Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education)

A New Zealand Teachers Council and New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)-approved qualification

If you’re a New Zealand or International Student with a degree or a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching (Primary) and wish to up-skill in the area of early childhood education, the New Zealand Tertiary College Graduate Diploma is for you.

Our Graduate Diploma is approved and accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), and has New Zealand Teachers Council recognition which means that graduates are eligible to apply for teacher registration in New Zealand.

Entry criteria

Before being accepted into the program, you must:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree (Level 7), or higher qualification, or a New Zealand Diploma of Teaching (Primary). If you have an overseas qualification, you must have the qualification assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The qualification must be assessed as equivalent to a Level 7 Bachelor’s degree in New Zealand

• Meet the New Zealand Teachers Council criteria for registration as a teacher

• Provide two written references

• Satisfy NZ police clearance conditions

• Meet the staff health requirements for early childhood centres as outlined in the New Zealand Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998

• Declare any physical or learning disability that may impair your performance as a student teacher

• Succeed in a personal interview

• If English is not your first language, you must meet ESOL (English as a Second or Other Language) requirements as outlined below:

ESOL (English as a Second or Other Language) requirements

If English is not your first language, you need to sit the (International English Language Testing System) test (Academic version) to prove your English proficiency.

Domestic ESOL students: If you are a NZ citizen or permanent resident and English is not your first language, you must get an IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 in each component, unless you qualify for one of the below two exemptions.

International ESOL students: If you’re an international student and English is not your first language, you can enter the program with an IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 overall, unless you are eligible for one of the below two exemptions. If you enter the program with a score of 7.0 overall, you cannot graduate until you get a score of 7.0 in each component. You must provide evidence of this score to NZTC prior to graduation.

Exemptions from IELTS for ESOL students

You can get an exemption from the IELTS test if you meet one of the below criteria:

• You have completed five years of their secondary school education in New Zealand and:
  • you have gained University Entrance and
  • you have eight, level 2 NCEA University Entrance literacy credits (4 credits in reading and 4 credits in writing) and
  • you have studied fully in English in a New Zealand tertiary education organisation (TEO – university, institute of technology, polytechnic, wānanga or PTE) and
  • you are a graduate at degree level (7) or higher.  OR
• You are a registered teacher with the New Zealand Teachers Council and hold a current Practising Certificate.

Courses within the Graduate Diploma

Mode of study - NZTC Online

The Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) is available to you via an online mode of study. Our online learning software is called NZTC Online and it has been developed in-house at NZTC especially for early childhood teachers.

To complete your studies through NZTC Online, you need to have daily access to a computer with internet. You will also need your own email address. See our NZTC Online page for a full list of computer specifications.

Start dates

With NZTC Online, you can start whenever you want. If you wish, you can enrol today and start tomorrow!

Other program requirements

While you are enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education), you will be required to:

• Attend two x 20 hour block courses.  These will be 10 hours each day and will be held on a consecutive Sunday and Monday. Block courses are an opportunity for face-to-face networking, teaching and learning for NZTC Online students. They will be conducted by NZTC Lecturers, and will focus on topics relevant to the field of early childhood education.

• Carry out a total of 14 weeks full-time work (40 hours per week) in an early childhood centre, under the guidance of a qualified Associate Teacher.  This is called field practice. These 14 weeks must be completed within the 50 week duration of the course.

• In addition to Field Practice, you are required to undertake work experience (paid or voluntary) in a licensed early childhood centre for a minimum of 16 hours per week throughout the program.

Assessments

All courses within the program are internally assessed and include theory-based assessments and practical components. There are no exams.