Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching

Entry requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching are detailed in the regulations. All new applicants to a Specialist Teaching programme at Massey University must make an online Selected Entry application and be selected onto the programme. Students previously selected for and enrolled in a Specialist Teaching programme at Massey University will apply online but will not go through the selection process.

The closing date for applications is 10 December.

If you have applied for a MOE study award and/or hold an RTLB position, you should be applying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching (Learning and Behaviour).

If you want to start studying in Semester 2 and you intend to complete the Gifted and Talented endorsement, only the course 262.751 Theory and Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education is available. Applications are due by 10 June.

Entry requirements:

• a relevant professional qualification and
• sufficient professional experience and
• completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent or
  provided evidence of sufficient practical/professional experience in an area relevant to the diploma.

What documents do you need to supply to support your application?

• a copy of your academic transcript/s
• a copy of your current curriculum vitae (including education and employment for at least the last five years). Further details of this requirement can be found below.
• a verified copy of your current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (if a registered teacher with a current full practising certificate)

If you are not a registered teacher or you are a registered teacher without a current full practising certificate, you will also need to supply:

• a completed NZ Police Request and Consent form, along with two pieces of verified identification (one of which must be photographic) from the list of acceptable forms of identification
• a copy of a police report from every overseas country you have lived in for more 12 months in the last 10 years. Please do not supply originals as these will need to be supplied to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand at a later date.

If you do not hold a current New Zealand Professional Registration you will be required to undergo police vetting prior to gaining entry into the programme.

If your first language is not English and you have not gained a New Zealand university entrance qualification, or an overseas entrance qualification in a country where the main language is English, you will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English in the form of an academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 with no band less than 7.0 (or the equivalent TOEFL score) or other evidence that is acceptable to Academic Board.

IELTS EXEMPTION: A teacher who has registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and holds a current Practising Certificate, will be exempted from meeting this English language requirement. For more information, see: teachingcouncil.nz

If you have any short or long-term disability including learning disability or heath issue that may affect your study, please upload a summary in your application. If you disclose any disability, health or personal information as part of your application, this will be assessed during the selection process and is confidential to the University staff processing your application.

Curriculum vitae: Please provide a full CV including details of your educational and professional qualifications, employment history with dates and descriptions of roles and responsibilities, membership of associations/organisations, and a list of professional publications and research reports.

For general entry requirements see Massey University entry requirements.

To complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching, you must pass one compulsory course and three courses from one endorsement, to a total value of 120 credits. These courses must be completed within four years. Most students complete the programme within two years.

No student will be given more than two opportunities to pass any course in the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching.

Completion of this programme requires attendance at compulsory block workshops held in Auckland and Christchurch.

This qualification is offered by Massey University and the University of Canterbury. Students will be enrolled at and have their qualification awarded by only one of the universities.

If you have previously graduated with a Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching you must surrender that qualification (within the required timeframe) in order to be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching. Time limits for completion and for the award of Distinction or Merit will apply from the date that the student first enrolled in a course included in the diploma.

In cases of sufficient merit, this diploma will carry the award of Distinction or Merit if completed within three years of first enrolling in part-time study.

These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates

To find out how to plan your study and/or see the courses that are necessary to complete the programme, please check the regulations. If you would like to find out more about individual course requirements, please use our Course Search.

We can't tell you the exact cost until you have chosen your courses, as the tuition fees you pay each year vary depending on the courses you choose. There will also be compulsory non-tuition fees you have to pay in addition to your tuition fees. For some courses there may be other charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.

To get an approximate idea of tuition costs for typical study areas, you can use our quick guide to programme fees.

• Quick guide to programme fees

Already know which courses you're going to choose?

If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our Fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.

• Estimate your fees using the Fees calculator
• View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable

Financial assistance

You might be eligible to apply for a scholarship or award. You can use our scholarship search to see what is available. You may also be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.

• Search for available scholarships and awards
• Visit StudyLink to find out more about student loans