The MCW is for writers working on a large-scale creative writing project: a novel, short story collection, full-length work of creative nonfiction, or poetry collection. The programme is convened by the award-winning fiction writer and essayist Paula Morris. Selina Tusitala Marsh, a former Poet Laureate, co-supervises poets in the programme. Each week writers meet for both workshops and seminars. Our visitors include local and international writers; practitioners from the world of film, radio and theatre; and speakers from the publishing and literary arts world. Recent visiting writers include Airini Beautrais, Teju Cole, Michel Faber, Aminatta Forna, Stephanie Johnson, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Elizabeth McCracken, Amy McDaid, Frankie McMillan, Karlo Mila, Ben Okri and Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

The MCW is for writers working on a large-scale creative writing project: a novel, short story collection, full-length work of creative nonfiction, or poetry collection. The programme is convened by the award-winning fiction writer and essayist Paula Morris.

Master of Creative Writing

<div>The Master of Professional Writing (MPW) involves taking a core paper, designed specifically to enhance your workplace readiness, as well as elective papers which range across a variety of fields from creative writing to writing for promotional purposes and advertising, for digital media and for scholarly and professional publication.If creative writing is your passion, then you will have the opportunity to specialise in this. The Creative Writing Thesis gives selected students the option of producing a manuscript of publishable quality - whether poetry, fiction or creative nonfiction - in a stimulating and supportive workshop environment of fellow writers, and supervised by award-winning authors. The selection of students for the Creative Writing Thesis is by assessment of a portfolio of poetry and prose, and a manuscript proposal outlining the creative project.When studying towards the MPW you will be able to include a professional writing internship and be offered an on-campus writing mentor, who will provide professional advice and direct you towards writing opportunities.Industry ConnectionsThe staff contributing to the Professional Writing programme have long-standing relationships with the broader writing community at a number of levels:<ul><li>They have established senior profiles as publishers of creative and scholarly writing, as editors of literary and scholarly materials, and as peer reviewers for local and international journals.</li><li>The creative writing staff have won significant local and international prizes for short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction.</li><li>They publish across a wide range of academic and popular media, including reviews, opinion columns, feature articles, works of scholarly reference, book chapters, scholarly articles, researched scholarly editions, and researched books.</li><li>They are called on to judge local and international literary prizes and to assess applications for substantial public and private funding for literary grants, including the annual University of Waikato Writers' Residency (co-funded by Creative New Zealand) and the Sargeson Grimshaw Writing Fellowship.</li><li>Contributing staff in Screen and Media maintain international networks in scriptwriting and script development.</li><li>Staff maintain professional links with local and international organisations who coordinate, sponsor and enhance the interests of professional writing in Aotearoa New Zealand.</li></ul>Career OpportunitiesMPW graduates will have excellent transferable skills in devising, producing and editing text. If you include a formal internship in your programme of study or take up the option of informal professional mentoring, you will make connections in the professional writing community, and enhance your CV with relevant work experience.Potential careers include editing, long-form researched journalism, policy analysis and policy writing, report writing, script writing, speech writing, teaching, website content editing, writing for digital and broadcast media, writing for stage and screen, writing for travel and tourism and writing for public relations and marketing.Potential employers include biotechnology industries; cultural sector/arts organisations; energy provision sector; higher education sector; libraries and archives; local and district councils; manufacturing and technology; national government, NGOs; non-profit and philanthropic sector; primary industries; print and digital news media; publishing industry; telecommunications; theatre, film and broadcast media production houses; transport, tourism and travel.</div>

The only one of its kind in New Zealand, Waikato's Master of Professional Writing offers a research-led, strongly practice-based qualification in professional and creative writing.

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Master of Professional Writing
Masters (Coursework)

Master of Creative Writing
Masters (Coursework)

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Master of Professional WritingMasters (Coursework)

Master of Creative WritingMasters (Coursework)

Master of Professional Writing
Masters (Coursework)

Master of Creative Writing
Masters (Coursework)