school teacher. They also offer opportunities to build valuable personal and professional networks within schools and the broader education community, supporting your transition into the teaching profession.
By completing this course, you'll fast-track your career, earning both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in an accelerated timeframe, and be prepared for a diverse range of professional opportunities within and beyond education.
The combined "Vertical Stack" course (undergraduate + postgraduate degree) enables students to gain a greater depth of disciplinary knowledge in Communications (Writing and Publishing) before commencing their teaching subjects in the Master of Teaching from their second year of study. Gaining a wider and deeper understanding in their field of study gives students more confidence when they commence teaching. They enter the classroom up to date on the most current developments in the discipline, and this is highly valued by schools.

The unique vertical structure of this combined course means students do not need to meet the standard three Band 5 HSC results, including English, for admission to an initial teacher education course.

To ensure that a high quality of teachers is maintained in the education sector, students need to achieve a Credit average in the first two years of their university studies before progressing into the final years of the program.

If students do not meet the Credit average, they can still continue in the Bachelor of Communications (Writing and Publishing) and graduate with that qualification.

Students spend 80 days in one of more than 200 secondary schools across NSW. This practical experience with a trusted UTS partner school helps them gain the skills and confidence in curriculum and classroom management required for effective teaching in English (and EALD or Society and Culture if relevant), and also helps them develop personal and professional networks within and beyond education for their future career path.

Not only are students accelerated in their career pathway to secondary teaching by achieving two qualifications, including one at postgraduate level, within the duration of a single undergraduate degree, they also have the benefits of a range of career options.
Your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a score between 0.00 and 99.95. It shows you how you rank compared to all the students in your year group in New South Wales. A selection rank combines your ATAR with any other adjustment points that make up your overall university entrance score. Your selection rank may differ from university to university, depending on the adjustment points granted to you at each institution.
Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree.

All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most.

Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives.

By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline.

If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe.

In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates.

* Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.
Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.

Applicants should also review the inherent requirements to ensure they are able to complete this course.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: overall 7.5, listening 8.0, speaking 8.0, reading 7.0, writing 7.0 TOEFL iBT (0-120): overall 102, listening 28, speaking 26, reading 24, writing 27 TOEFL iBT (1-6): overall 5, listening 6, speaking 5, reading 5, writing 5.5 Pearson PTE: overall 73, listening 79, speaking 79, reading 65, writing 65 Cambridge C1A/C2P: overall 191, listening 200, speaking 200, reading 185, writing 185
2027 Indicative tuition fees for government-supported domestic students

All offers for domestic undergraduate students are for Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP).This means the Australian Government contributes to your education costs, and you pay the remaining tuition fees, known as the student contribution. If eligible, you can defer payment through HECS-HELP, or you can choose to pay your fees upfront each session.

2027 Tuition Fees

Search tuition fees

Additional Costs

Your tuition fees do not include:
- The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
- Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
- Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).
Important Information
- Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
- The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
- Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.
- You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table.
This course is currently accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as a recognised secondary school teaching qualification. UTS is seeking additional NESA approval for the proposed organisational and curriculum variations, to be implemented in Autumn 2027. To gain employment as a teacher in NSW schools, graduands must meet the requirements of the NESA, including language proficiency.

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Jumbunna Admission Program

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Industry accreditation

This course is currently accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) as a recognised secondary school teaching qualification. UTS is seeking additional NESA approval for proposed organisational and curriculum variations, to be implemented in Autumn 2027. To gain employment as a teacher in NSW schools, graduates must meet the requirements of the NESA, including language proficiency.

Careers

Your future career

Graduate with expertise in writing and publishing alongside practical skills in secondary education, preparing you for a career teaching secondary English. Bring your experience across different genres and formats, editing and publishing into your teaching practice.

Develop practical teaching skills through classroom experience and learn to bring creativity, strong disciplinary knowledge and new ideas to the classroom.

Career options

(*Depending on teaching areas chosen)

“Studying at UTS has been a wonderful experience; it’s the perfect mix between campus and city vibes.”

Amy Robson

Undergraduate student

Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) - Previously known as Creative Writing) (Digital and Social Media)

“Communication at UTS is different from other universities in the way that you gain practical experience in the industry whilst learning up to date methodologies from tutors who are working in the industry themselves.”

Daniel Snell

Bachelor of Communication (Media Arts and Production) (Public Communication)

Where you’ll study

Our world-class facilities support your future-focused learning and high-impact research. They enable effective partnerships with industry and provide services to our community.

See more facilities

Students shooting video in a green screen studio. — Direct productions in our Bon Marche Studio.

Undergraduate students collaborate on a project in the Building 3 sound studios — Collaborate in our media production facilities.

Aerial view of the UTS Library reading room, showing desks, study areas and shelves with books. — Find your perfect library study spot and enjoy the quiet away from the campus bustle.

Why UTS?

Why study Communication at UTS

With a degree in Communications, you'll develop a professional portfolio and learn the skills to adapt in a rapidly evolving field.

We offer innovative and interdisciplinary media, communication and creative production programs that combine theory with practical learning and industry experience.

Top 10

UTS is among the top 10 universities in Australia for Communication and Media.

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

$1.8 billion

Australia’s book publishing industry is worth $1.8 billion per year.

IBISWorld 2025–26

25,500 currently employed

More than 25,000 people in Australia work as journalists, bloggers, critics, technical writers, copywriters, newspaper editors or in other writing jobs.

Jobs and Skills Australia 2024