Master of Education
Develop advanced knowledge and critical analysis skills in the broader area of education. The Master of Education is designed for professionals in early childhood education, compulsory education, adult and tertiary education and non-formal education.
Our Master of Education responds to students’ desire for a shorter, more flexible and more tailored postgraduate educational qualification. The programme offers flexibility, has a simple structure, and enables students to pursue an area of interest through research.
The Master of Education is designed to prepare students to undertake research in education. It's not a teaching qualification and it does not lead to registration as a teacher with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Start date: 2019
- Download Culture and Society programme brochure [PDF, 7.4 MB]
Start date: 2020
- Download our programme brochure [PDF, 9.4 MB]
Minimum entry requirements
One of the following with a B grade average or higher in level 7 papers (or equivalent):
- Bachelor of Education (Specialty) Teaching
- Graduate Diploma in (Specialty) Teaching
International student entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with 7.0 in Writing and all other bands 6.0 or higher; or equivalent
You complete the master's degree with:
- 60 points of optional papers and
- 60 points of compulsory educational research papers and
- 60-point dissertation
An alternative Master of Education pathway includes a 90-point thesis but is only recommended for students with experience or a very clear proposal for research. Talk to the programme leader if you're interested in this pathway.
Complete the following papers
You need to have completed the two educational research papers before you can enrol in the dissertation.
- EDUC856 Concepts of Educational Research
- EDUC906 Educational Research in Context (compulsory for MEdL thesis and dissertation pathways)
Optional papers include
- EDUC808 Concepts and Constructs in Education
- EDUC830 Contemporary Issues in Education
- EDUC836 Learning Environments for the 21st Century
- EDUC837 Digital Pedagogies and the Techno-Literate Teacher
- EDUC842 Building Mentoring Expertise
- EDUC843 Leadership and Mentoring
- EDUC844 Steiner Education: Teaching and Learning through Imagination in a Digital World
- EDUC845 Essential Aspects of Steiner Education
- EDUC859 Pacific Education – Issues and Perspectives
- EDUC860 Pacific Talanoa – People, Places and Education
The papers listed above are subject to change.
Papers from other degrees
You can also choose one paper from our Master of Educational Leadership or Master of Education Practice.
- EDLD802 Leading in Diverse Cultures and Communities
- EDLD803 Reflecting on Professional Practice as an Educational Leader
- EDLD805 Education Policy and Leadership for the Public Good
- EDUC809 Global Impacts on Education Practice in Contemporary Society
Skills you will develop
- Develop advanced understanding of education through research and its application
- Critically evaluate policy, research and practice
- Understand the historical and theoretical underpinnings of educational research methods
- Focus your study on specialist or generalist education topics
- Further your understanding of schools, early childhood centres, tertiary or higher education institutions or teaching in community or informal education contexts beyond educational practice
Master of Education graduates will have a broad range of research skills for application to their area of education.
This includes:
- Adult and tertiary education
- Compulsory education
- Early childhood education
- Non-formal education
This qualification does not provide eligibility for provisional teacher registration.
The Master of Education can serve as a pathway to doctoral study.
South Campus
15 Jul 2019
24 Feb 2020
13 Jul 2020
$8,540
- This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 120 points of this 180-point programme in 2019. The exact tuition fee will depend on papers selected and may exceed this figure.
- Fees are subject to change year to year, if you are planning for beyond 2019, the tuition fee may vary from the figure stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay. Learn more about fees to study at AUT
$30,725
- This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 120 points of this 180-point programme in 2019. The exact tuition fee will depend on papers selected and may exceed this figure.
- Fees are subject to change year to year, if you are planning for beyond 2019, the tuition fee may vary from the figure stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay. Learn more about fees to study at AUT
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.