Fees-free is available for eligible first-time tertiary learners. Find out if you’re eligible at feesfree.govt.nz
Live the dream
Do you dream of writing a book or perhaps poetry or a script? Do you require enhanced communicative skills for employment? Our fully online writing diploma programme gives flexibility around busy lives as it lays the foundations for skills and techniques essential for professional writing.
Our highly-qualified tutors are all published writers and by the end of the course you will have an excellent grounding in a variety of genres as well as an overview of the writing scene in Āotearoa, New Zealand.
NorthTec offers qualifications up to level 7 in applied writing:
Our programmes are ideal for people who wish to work independently as writers, for those already working in the creative industries who wish to enhance/upgrade their skills, and for those working in other industries who wish to improve their writing skills to allow higher-level employment.
What you will learn
With this programme, you will learn broad theoretical and technical knowledge and skills relevant to creative and applied writing that will enable you to work in the writing sector, in relation to publishing, broadcasting, performance and digital platforms, and other businesses and organisations.
In this programme you will learn to:
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Select and apply writing principles and processes (planning, analysis, research, drafting, editing and rewriting) to produce original outputs for specific audiences (print, broadcasting, performance and digital platforms) in the creative industries, and other businesses and organisations.
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Apply professional, legal and ethical principles in a socially responsible manner to writing practice.
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Work independently or as part of a team to fulfil customer requirements, meet deadlines, work to a brief and solve problems in order to develop and complete writing projects.
Courses in this programme
| Compulsory Courses |
Level |
Credits |
|
5001 - Writing in New Zealand
Aim: To provide learners with the knowledge and skills needed to apply professional, legal, cultural and ethical principles to own writing practice.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Apply professional, legal and ethical principles to writing practices.
- Explain the impact and obligations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi on NZ writers and writings.
- Identify the ‘New Zealand voice’ in a range of texts.
Indicative content:
- Changes in publishing landscape
- Copyright law, defamation law, Privacy Act
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Mataatua Declaration
- Ownership and appropriation of stories
- Contemporary literature of indigenous writers
- Culture and diversity in Aotearoa NZ
- Contemporary works which with bi- or multi-cultural perspectives
- Contemporary works that reflect diversity
- Cultural considerations: own background, belief systems etc.
|
5 |
15 |
|
5002 - Storytelling
Aim: To analyse and apply storytelling principles to create original texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse key elements and principles of storytelling across a range of genres.
- Research, select and apply effective writing principles to construct original outputs.
- Construct, revise, resolve and present outputs appropriate to genre and audience.
Indicative content:
- Key elements of stories and story-telling
- Effective writing principles including: purpose clarity, unity, iteration, syntax, grammar, mood changers, cultural & gender inclusiveness
- Principles and process of construction for stories and storytelling
- Goal, motivation, conflict
- Developing, shaping and refining outputs
- Audience and market
- Revision and problem resolution
|
5 |
15 |
|
5003 - Short Fiction
Aim: To select and apply fiction writing principles and processes to create short fiction.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of short fiction as fit for purpose
- Apply effective writing principles and processes to develop original outputs.
- Construct, revise, resolve and present written short fiction outputs.
Indicative content:
- Key elements and writing principles for short fiction
- Writing processes
- Structuring short fiction
- Limited range of characters and settings
- Tight plotting
- Themes
- Beginnings and endings
- Word counts
- Short story publication options
- Audience and market
|
5 |
15 |
|
5004 - Short Non-Fiction
Aim: To select and apply writing principles and processes to construct short non-fiction.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of non-fiction texts as fit for purpose.
- Research, plan and construct a range of short non-fiction outputs.
- Construct, revise, resolve and present a range of original non-fiction outputs.
Indicative content:
- Categories of non-fiction
- Definition of short non-fiction
- Understanding author, story, angle and audience
- Sourcing , selecting and assessing information
- Principles and processes for structuring and constructing short non-fiction
- Interviewing techniques
- Word counts
- Non-fiction publication options
- Audience and market
|
5 |
15 |
|
5005 - Long Texts
Aim: To select and apply writing principles and processes to construct long texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of long texts as fit for purpose.
- Research, plan and construct original long text outputs.
- Construct, revise, resolve and present a written long text output.
Indicative content:
- Fiction genres, creative non-fiction, memoir etc.
- Purpose and audience
- Research, world-building
- Plots, subplots, story arcs, structure
- Development of characters/themes
- Audience and market
- Principles and processes
|
5 |
15 |
|
5006 - Poetry
Aim: To analyse and apply principles and processes of poetry to construct texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of poetry
- Research, plan and apply principles to construct a range of original poetry
- Construct revise, resolve and present a range of original outputs.
Indicative content:
- Poetic forms
- Themes
- Language conventions (metaphor, onomatopoeia etc.)
- Layout/shape
- Metaphors
- Audience and market
- Principles and processes
|
5 |
15 |
|
5007 - Short Scripts
Aim: To analyse and apply principles and processes of scriptwriting to construct texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of short scripts.
- Research, plan and apply principles to construct a range of original short script outputs.
- Construct, revise, resolve and present short scripts.
Indicative content:
- Script conventions
- Differentiating characters through dialogue
- Plotting/themes
- Performance length/intention
- Audience and market
- Principles and processes
|
5 |
15 |
|
5008 - Project Management
Aim: To establish and manage a writing project to a brief.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Develop a project plan to fulfil an assigned brief
- Critically determine and manage challenges to achieving deadlines and outcomes
- Deliver project to meet required outcomes.
Indicative content:
- Receiving and interpreting a brief
- Establishing outcomes, parameters and deadlines
- Portfolios
- Milestones
- Editing tasks and skills
- Targeted market/audience
- Working independently
- Collaboration options and challenges
|
5 |
15 |
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to work as freelance writers, or be employed as technical writers, scriptwriters, writers of website content, educational writers, speech writers, museum writers, newsletter writers and writers of other professional content, and/or as book reviewers.
Admission information
Applicants under the age of 20
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An example of the applicant’s original creative writing.
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A minimum of 42 credits at NCEA Level 3 including at least 14 credits in an English-rich subject (e.g. English, history, art history, classics, geography) or equivalent; or
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Successful completion of a recognised writing foundation programme or equivalent, for example the New Zealand Certificate in Creative Writing (Level 4).
Applicants aged 20 years and over
Evidence that the applicant can successfully achieve the qualification graduate outcomes.
English language requirements
All applicants must have a level of English sufficient to be able to study at this level. Those students whose first language is not English should have:
Special Entry
In exceptional circumstances, an applicant who does not meet the full entry requirements may be granted admission to the Programme on the approval of the Head of Department or delegate if he/she is confident of the applicant’s ability to successfully undertake the Diploma with a reasonable likelihood of success.
Qualification gained
New Zealand Diploma in Writing for Creative Industries (Level 5)