Graduate Diploma in Teaching
Already have a bachelor’s degree, transferrable skills from your background working in the Trades/Technology industry, or a high level of fluency in Te Reo Māori/Pacific language(s)? Become a teacher in only one year with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching, and transform learning, foster imagination and inspire the next generation to lead change.
Teachers are influential community members, making a difference to young people and their learning, knowledge and skill acquisition. They play a major role in helping their students develop their independence and success in their lives.
As a graduate of this programme, you will be among the best-prepared teaching graduates and highly regarded by education employers, within New Zealand and overseas. With separate courses for Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary teaching, the Graduate Diploma in Teaching combines Professional Education papers with placements in schools or ECE Centres.
Spend 80 days in total in two different schools or early childhood centres putting your new skills to practice.
Alternative Entry Pathway for the Graduate Diploma in Teaching
The Alternative Entry Pathway offers the opportunity for people with a background in Trades/Technology, or with high levels of fluency in Te Reo Māori or Pacific language(s), to become a teacher/Kaiako in Early Childhood, Primary or Secondary education.
We can recognise your experience in the Trades or your high levels of Te Reo Māori or Pacific language fluency and your interest in teaching. This expertise may enable you to apply for alternative entry into the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (GradDipTchg).
Applicants interested in alternative entry pathways, please complete this online eligibility form. We will contact you about the next steps before submitting an application for the GradDipTchg.
Criteria for Entry into Alternative Pathways
You will need to demonstrate that you meet the following criteria for entry;
Technology:
- A relevant Trades qualification at Level 5, 6 or 7 on the NZQF or an equivalent qualification;
- A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in the last eight years in a trade (eg. chef, patternmaker, builder, mechanic, cabinetmaker, illustrator) relevant to teaching technology education subjects.
Te Reo Māori:
- A minimum of three years recent work (paid or voluntary) experience where the use of a high level of Te Reo Māori has been a significant aspect of the mahi; and
- Achieved Whakamātauria Tō Reo Māori Level 4 (National Māori Language Proficiency Examinations); or
- Completed all primary schooling and at least three years secondary schooling in Te Reo Māori; or
- Completed five years of secondary schooling in the medium of Te Reo Māori, or
- Other evidence of a high standard of Te Reo Māori competency will be considered on an individual basis.
Pacific Language(s):
- A minimum of three years recent work (paid or voluntary) experience where the use of a high level of either Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island Māori or another Pacific language has been a significant aspect of the work; and
- Achieved Level 4 certificate in either Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island Māori language; or
- Completed all primary schooling and at least three years secondary schooling in the medium of Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island Māori language, or
- Other evidence of a high standard of Tongan, Samoa, Cook Island Māori language will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants approved into an alternative pathway will be required to enrol in and successfully complete one undergraduate paper prior to full enrolment in the Graduate Diploma in Teaching.
For more information on these pathways, and available undergraduate papers, please get in touch with us at: [email protected]
Key information
| Entry Requirements: | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Years: | 1.0 |
| Points: | 150 |
| GradDipTchg Study Locations: | Hamilton, Tauranga, Online Papers offered differ by location. The Catalogue of Papers has full location info. |
| Start Dates: | January (H Semester) |
| Estimated Fees* (Domestic): |
$8,239 per year
See if you're eligible for fees-free study in your first year |
| Estimated Fees* (International): | $37,100 (150 points) |
| Entry Requirements: | Postgraduate International |
| Area of Study: | |
| *Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees. | |
Degree Planner
Degree planner — Graduate Diploma in Teaching - Early Childhood
- Core Papers
- Practical Experience
*Available in Hamilton and Online
This information is provisional and subject to change.
Degree planner — Graduate Diploma in Teaching – Primary
- Core Papers
- Practical Experience
*Available in Hamilton, Tauranga and Online
This information is provisional and subject to change.
Degree planner — Graduate Diploma in Teaching - Secondary
Summer School (H Semester)
- Core Paper
- Practical Experience
*Available in Hamilton, Tauranga and Online
This information is provisional and subject to change.Choose a subject
Entry requirements
Please apply early as all applicants are subject to an interview and selection process.
Please apply early as all applicants are subject to an interview and selection process. Selection of applicants is based on academic background, communication skills, personal qualities, background experiences, and a literacy and numeracy assessment. As well as meeting the selection criteria, you will need to meet the admission requirements for the University.
To be eligible to gain entry into this programme, candidates must hold a Bachelors Degree at level 7 on the NZ Qualifications Framework or a recognised equivalent.
If you are applying to study the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary), in addition to the qualification requirements, candidates seeking to enter a secondary programme must have sufficient depth and breadth of a relevant subject or curriculum knowledge from Levels 5 to 7, or higher, in their entry qualification that is relevant for teaching a particular secondary school subject. When you apply for the programme you will need to submit your degree transcript(s). The programme leader/coordinator will discuss and advise the appropriate programme once you reach the interview stage.
Contact us for more information.
Study in Tauranga
The Graduate Diploma in Teaching is available in Tauranga, subject to sufficient numbers.
Scholarships and prizes
Selected scholarships for GradDipTchg students.
Te Kura Toi Tangata Secondary School Future Teacher Bursary
Study secondary teaching with the Division of Education at the University of Waikato and be considered for our new bursary, designed to assist secondary school student teachers in their studies. Recipients receive a $1,000 contribution towards their fees. Students are nominated at the time of interview. A student’s grade point average is also considered. If you are eligible for this bursary and would like to be considered, please read more and get in touch with our team at [email protected] to voice your interest.
TeachNZ scholarships
TeachNZ also have a wide range of scholarships available throughout the year - learn more about these.
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary)
Expand to read Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary)
- Entry requirements: Satisfied the requirements of a university degree or another qualification recognised by the Teaching Council as acceptable for provisional registration as a teacher in a secondary school; and satisfied The Teaching Council’s selection criteria for Initial Teacher Education programmes.
- Location: Hamilton, Tauranga, Online (subject to numbers)
- Start date: January (H Semester)
Prepare yourself for a career in secondary schools, working with young people aged 13-18 years old.
You'll learn how to teach your curriculum areas and develop skills in teaching and learning. This programme consists of nine papers (150 points) at 400 level.
Your previous tertiary study
Your chosen curriculum area needs to align with your previous tertiary study. To teach a New Zealand curriculum subject at senior level (year 11-13), 300 level university papers are required. To teach junior levels (year 7-10), 100 and 200 level university papers are required. When you apply for the programme you will need to submit your degree transcript(s). The programme leader/coordinator will discuss and advise the appropriate programme once you reach the interview stage.
Learning/Subject Areas
Learning Areas:
- English
- The Arts
- Health and Physical Education
- Learning and Languages
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Science
- Social Sciences
- Technology
Subject Areas:
- English
- The Arts (Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts)
- Health and Physical Education
- Learning Languages
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- Social Sciences (Business Studies, Economics, Geography, History)
- Technology (includes areas of computational thinking, designing and developing digital outcomes, designing and developing processed outcomes, designing and developing material outcomes, and design and visual communications – all taught together).
Career changers: Technology education (Secondary)
The University of Waikato provides a pathway into teaching for people in the trades who are looking for a career change. We have designed a new two-year pathway for those who do not meet the entry requirements for the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary). The pathway consists of two separate qualifications, including a Diploma in Education, and then a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary).
Before proceeding, applicants will first be interviewed to determine suitability for teaching. Entry to the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) is only assured on successful completion of the Diploma in Education, and if the applicant meets the selection criteria for teaching.
The Diploma in Education consists of 120 points, including 75 points at 200 level or above, taken from the existing prescriptions for Arts Education, Education, Education and Society, Language and Literacy Education, Mathematics Education, and/or Science Technology and Environmental Education. The Diploma will be endorsed in the field in which at least 75 points are gained.
Find out more about the available papers.
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary)
Expand to read Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary)
- Location: Hamilton, Tauranga, Online (subject to numbers)
- Start date: January (H Trimester)
Prepare yourself for a career in primary, intermediate and middle schools or kura, working with children from five to 13 years old. You will gain a solid foundation in all aspects of the New Zealand curriculum, classroom management, the teaching and learning process and educational policies and practices.
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Expand to read Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
- Location: Hamilton, Tauranga, Online (subject to numbers)
- Start date: January (H Trimester)
Prepare yourself for a career working in a variety of early childhood settings with children from birth up to six years old. Gain practical and theoretical knowledge about how children learn and develop, and an understanding of Te Whāriki, the Early Childhood Curriculum.
Other study options
Expand to read Other study options
Our other teaching qualifications include the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching, Master of Teaching and Learning and a te reo Māori immersion Postgraduate Diploma in Education.
Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching
Develop your knowledge of manaakitanga, manamotuhake, ngā whakapiringatanga, wānanga and ako, and kotahitanga. Challenge differences in society, amplify voices who are otherwise unheard and become a community partner and advocate.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching is a Level 8 qualification.
Master of Teaching and Learning
The Master of Teaching and Learning is an intensive one-year programme that will prepare you with specialist skills and enhanced knowledge of teaching in primary or secondary schools. Aimed at high achievers, this programme requires a higher entry criteria.
The Master of Teaching and Learning is a Level 9 qualification.
Te Rōpū Tohu Paerua Mātauranga Māori PGDipEd (Te Rōpū Tohu Paerua)
Ka aro tēnei tohu ki ngā horopaki huhua o ngā kaiwhakaako o te akomanga rumaki, reo rua hoki. Ka kawe ngā akoranga o tēnei hōtaka mā te reo Māori. E whā ngā pepa (120 ngā piro) ā kei te kaupae tuarima tēnei Tohu Paerua Rumaki. Ka akohia tēnei hōtaka mā te rorohiko (NET) me ngā wānanga (HAM).
Postgraduate Diploma (Education) (Māori Medium Teaching)
This Postgraduate Diploma in Education specialisation suits teachers who want to adapt their classroom organisation and teaching styles to meet learners needs within kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori, immersion Māori and bilingual schools and units. This programme is delivered through the medium of te reo Māori. The PGDipEd (Māori Medium Teaching) comprises the equivalent of four (120 points) 500 level papers. The papers are delivered online (NET) and face-to-face through block sessions (HAM). Find out more about the qualification regulations.
Contacts
Te Kura Toi Tangata School of Education
Phone: 0800 WAIKATO (924 528) or 07 838 4176
International: +64 7 807 9275
Email: [email protected]
Have a chat with one of our friendly advisers to help you plan your degree.
Phone: +64 7 807 9275 Email: [email protected]
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