We offer a highly supportive, vibrant environment in which to undertake postgraduate study, taught by academics who are recognised both nationally and internationally as leading scholars and researchers in their fields. They are dedicated to supporting and mentoring students in all levels of their study and in their research.
The Graduate Diploma in Māori and Language Pedagogies: Aumiri Pounamu (GradDipMLP) provides provisionally certified and practising kaiako teachers with the confidence to be educators of te ao Māori.
Our programme will help guide you to embed Māori knowledge and culture into your teaching at early, primary, and secondary schools. This includes te reo, tikanga Māori traditional culture, Aotearoa New Zealand history, and mātauranga Māori worldviews, such as sustainability and our role as kaitiakitanga protectors of the land.
The GradDipMLP requires 120 points of compulsory courses, which can be completed within 4 years of part-time study, starting in January.
There are flexible options to suit working kaiako teachers, including noho marae experiences, day wānanga, and night classes.
The Honours programme is for students who want another year of specialised study in Education and Human Development after completing a BA degree. It allows students to develop their research skills in preparation for embarking on thesis work within the MA or PhD degrees.
The Graduate Certificate in Māori and Language Pedagogies: Aumiri Pounamu (GradCertMLP) gives our future and practising kaiako teachers the opportunity to develop their knowledge and confidence introducing our tamariki to the history, culture, and language of our indigenous communities.
This is valuable professional development for teachers who want to be mentors or leaders in Māori education within their centres, schools, or learning spaces, and beyond.
The (GradCertMLP) is a total of 60 points, made up by a 15-point compulsory course in introductory te reo proficiency, and a minimum of 45 points in elective courses.
Study begins in January, and is completed part-time within 2 years to accommodate working kaiako teachers, including noho marae experiences, day wānanga, and night classes.
Students may also apply to the Dean of Education to transfer their completed courses to the Graduate Diploma in Māori and Language Pedagogies: Aumiri Pounamu.
Choose a minimum of 45 points from the following:
The Graduate Certificate in Māori and Language Pedagogies: Aumiri Pounamu (GradCertMLP) can also be an exit option from the GradDipMLP. Undertaken in this way, the Certificate provides provisionally certified and practising kaiako teachers with developing confidence to be educators of te ao Māori.
The Graduate Certificate exit option of 60pts will help to embed Māori knowledge and culture into your teaching at early, primary, and secondary levels. This includes te reo Māori, tikanga Māori traditional culture, Aotearoa New Zealand history, and mātauranga Māori worldviews.
The PGCertEd gives teachers, counsellors and other educational professionals the opportunity to improve their professional practice and examine critically significant issues in education. The certificate can be a pathway to the Postgraduate Diploma in Education and the Master of Education.
Please note this qualification is not a pathway to teacher registration, if you wish to study to become a registered teacher check out our Initial Teacher Education qualifications.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Youth and Community Leadership PGCertYACL is a part time qualification made up two compulsory courses. All courses in the programme are studied by distance so that you can complete your Certificate from your own location.
You will develop your own personal leadership identity, gain key action skills, and learn about improving issues faced by youth and community organisations. You will have the opportunity to reflect on and engage with youth and/or community work and leadership in local and global contexts.
You will study part-time for 1 year, beginning in February and have the option to later move into our Postgraduate Diploma Youth and Community Leadership programme.
The two courses in the Certificate include collaborative learning, practical applications, and virtual site visits from local iwi and charitable organisations.
Postgraduate Diploma in Youth and Community Leadership (PGDipYACL) is one of the only postgraduate programmes of its kind in Aotearoa that creates responsive leaders to youth, community, and global needs.
You will develop your leadership skills on top of your previous studies, and also supports current leaders to develop key management and entrepreneurial skills to take back into their communities and organisations. You will have the opportunity to reflect on and engage with youth and/or community work and leadership in local and global contexts.
You can study this pathway full-time for 1 year, or part-time for up to 2 years, and can be started in either February or July. Depending on your course selection you can complete your Diploma completely by distance at your own location, or a blend of distance and on-campus study. (Please note that some courses might only be offered online or face-to-face.)
You can customise your Diploma by selecting courses to an area of your choosing, so you can work towards a career path that interests you. The Diploma is made up of a total of 120 points, including two compulsory courses and a selection of optional courses.
Compulsory courses:
Plus choose at least 30 points from the following options:
The remaining 30 points can be chosen from the list above, or from any postgraduate courses at UC.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (PGCertTESOL) is an ideal fast-track qualification for those who may have come to the career of English language education through an indirect route and wish to undertake professional development or for graduates interested in entering the TESOL profession. It is also an ideal pathway to further postgraduate study in this discipline. The programme is composed of two courses:
The courses in the PGCertTertTchg look beyond the focus of a specific department or knowledge area and consider academic practices from various disciplines. Throughout this programme, a process of shared inquiry and collaborative learning is used to explore participants’ teaching practices and their students’ understanding of learning.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching is designed to enable graduates to apply knowledge of research to teaching and learning, develop and justify a repertoire of teaching approaches and assessment practices, and evaluate and advance their teaching practices.
The PGDipEd is designed to give teachers, counsellors and other educational professionals the opportunity to improve their professional practice and examine critically significant issues in education. It generally consists of four courses totalling 120 points. Each specialist endorsement has different compulsory and optional courses:
Many students of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education make the choice to complete an additional courses to be awarded the Master of Education. Some PGDipEd courses are exclusively available by distance learning options.
Please note this qualification is not a pathway to teacher registration, if you wish to study to become a registered teacher check out our Initial Teacher Education qualifications.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Hōaka Pounamu | Māori Bilingual and Immersion Teaching and Learning (PGDipHP) aims to develop high-quality graduates who will promote leadership and raise knowledge of te reo Māori in bilingual, immersion, and mainstream settings.
The MA in Education consists of four courses and a thesis. It is designed to give students the opportunity to develop and extend their research skills to address questions of interest in education.
The Master of Education (MEd) degree is designed to give teachers, counsellors or other educational professionals the opportunity to improve their professional practice, examine critically significant issues in education or undertake research in their fields of interest. See our MEd page for more information.
Please note this qualification is not a pathway to teacher registration, if you wish to study to become a registered teacher check out our Initial Teacher Education qualifications.
The Master of Specialist Teaching programme provides the opportunity for students to focus their postgraduate studies on specialist teaching. This 180 point programme is relevant for educators working with children and learners who have special educational needs in early childhood, primary and secondary sectors.
If you have a PGDipSpTch - to graduate with a master's degree you will need to complete an additional 60 points of study including one of either EDEM637, EDEM638 or EDEM669, and one optional 30 point course.
The degree will be awarded unendorsed or endorsed in one of the following endorsement areas: Complex Educational Needs, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Intervention or Learning and Behaviour.
If you have partially completed the PGDipST at UC and are looking to continue with this programme, you may be eligible to enrol at Massey University. Further information is available on Massey’s website.
Please note this qualification is not a pathway to teacher registration, if you wish to study to become a registered teacher check out our Initial Teacher Education qualifications.
The Master of Teaching and Learning (MTchgLn) is an initial teacher education (ITE) qualification. It is an exciting option for graduates seeking to become primary or secondary teachers and who wish to distinguish themselves with a postgraduate qualification.
This professional Master’s will equip participants with enhanced research-based knowledge and inquiry skills, experiences of contemporary educational theory, and professional practice so they can become teachers with the expertise essential to schools in the 21st century. It is also an ideal pathway for those who have a particular interest in and commitment to supporting learning for diverse learners in mainstream schools, including Māori and Pasifika children and youth, learners for whom English is a second language, and those who experience special learning needs.
Students in the MTchgLn complete the requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (PGDipTchgLn) and an additional 30-point teaching research course. The degree is endorsed in either Primary Education or Secondary Education, and both are internationally recognised professional qualifications. Students will meet Matatū Aotearoa | Teaching Council of New Zealand teaching standards, and will be able to apply for registration and certification with the teaching council as a school teacher.
The Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL) is a one-year professional qualification aimed at producing skilful English language educators for a wide variety of educational settings in the 21st century, from early childhood through to tertiary level. With its future focus, this master's programme will give students the skills, knowledge and capabilities to be adaptable in the face of future English language developments, as well as technological and pedagogical advances.
This programme is ideal for:
This programme is available to study by distance, with teaching and learning conducted online.
Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages brochure (PDF, 251KB)
UC's Master of Hōaka Pounamu | Māori Bilingual and Immersion Teaching and Learning (MHP) is an ideal programme for teachers, leaders, and education researchers to raise the knowledge of te reo Māori in bilingual, immersion, and mainstream settings. The courses are designed to extend your knowledge on the use of te reo Māori in the classroom.
Be a part of language revitalisation for Aotearoa and help immerse mātauranga and te reo Māori into everyday learning.
From Leadership to Literacy, UC offers a variety of Specialist Endorsements in our postgraduate education qualifications. Learn more.
From Leadership to Literacy, UC offers a variety of Specialist Endorsements in our postgraduate education qualifications. Learn more.
With the support and guidance of leading, internationally renowned academics, UC research students investigate a diverse range of topics in Education and Health Sciences. Check out our range of postgraduate education research options.
With the support and guidance of leading, internationally renowned academics, UC research students investigate a diverse range of topics in Education and Health Sciences. Check out our range of postgraduate education research options.
