Teacher Education

UC’s postgraduate teacher education programmes require at least a bachelor’s degree, in any subject area, with good grades at 300-level. Some programmes will also consider previous relevant work or teaching experience as fulfilling the entry criteria.

For secondary teaching studies within the Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, and Master of Teaching and Learning, you will need to have completed courses at 300-level in a secondary school teaching subject you intend to specialise in (eg, Mathematics).

The Master of Specialist Teaching is open only to those with previous studies in teacher education, and current teacher registration in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas (will require police vetting).

See the individual qualification pages for full entry requirements details.

UC offers the following postgraduate teaching and education programmes:

• Graduate Diploma in Māori Language and Pedagogies: Aumiri Pounamu
• Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood)
• Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning
• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Teaching
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education
  
• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Postgraduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching
• Postgraduate Diploma in Education
  
• Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning
• Master of Arts (Thesis) in Education
• Master of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (not open to new enrolments)
• Master of Education
• Master of Specialist Teaching
• Master of Teaching and Learning
• Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
• Doctor of Education
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education

See the individual qualification pages for more information on courses. 

Note that the Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood), the Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, and the Master of Teaching and Learning are the only programmes that qualify students as Aotearoa New Zealand Teachers. Other programmes are suitable professional development programmes for practising teachers, or those wanting study in mentoring, training, or other educational settings.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching, the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching, and the Master of Specialist Teaching are open only to those with previous studies in teacher education, and current teacher registration in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas (will require police vetting).

Teachers at all levels in Aotearoa New Zealand are currently in high demand.

Graduates from select UC teaching programmes are eligible to apply to Matatū Aotearoa | Teaching Council of New Zealand for provisional registration as a teacher. After completing two years of satisfactory teaching, graduates are eligible to apply for full registration.

Those who complete UC’s teaching professional development programmes will have formal training in areas such as technology-enhanced learning, specialist learning needs, international teaching environments, and in tertiary contexts that will enhance and reflect on their current teaching practice.

Teaching skills of management, communication, coordination, responsibility, and organisation are also valued in many professions such as management, policy and advocacy, publishing, politics, and business.

Find out more about what you can do with a teaching degree.