Both creative writing and law require high-calibre, sophisticated communication. This double degree will strongly develop your writing skills which can be applied through your law studies and in future careers.

Areas of study include all the major areas of law and creative writing. In the creative writing component of the course, you will work intensively on your writing in a number of forms including novels, short stories, creative non-fiction, memoir, genre writing, and poetry. You will develop comprehensive editing skills as well as self-editing skills. You will learn about and engage with local writing contexts, as well as enter contemporary debates around ideas that illuminate and challenge what people write and how they write it. You will learn to think and write critically about texts. You will learn how to engage readers through emotional story telling. You will progress towards a major piece of creative writing in a form and genre of your choice at the end of your degree.

In the law component, there is a practical focus which, when combined with creative writing study, will equip you for a broad range of careers, including legal practice.

Your law degree will provide additional career opportunities, and legal skills you can apply in your creative industries career. Alternatively your writing skills will complement your legal studies, should you choose to pursue a career as a lawyer. Your degrees in law and creative writing will prove invaluable in legal careers within publishing, intellectual property or policy development, or in writing careers focusing on legal issues such as crime writing, or case reporting.  

Graduates can work as writers and editors in legal, community and freelance capacities.

Professional recognition

This course is approved by the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board. If you want to become a lawyer at the end of your degree, you will need to complete further practical legal training (PLT) before you can apply for admission to practice. We offer PLT in the form of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

The Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, provides the knowledge, skills, understanding and values required to become a competent entry-level legal practitioner. The course is available in full-time, internal mode and part-time, online mode. The course complies with the Law Admissions Consultative Council's Competency Standards for entry-level lawyers and is approved by the Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board.

Possible careers

• Academic
• Art Writer
• Barrister
• Copywriter
• Creative Writer
• Crown Law Officer
• Government Officer
• In-House Lawyer
• Information Officer
• Lawyer
• Organisational Communication Specialist
• Policy analyst