Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning
Do you have a bachelor’s degree and want to become an early childhood or primary/intermediate teacher? AUT’s Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning is a one-year professional qualification to become a teacher.
You can specialise in either early childhood or primary teaching. The courses you study cover curriculum and education theory, and you’ll complete teaching practicums in an early childhood setting or a primary/intermediate classroom.
This is a one-year intensive programme that runs longer than the standard academic year, with courses totalling 150 points compared with the standard 120 points for most postgraduate programmes.
After completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning you can apply for provisional registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. If you’re a domestic student, you may be able to apply for a TeachNZ scholarship to support your studies.
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 profession.
Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand compliance steps
- Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Programme entry form
- Successfully complete the literacy and numeracy assessments
- Meet the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand English language competency requirement
- Face-to-face or online interview to explore suitability for teaching
- Must meet the “good character and fitness” criteria stipulated in the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand: Registration and Certification policy
- Police vetting (New Zealand and overseas if required)
- Satisfactory references
- Meet the safety check requirements as set out in Children's Act 2014
Details and information about these Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand compliance steps will be provided to applicants by School of Education staff.
This process can take approximately 6 weeks as some of the compliance steps take time. Please consider this timeframe when applying.
What you study in the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning
You’ll complete eight compulsory courses in either early childhood or primary teaching. These courses cover curriculum, educational theory and professional practice.
Courses have a strong focus on diversity and social justice, reflecting the multicultural nature of Auckland and the importance of inclusive teaching practice. You also have the opportunity to learn te reo me ngā tikanga Māori with marae wānanga and courses with an embedded focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The early childhood specialty curriculum courses have a focus on play-based learning in Aotearoa New Zealand, with strong links to our curriculum, Te Whāriki, and its four Principles | Kaupapa whakahaere, and five Strands | Taumata whakahirahira. You will also learn about responsive teaching, teaching for social justice, and being a critically reflective teacher.
Complete the following courses
- EDCR801 Ako: Learning and Teaching in Aotearoa
- EDCR804 Being a Responsive Teacher
- EDUC901 Professional Learning through Inquiry
- ECET804 Pedagogical Leadership and the Principles of Te Whāriki
- ECET805 Strands of Te Whāriki: Weaving People, Places and Things
- EDUC871 Teaching for Social Justice
- ECET802 Becoming an Adaptive Teacher (ECE)
- ECET803 Being an Adaptive Teacher (ECE)
Practicum placements
You complete a minimum of 80 days in total over the two practicum courses (ECET802 and ECET803); one in each semester.
Practicum placements are selected and organised by AUT’s School of Education. They will be in two different settings so that you can experience working with a variety of age groups, communities, learning contexts and teaching philosophies. These professional practice experiences are an opportunity to make connections between theory and practice.
You’ll be guided by experienced teachers and have a designated associate teacher to support your learning and teaching. During each practicum, you’ll be visited by an AUT mentor lecturer who will provide feedback and evaluation against the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Standards for the Teaching Profession.
You must be prepared to travel up to an hour each way to access your practicum placements in Auckland.
The primary specialty curriculum courses cover the 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.
You’ll learn about lesson design for diverse learners, various pedagogical approaches, inquiry for teaching and applying theory to practice.
Complete the following courses
- EDCR801 Ako: Learning and Teaching in Aotearoa
- EDCR804 Being a Responsive Teacher
- EDUC871 Teaching for Social Justice
- EDUC901 Professional Learning through Inquiry
- EDCR805 Design for Learning
- EDCR806 Integrated Curriculum in the Primary/Intermediate Classroom
- EDPT802 Becoming an Adaptive Teacher (Primary)
- EDPT803 Being an Adaptive Teacher (Primary)
Practicum placements
You complete a minimum of 80 days in total over the two practicum courses (EDPT802 and EDPT803); one in each semester.
Practicum placements are selected and organised by AUT’s School of Education. They will be in two different settings so that you can experience working with a variety of age groups, communities, learning contexts and teaching philosophies. These professional practice experiences are an opportunity to make connections between theory and practice.
You’ll be guided by experienced teachers and have a designated associate teacher to support your learning and teaching. During each practicum you’ll be visited by an AUT evaluative lecturer who will provide feedback and evaluation against the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Standards for the Teaching Profession.
You must be prepared to travel up to an hour each way to access your practicum placements in Auckland. Primary teaching students may be able to have an out-of-Auckland practicum.
Skills you will develop
The outcomes for graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.
Graduates can apply for provisional registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and teach in Aotearoa New Zealand.
North Campus *
February intake for Primary.
* North Campus - February or July intakes for Early Childhood.
February intake for Primary.
6 Jul 2026
Key semester dates
($12,535 tuition fees + $1,490 student services levy)
($34,750 tuition fees + $1,490 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.