Outline

Employers across all sectors need people who can research, write, edit and publish a range of material.

In this major you will develop your skills and knowledge in many genres and styles of writing and publishing practices, while exploring your creativity.

You’ll learn to produce and edit feature articles, speeches, reports, discussion papers, website content, creative nonfiction, media releases and other forms of content for the workplace. You’ll also learn about copyright, censorship, plagiarism and the ethics of writing in the public domain.

In your final semester, you may have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement with an industry employer.

Professional writing and publishing is offered as part of the Bachelor of Arts. You can enhance your studies with a second major or choose from a range of elective units that support your career goals.

You can also study this major as part of a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce double degree.

How this course will make you industry ready

The skills and knowledge you'll gain are relevant to a range of professional communication roles and employment fields.
This course has industry-focused learning outcomes, and you'll have the opportunity for professional work placement with an industry employer.

What jobs can the Professional Writing and Publishing course lead to?

Careers

Copywriter
Editor
Publisher
Media / communications advisor
Writer
Social media content creator
Blogger.

Industries

Media
Publishing
Government / public service.

What you'll learn

identify, explain and apply the key disciplinary concepts and principles in professional writing and publishing
integrate theory and creative practice in the production and analysis of professional writing texts; conceive, develop and evaluate innovative modes of professional communication
access and evaluate the sources, authority and relevance of information, and synthesise key facts, themes and ideas in professional writing and publishing
effectively communicate ideas to a range of audiences, across a variety of media, genres, and purpose
use and evaluate a range of appropriate technologies to access resources, communicate effectively, and develop writing and research skills
use and reflect on disciplinary skills and knowledge to develop autonomous learning, and apply these insights to writing in a range of different professional contexts
acknowledge the interrelationship between local, national and global perspectives and the impact of this on professional writing and publishing
recognise and value the diversity of cultural knowledge and practices, taking care to represent these, where appropriate, in an ethical and professional manner
work independently and/or collaboratively to produce innovative, creative and ethical professional writing that is appropriate to a variety of professional and cultural contexts

Why study Professional Writing and Publishing

Transferable skills

Your in-depth understanding of writing, editing and publishing will complement other areas such as creative writing, history or journalism.

Get the Curtin edge

This major also has the option of a portfolio development unit, where you can build your personal brand and a portfolio to establish your position as a professional writer.

Work experience

You could undertake a professional placement with an industry employer, such as a small business or government department, in a content creation role.

Over the course of my degree, I've learned to write feature articles, speeches, creative non-fiction, web content, reports and more. I’ve also learned editing, proofreading, marketing and interior book design. These job skills mean there are so many roles open to me across the arts, publishing, non-profit, corporate and government sectors.

Sarah Oldfield

Admission criteria

What you need in order to get into this course. There are different pathway options depending on your level of work and education experience.

Select an option that best suits you:

You’re considered a high school leaver if you:

Completed year 12 in Australia or overseas in the past two years, or
Completed TAFE or VET studies in the past two years.

ATAR pathway

Minimum ATAR 70
This course has a minimum ATAR of 70
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

Subjects you must have studied in high school to be eligible for entry into a course.

English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR.
Desirable WACE subjects
Desirable WACE subjects

High school subjects that aren’t essential for entry into the course, but provide a good foundation.

There are no desirable WACE subjects for this course.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

StepUp Entry

Successful StepUp Entry and StepUp Equity Adjustment Admission Pathway (StepUp Bonus) applicants will be eligible to be considered for admission into this course.

Alternative pathways

UniReady
If you don’t meet our minimum admission criteria, the UniReady Enabling Program can help you qualify for entry into a range of undergraduate courses.
Certificate IV + English Competency
The certificate IV is the minimum requirement for university entry. It qualifies you for entry to Curtin courses with a 70 ATAR. You must also meet English language proficiency.
Indigenous applicant
If you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander applicant who hasn’t met Curtin’s minimum admissions criteria, the Centre for Aboriginal Studies offers bridging courses that are tailored to help you gain entry into this course.
STAT entry
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

The Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is a national test for those who don't meet university admission criteria. STAT can be used to meet entry criteria for some courses, or as a way to satisfy Curtin’s English proficiency requirements.

Written English and either verbal or quantitative

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

How others gained admission

View the ATAR breakdown to see the low, median and high ATAR scores of students who started studying this course recently.

To see the other pathways students have taken, see the pathway breakdown.

Other requirements and notes for this course

Applicants are required to choose one of the Bachelor of Arts majors when applying. If you with to study a double major, you elect the second major once you have been accepted into the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone with work and life experience if:

You have left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.

How we define ‘experience’
‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education such as mature-age entry, professional experience whether completion of the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is required or not, community involvement or work experience. Applicants may have undertaken non-formal programs that have helped prepare them for tertiary education or are relevant to the proposed higher education field of study.

Pathways

STAT entry
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

The Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is a national test for those who don't meet university admission criteria. STAT can be used to meet entry criteria for some courses, or as a way to satisfy Curtin’s English proficiency requirements.

Written English and either verbal or quantitative

ATAR pathway

Minimum ATAR 70
This course has a minimum ATAR of 70
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

Subjects you must have studied in high school to be eligible for entry into a course.

English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR.
Desirable WACE subjects
Desirable WACE subjects

High school subjects that aren’t essential for entry into the course, but provide a good foundation.

There are no desirable WACE subjects for this course.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Applicants are required to choose one of the Bachelor of Arts majors when applying. If you with to study a double major, you elect the second major once you have been accepted into the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone who studied at TAFE or have done an apprenticeship if:

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not. Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications such as a Year 10 or Year 12 secondary school certificate.

Pathways

TAFE entry
- AQF Certificate IV - Separate evidence of English language proficiency is required; or
- AQF Diploma; or
- AQF Advanced Diploma.

STAT entry
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

The Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is a national test for those who don't meet university admission criteria. STAT can be used to meet entry criteria for some courses, or as a way to satisfy Curtin’s English proficiency requirements.

Written English and either verbal or quantitative

ATAR pathway

Minimum ATAR 70
This course has a minimum ATAR of 70
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

Subjects you must have studied in high school to be eligible for entry into a course.

English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR.
Desirable WACE subjects
Desirable WACE subjects

High school subjects that aren’t essential for entry into the course, but provide a good foundation.

There are no desirable WACE subjects for this course.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Applicants are required to choose one of the Bachelor of Arts majors when applying. If you with to study a double major, you elect the second major once you have been accepted into the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

You’re considered someone who has recently left university if:

Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This may include applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to Curtin University, or applicants who are currently studying at Curtin but want to switch to a different course. It may also include applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.

Curtin course switcher criteria

Our admission criteria for minimum entry apply to Curtin course switchers. For information on how to meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, please see our admission criteria web page.

Higher education course switcher criteria

Our admission criteria for minimum entry apply to other higher education course switchers. For information on how to meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, please see our admission criteria web page.

ATAR pathway

Minimum ATAR 70
This course has a minimum ATAR of 70
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)
Essential WACE subjects (prerequisites)

Subjects you must have studied in high school to be eligible for entry into a course.

English ATAR, Literature ATAR or English as an Additional Language/Dialect ATAR.
Desirable WACE subjects
Desirable WACE subjects

High school subjects that aren’t essential for entry into the course, but provide a good foundation.

There are no desirable WACE subjects for this course.

Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Applicants are required to choose one of the Bachelor of Arts majors when applying. If you with to study a double major, you elect the second major once you have been accepted into the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

Unsure what option suits you?

We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of university admission. Choose the support you need from the options below.

Find your pathway to Curtin

Think you don’t have the marks or qualifications to study at Curtin? We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.

Pathway finder tool

Other requirements and notes for this course

Applicants are required to choose one of the Bachelor of Arts majors when applying. If you with to study a double major, you elect the second major once you have been accepted into the course.

In addition to the course-specific admission criteria listed above, please read our general admission criteria. Our general admission criteria apply to all courses at Curtin University.

Fees and charges

Please view the Bachelor of Arts degree for indicative fees.

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

View course structure

How to apply

Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice

Apply now

Frequently asked questions

Acceptance Due Date for International Students

There are 3 different categories of acceptance due dates:

For countries listed here (Country List), acceptance due date is 7 weeks before course start date, as stated on your Offer Letter. If you have a GTE Finance or GTE Interview condition on your offer, you must submit the GTE documentation 2 weeks before the acceptance closing date.
For all other countries which are not listed in the list, the acceptance due date is 3 weeks before the course start date.
If you are currently in Australia on a valid visa, the acceptance closing date is 1 week before the course start date.

Curtin has a duty of care to ensure all international students have sufficient time to have their student visa issued and to arrive in Perth in time for the Orientation Week and the start of classes. The timeframes stipulated above allows Curtin to process your completed documents and for the Department of Home Affairs to issue your student visa in time. For more information on visa processing times, please refer to the Visa Processing Times on the Department of Home Affairs website.

For international application deadlines, please refer to: Key dates and university application deadlines | Curtin University

Search our FAQs

The offering information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.

The information on this page may be subject to change. In particular, Curtin University may change the content, method or location of delivery or tuition fees of courses.

While Curtin uses reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided on this page is accurate and up to date, errors and omissions sometimes occur. Curtin makes no warranty, representation or undertaking (expressed or implied) nor does it assume any legal liability (direct or indirect) for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information.

View courses information disclaimer.
Curtin course code: MJRU-PRWRP
Last updated on: 20 November 2024

Professional Writing and Publishing

Undergraduate major

Select your preferred degree

Outline

Outline

How this course will make you industry ready

What jobs can the Professional Writing and Publishing course lead to?

What you'll learn

Why study Professional Writing and Publishing

Transferable skills

Get the Curtin edge

Work experience

Get the latest Curtin updates

Admission criteria

Select an option that best suits you:

You’re considered a high school leaver if you:

ATAR pathway

Alternative pathways

Find your pathway to Curtin

How others gained admission

Other requirements and notes for this course

You’re considered someone with work and life experience if:

Pathways

ATAR pathway

Find your pathway to Curtin

Other requirements and notes for this course

You’re considered someone who studied at TAFE or have done an apprenticeship if:

Pathways

ATAR pathway

Find your pathway to Curtin

Other requirements and notes for this course

You’re considered someone who has recently left university if:

Curtin course switcher criteria

Higher education course switcher criteria

ATAR pathway

Find your pathway to Curtin

Other requirements and notes for this course

Unsure what option suits you?

FAQs

Ask a question

Call us

Visit us

Find your pathway to Curtin

Other requirements and notes for this course

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Fees and charges

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

How to apply

Frequently asked questions

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