Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)
Do you already hold a bachelor's degree and want to become a teacher? Postgraduate study in initial teacher education is new to New Zealand, and AUT is one of the places where you can study this one-year professional qualification to become a teacher.
You study the curriculum and education theory to be a successful primary or intermediate teacher. The programme includes a practicum of two days per week for 20 weeks and 12 full weeks as well as a research project. There's a focus on future-oriented education, and you'll be equipped to teach and prepare children to live in a future world.
You can apply for TeachNZ scholarships to support your studies.
Start date: 2020
- Download our programme brochure [PDF, 9.4 MB]
Minimum entry requirements
- A bachelor’s degree with a B+ grade average or higher in level 7 papers, preferably including education papers
Applicants with overseas qualifications must have these assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as equivalent to a New Zealand level 7 bachelor's degree or above.
International student entry requirements
Other requirements
- Personal declaration form (which includes permission for a police clearance)
- Three confidential referee reports (one of your referees will be contacted by telephone and the others will be required to complete a written reference)
- A school visit to one of our partnership schools is required prior to interview
- CV with five-year work history and a list of memberships in professional organisations
- Face to face interview
- Candidates will demonstrate high levels of comprehension, fluency and accuracy in literacy and numeracy tests and ICT skills. During the interview process, candidates will be required to demonstrate group skills through a simulation exercise.
- You also need to meet the Teaching Council requirements for conduct
- A safety check will be completed to ensure you meet all the requirements as set out in section 31 of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014
English language requirements
All applicants must ensure they meet Teaching Council requirements for English language proficiency prior to admission to the programme.
Students whose first language is not English must have:
- IELTS (Academic) with a band score of 7.0 in each component OR
- A level 7 degree from a New Zealand or Australian University OR
- Two years of college in New Zealand and UE literacy at level 2 NCEA with 5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing
No admission until IELTS scores are evidenced.
English language requirements for initial teacher education programmes
Download application documents
- Personal declaration form
- Police clearance authorisation form
- User guide to fill out the police clearance authorisation form
- Teaching Council's Good Character and Fit to be a Teacher requirements
Admission to an Initial Teacher Education programme can take approximately 6 weeks to complete due to delays in police clearance procedures and the return of referee reports, therefore we would strongly recommend you consider this timeframe when applying.
Useful websites
This is an intensive programme that involves two days each week (Monday and Tuesday) in a partnership school and two days (Thursday and Friday) at the university. On Wednesday there is a mix of university activities and visits to other school contexts.
The programme covers
- Teacher identity and resilience
- Human development
- Learning theories
- Knowledge
- Working with Māori, Pasifika and students with special needs
- Learning te Reo Māori and some basic Samoan language
- The teaching as inquiry cycle
- A research inquiry project focused on working with priority learners.
Papers you study
- EDCR801 Ako: Teaching and Learning
- EDCR802 The Responsive Teacher in Aotearoa New Zealand
- EDCR803 Curriculum and Assessment
- EDPT801 The Adaptive Teacher
- EDUC901 Teaching as Inquiry
- EDUC902 Critical Reflection on Practice
Teaching practicum
For 12 weeks student teachers will be on a sustained period of practicum in a partnership school (5 weeks in semester 1 and 7 weeks in semester 2) working with a professional learning mentor in the classroom.
Partner schools include
Graduates can apply for provisional registration with the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and teach in a primary or intermediate classroom.
Holding a master's degree in teaching and learning will be an advantage in the current competitive employment market.
Graduates planning to continue with postgraduate study should note that this qualification doesn't automatically lead to doctoral study. You will be required to complete additional study in a research methodologies paper at master's level.
13 Jan 2020
$12,810 - $13,385
- This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 180 points 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, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay. Learn more about fees to study at AUT
$48,180
- This represents the approximate tuition fee based on a full-time workload of 180 points 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.