Download PDF

Course Outline

CMN352 Professional Creative Writing Practice: Industry Engagement

Course Coordinator:Lee McGowan (lmcgowa1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

The purpose of this course is for you to engage in and deepen your understanding of the Creative Writing & Publishing industries. You develop will consider employment and career building opportunities, these may include consideration of the work of authors, editors, publishers, agents, designers, publicists and others aspects of creative writing and publishing through an industrial internship. You will gain valuable insight into and experience in applying expertise and knowledge related to professional practice and have opportunities to discuss and reflect on your learning and experiences.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – In-class tutorial 3hrs Week 1 12 times
Placement 1hr Week 1 Not Yet Determined
Online
Lecture – 1 hour online content for 12 weeks (or equivalent). 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Interactive zoom tutorial 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

Critical examination of the Creative Writing and Publishing Industries from an industry and professional practitioner’s perspective, including practicalities of publishing, documenting practice, promoting work, building a writing profile, developing research skills, realising transferable writing skills, developing strategic pathways to publishing.

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

24 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Identify and document industry practices in one or more aspects of the Creative Writing and Publishing Industries Knowledgeable
Empowered
Engaged
2 Critically reflect on, analyse and evaluate demonstrated skills in an aspect of creative writing and publishing Creative and critical thinker
3 Apply the concepts and theories of creative writing and publishing industries, including problem solving, analytical and research skills and evaluation in a professional practice situation. Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
4 Responsibility and accountability for own learning and professional practice. Ethical

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Enrolled in Program AR305.

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

In Week 4, students will be provided with oral and written feedback on their internship progress and presentation activities

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Oral Individual 10% 
3-5 minute oral presentation recorded as a short clip and submitted via Blackboard.
 Week 4 Online Submission
All 2 Essay Individual 50% 
3000-word essay presented as a Word document to industry standards.
 Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Placement performance Individual 40% 
208 hours of industry internship and 1,000-word report presented as a Word document to industry standards
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Oral Presentation
Goal: 
To simulate industry-standard professional planning within Creative Writing and Publishing industries.
Product: Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format: a 3-5 minute oral presentation recorded as a short clip and submitted via Blackboard. The clip should:
• Identify an informed professional plan for an industry internship project;
• Underline correlation between the central focus of Assessment 2, the Essay, and Assessment 3, your chosen Industry Internship; 
• Highlight and demonstrate understanding of: theoretical frameworks; key themes and concepts; and anticipated learning outcomes, related to your industry internship.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstrate understanding of key aspects of creative writing and publishing industries
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Essay
Goal: 
Identify and examine a specific example of contemporary industry practice related to Creative Writing and Publishing.
Product: Essay
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format: complete a 3000-word essay which identifies and examines one or more aspects of the creative writing and publishing industries that are related to your industry internship. The Essay must include evidence of scholarly investigation and evaluation and be submitted to Blackboard.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Describe knowledge acquired within one area of the creative writing and publishing industries
 2 3
2 
Research and critically analyse one or more aspects of contemporary industry practice
 2 3
3 
Demonstrate understanding and application of underpinning theoretical frameworks related to creative writing and publishing industries
 2 3
Generic Skills: 
Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Industry Internship
Goal: 
To evaluate a personal learning and professional development experience and critically reflect on the challenges and outcomes of a Work Integrated Learning opportunity.
Product: Placement performance
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format: during your WIL experience, you are required to complete 208 hours of work experience. You are required to complete the internship satisfactorily. The Course Coordinator will check in with the Internship Host and student (via phone, email, or in person) during the internship. 

In addition: you are required to submit a 1,000-word report. The report will include articulation and critical analysis of at least one aspect of your industry internship.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Application of problem solving, analytical and research skills and evaluation in a professional practice situation
 2 3 4
2 
Completion of 208 hours of experience
 1 4
3 
Submission of 1,000 word report that reflects understanding of underpinning theoretical frameworks of the professional practice situation
 2 3 4
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct.

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au
Download PDF