Masters (Coursework)
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 Maori 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 Matatu 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 programme benefits from the 135-year tradition of quality teacher education and educational research conducted in Te Rangai Ako me te Hauora | College of Education, Health and Human Development. UC is ranked in the top 250 universities in the world for Education and Training (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2021).
Applicants for the MTchgLn programme need a degree in a disciplinary field appropriate to teaching and learning in Aotearoa New Zealand, with either:
You will also need to have English language ability and demonstrate literacy and numeracy competence that meets the requirements set out by Matatu Aotearoa | Teaching Council of New Zealand, and meet the requirements stipulated in the Children's Act 2014.
For the Secondary endorsement, students will need a body of knowledge from their previous studies in a subject relevant to the Aotearoa New Zealand secondary school curriculum eg, English, physics, geography, etc.
Students who completed their entry qualification overseas, and who intend to become registered teachers in Aotearoa, are advised that Matatu Aotearoa will require an assessment of their qualification by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
For the full entry requirements, see the Regulations for the Master of Teaching and Learning.
For information on gaining admission to UC teacher education programmes, please see the Guide to Applying.
Selection processThe MTchgLn has one intake each January. Selection for entry is based on:
As places are limited we strongly recommend that you apply for programme entry as early as possible. Applications are open any time, and close mid-December before the start of the programme in late January, or when places are filled (whichever comes first).
For more details on entry requirements and the teacher education application process see the Guide to Applying.
Successful graduates meet the requirements for provisional teacher registration with Matatu Aotearoa | Teaching Council of New Zealand.
Teaching graduates are employed in teaching and management positions in a range of primary, intermediate, middle and area schools, and secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Internationally recognised, many MTchgLn graduates also find work abroad.
Teaching skills of management, communication, coordination, organisation, and leadership are prized by many professions such as management, policy and advocacy, publishing, politics, and business.