algonquin college creative writing

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School of Media & Design

Learn highly marketable skills in writing for a career in digital and print media., join us at open house on november 9th, virtual tour, explore our campuses online, find out what your program delivery will look like.

Professional Writing

• Only diploma program in Ontario for Professional Writing and the only college writing program in the province offering courses for both professional writing and creative writing
• Students write children’s books that are illustrated by the Illustration and Concept Art students. The best five books are published through our in-house press, Spine Online Press
• Students edit an anthology of their stories and then work on proofreading, designing, publishing, and marketing the final product.

Apply your computer programming talent to launch a career creating games of strategy and skill.

Program Information

Program availability and schedule, availability, international availability, competitive, program summary.

College Approved Certificate

Program Delivery

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Program Code

Area of Interest

Work Integrated Learning

Field placement/work placement

• Scheduled hours of activities intended to give student hands- on experience in the workplace and for which the students do not typically receive a regular salary or wage from the employer; this instructional setting is characterized by:
• Activities that are an integral component of the curriculum of the program and are necessary for the completion of the program.
• Activities in which college staff do not directly supervise students and for which college staff undertake one or more of the following activities:
• Make periodic site visits.
• Ensure that assignments given to students and the work being done by students are suitable for the program.
• Monitor the students’ progress in the field placement activity.
• Help address problems encountered by students in the field or work placement activity.
• Evaluate student’s performance in the field or work placement activity.

With a focus on both professional and creative writing, the two-year Professional Writing Ontario College Diploma program teaches you the skills and flexibility to work as a writer in a variety of fields. You learn writing skills for digital and print media from nationally recognized writers, authors and communications experts.

Acquire the necessary skills to write independently and collaboratively in freelance and organizational settings. With attention to detail, learn to research, write, edit and proofread.... (read more)

Programs at Algonquin College are delivered using a variety of instruction modes. Courses may be offered in the classroom or lab, entirely online, or in a hybrid mode which combines classroom sessions with virtual learning activities. Upon registration, each full-time student is provided an Algonquin email account which is used to communicate important information about program or course events.

Course Name:

Communications 1

Course Description:

Communication remains an essential skill sought by employers, regardless of discipline or field of study. Using a practical, vocation-orient... + Read More

Role of the Writer in North American Culture

Successful writers recognize and embrace the role(s) they play in society; however, emergent writers are not always aware of the potential f... + Read More

Creative Writing 1

Storytelling fundamentals are the building blocks of effective and impactful writing. Students learn the fundamentals of storytelling, such ... + Read More

Introduction to Research

Strong research skills are essential to writers, who must ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the content they create to maintain their ... + Read More

The Fundamentals of Writing

Professional writers require mastery of English grammar, mechanics, syntax and other foundational elements of writing. Students study and ap... + Read More

General Education Elective

Students choose one course, from a group of general education electives, which meets one of the following four theme requirements: Arts in S... + Read More

Interpersonal Skills for Personal and Career Success

To be effective storytellers, writers need to work with others. Students explore several different factors that affect our relationships, in... + Read More

Design for Public Relations 1

Public Relations practitioners often work with graphic designers and an understanding of basic design principles helps to facilitate that pa... + Read More

Creative Writing 2

Awareness of the publishing landscape and strong storytelling skills are essential to creative writers who want to share their work with the... + Read More

Professional Writing 1

Professional writers who communicate in variety of formal genres and present their work to the public effectively are more adaptable and mar... + Read More

Issues in Canadian Society and Media

Writers must have an awareness of the hot-topic issues and politics of the environment in which they write and publish if they want to conne... + Read More

Introduction to Editing

If a writer wants to publish their work, they will inevitably need to know how to edit that work prior to publication. Students develop a ba... + Read More

Design for Public Relations 2

Knowing how to do basic design work is an asset for public relations practitioners, particularly those who work in smaller organizations. St... + Read More

Professional Writing 2

Professional writers require a diverse skillset and an awareness of organizational culture and dynamics in order to tailor their writing for... + Read More

Narrative Non-Fiction

Students learn how to apply fictional techniques to narrative non-fiction (essays, memoirs and feature stories). They read and discuss a wi... + Read More

Writing for the Web

Students learn the stylistic requirements of writing that is designed to be read on the web. They learn the importance of clear succinct wri... + Read More

Substantive and Literary Editing

Students further develop their skills as editors, with emphasis on structural editing and editing for style. Students learn the process by w... + Read More

Creative Writing 3

Students broaden their understanding of the approaches that contemporary fiction writers take to short and longer fiction, including world b... + Read More

Field Placement Or Special Project

Students complete their studies with either an external or internal work integrated learning experience. Students completing their training ... + Read More

Preparation for Placement

Students prepare for their transition to their post-college writing and working lives by learning essential skills, including researching wo... + Read More

Production Projects

Students have the opportunity to see how their words and ideas reach audiences. Students build on the elementary knowledge of design softwa... + Read More

The Business of Writing and Publishing

Many writers perform their working lives on a freelance basis. In this course, students learn about aspects of freelance writing, including... + Read More

Scriptwriting for the Online Environment

Writers must adapt to quickly transforming platforms for communication. With the increase in organizational use of social media such as You... + Read More

Plain Language Tune Up

Adaptation is one of the key skills of writers working in an organizational context. The principles of plain language are increasingly impo... + Read More

Creative Writing Workshop

Testing one's creative work against the expectations and critical discussion of an audience is an essential skill for creative writers who h... + Read More

DSN2001 History of Design

Enl1813m communications 1, env0002 environmental citizenship, fin2300 introduction to personal finance, ged5002 victimology, ged5003 the science of play, ged5004 living green, ged5005 greek mythology, sorry - at the moment we can't seem to find a description for that course, try looking on the general education website., ged5200 supporting learning differences in society, ged5300 the science of everyday life, ged6022 a sense of humour, gen1001 ethics: what is the big deal, gen1957 science fiction, gen2003 healthy lifestyle, gen2007 community service, lib1982 reading for recreation, prl1519 design for public relations 1, prl1536 design for public relations 2, scr3002 creative writing 1, scr3005 creative writing 2, scr3007 professional writing 1, scr3014 issues in canadian society and media, scr3020 introduction to editing, scr3022 professional writing 2, scr3025 narrative non-fiction, scr3035 writing for the web, scr3047 creative writing 3, scr3048 the fundamentals of writing, soc2003 understanding human sexuality, careers & pathways.

Please note: There may be more pathways available for this program than are listed here. Please use our Pathways search tool to see every option.

Learning Outcomes

Tuition & fees.

Get an idea of how much each semester will cost with our Tuition and Fee Estimator .

2024/2025 Academic Year

Admissions requirements.

All applicants must satisfy both College Eligibility and Program Eligibility requirements.

Program Eligibility

Application information, additional information, program resources, michele hall, program coordinator.

[email protected]

613-727-4723, ext. 6399

An English professor and coordinator in the School of Media and Design at Algonquin College, Michele Hall is also a writer with a PhD in English literature from McGill University. Her study of the artistic career of Canadian artist P.K. Irwin, The Art of P.K. Irwin: observer, other, Gemini (2016), was shortlisted for the Forward Indie Book Awards in the Women’s Studies category. She has also written for numerous Canadian organizations and publications, including The League of Canadian Poets, English Studies in Canada, Canadian Poetry , and Matrix , and served as a contributing editor for The Maple Tree Literary Supplement and The Bull Calf.

Emily Keays

Professor and field placement coordinator.

[email protected]

Colin O’Connell

[email protected]

Colin O’Connell has taught Business and Professional Writing at the college and university levels. He has also served as a Senior Marketing Communications Manager for some of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. In this role, Colin was responsible for shaping the outbound messaging for a wide range of high-profile flagship products. He is a strong believer in disciplined teaching and hard work, and applies his commitment to excellence and precision to teaching Professional Writing with a particular focus on business. Colin is the author and editor of several books, as well as numerous scholarly articles. He has a Ph.D. in the Humanities.

Nathaniel Whelan

[email protected]

Nathaniel Whelan is a part-time professor in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College, where he teaches web writing every fall. As a past graduate, he brings unique insight into the practical, real-world benefits of the program. Nathaniel also works full-time in communications at Carleton University. In this position, he is responsible for developing web and social media content, among other materials. In addition to a master’s degree in European and Russian history, Nathaniel has published numerous short stories for various online and in-print literary magazines. But don’t ask to read any of his stuff unless you like a good scare!

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Ready to apply, get more information, is this program right for me.

Choosing a program that suits you is the first step to a great career. This quiz might help you decide.

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Do you fit this Program ?

• Do you enjoy researching topics and gathering information? Yes No
• Can you work independently? Yes No
• Are you inquisitive, well-organized and have an analytical nature? Yes No
• Do you have good written and oral communications skills? Yes No

Your results will be sent to your email.

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Every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication. The College reserves the right to modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable, or campus location at any time.

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