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: 2022
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
All applicants must ensure they meet the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand requirements for English language competency prior to admission to the programme.
Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand website
(If you do not meet the criteria set, please contact the School of Education as there may be other options available).
No admission until English language criteria evidenced as achieved.
English language requirements for initial teacher education programmes [PDF, 136.2 KB]
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.
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 course EDCR801 Ako: Teaching and Learning requires one overnight stay on a marae. If you are unable to complete this component, you won't be able to pass this course and subsequently won't meet the requirements for the qualification.
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.
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 course at master's level.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.