Master of Teaching and Learning
Do you have a bachelor’s degree and want to become an early childhood, or primary or intermediate teacher? AUT’s Master of Teaching and Learning is a one-year professional qualification to become a teacher.
Your programme consists of university study that covers curriculum and education theory, and teaching practicum experience in an early childhood setting or a primary/intermediate classroom in each of the two semesters.
Once you complete the Master of Teaching and Learning, you can apply for provisional registration with the New Zealand Teaching Council and teach in New Zealand.
If you’re a domestic student, you can apply for TeachNZ scholarships to support your studies.
TeachNZ website
Download programme guides
Minimum entry requirements
- A bachelor’s degree with a B+ grade average or higher in level 7 courses
- A degree with an education focus is not required, although undergraduate study in education courses will be an advantage. Relevant work experience in teaching is not a requirement, but some experience with 0–5-year-olds (early childhood education) or 5-12 year olds (primary/intermediate) will be important to provide evidence of suitability to work in this sector.
- Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Programme entry form
- Face-to-face or zoom interview to explore your suitability for early childhood education or primary teaching
- Must meet the “good character and fitness” criteria stipulated in the Teaching Council: Registration and Certification policy
- Police vetting (New Zealand and overseas if required)
- Satisfactory references
- Meet the Teaching Council of Aotearoa English language competency requirement (Teaching Council of Aotearoa website)
- Successfully complete the numeracy and literacy assessments
- Meet the safety check requirements as set out in Children's Act 2014
Admission to an initial teacher education programme like the Master of Teaching and Learning can take approximately 6 to 9 weeks to complete from the time of your application.
Steps in the application process
- Admission form and required documents completed and submitted to AUT’s admissions office, which checks documents and releases the application to the School of Education
- Bachelor’s degree assessed for B+ average grade
- English language requirements checked
- Referee reports received and checked
- Literacy and numeracy tests completed and passed
- Interview scheduled and conducted
The Master of Teaching and Learning is an intensive programme that runs over 34 weeks; 4 weeks longer than the normal academic year because the programme is worth 180 points compared with the usual 120 points studied in an academic year of 30 weeks.
What you study in the Master of Teaching and Learning
In each of the two semesters, you study:
- Early childhood education or primary-specific curriculum courses – taught in separate university lectures for early childhood education and primary students
- More general education courses – taught in combined lectures for all Master of Teaching and Learning students
- This is followed by an 8-week practicum in an early childhood setting or a primary/intermediate classroom
Courses have an embedded focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi to prepare you for teaching in bicultural settings. Te reo Māori language is taught as part of the programme.
The multicultural nature of Auckland is reflected in the strong focus on diversity, inclusion and social justice. The teaching-as-inquiry cycle forms the basis of a practice-based research inquiry conducted during the second practicum.
The primary-specific curriculum courses cover the eight learning areas in the New Zealand curriculum as well as content related to responsive teaching, teaching for social justice and being a critically reflective educator.
Courses you study
- EDCR801 Ako: Teaching and Learning
- EDCR804 Being a Responsive Teacher
- EDCR805 Design for Learning
- EDCR806 Integrated Curriculum
- EDPT802 Becoming an Adaptive Teacher
- EDPT803 Being an Adaptive Teacher
- EDUC871 Teaching for Social Justice
- EDUC901 Professional learning through Inquiry
- EDUC902 Project: Critical Reflection on Professional Practice
The early childhood teaching curriculum courses have a focus on play-based learning in Aotearoa New Zealand, with strong links to our curriculum Te Whāriki with its five strands of wellbeing, belonging, contribution, communication and exploration.
Courses you study
- ECET802 Becoming an Adaptive Teacher (ECE)
- ECET803 Being an Adaptive Teacher (ECE)
- ECET804 Pedagogical Leadership and the Principles of Te Whāriki
- ECET805 Strands of Te Whāriki: Weaving People, Places and Things
- EDCR801 Ako: Teaching and Learning
- EDCR804 Being a Responsive Teacher
- EDUC871 Teaching for Social Justice
- EDUC901 Teaching as Inquiry
- EDUC902 Critical Reflection on Practice
You complete an 8-week teaching practicum in each semester, after studying the curriculum and general education courses for that semester.
Teaching will be in two different settings so you can experience working with a variety of age groups, communities, learning contexts and teaching philosophies.
How it works
- Your studies at AUT will prepare you for your practicum, which integrates theory and practice
- Practicum placements are selected and organised by AUT’s School of Education
- During the practicum you work under the guidance of an experienced associate teacher
- You’ll be visited by AUT education staff who provide feedback and evaluation against the New Zealand Teaching Council Standards for the Teaching Profession
You must be willing to travel up to an hour on public transport to access your practicum placements in Auckland.
Primary students may be able to have an out-of-Auckland practicum if their first practicum experience has been successful. This is organised by AUT’s School of Education.
Skills you will develop
The outcomes for graduates of the Master of Teaching and Learning are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
Graduates can apply for provisional registration with the New Zealand Teaching Council and teach in an early childhood setting or in a primary school.
If you’re planning to continue with postgraduate study towards a doctoral qualification, you should note that this qualification doesn’t automatically lead to doctoral study in education. You need to complete additional study in a research methodologies course at master’s level.
10 Feb 2025
7 Jul 2025
Orientation (strongly recommended) for the July 2024 intake starts on 3 July 2024.
Key semester dates
($14,191 - $15,080 tuition fees + $1719 student services levy)
($53,400 tuition fees + $1719 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- 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.