Contents

1. Recognised qualifications (including primary teachers and overseas qualifications)
2. Study options
3. Training providers and courses offered

 

1. Recognised qualifications

The qualifications for New Zealand qualified early childhood teachers are: 

• a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education),
• A Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) one year full-time or a two-year part-time programme of study for graduates or people who already have a degree, OR
• an equivalent Level 7 qualification approved by the New Zealand Teaching Council for teacher certification.  

Primary School Teachers
Qualified primary school teachers can work in early childhood education. You will count as a member of the teaching team and your employer will receive funding from the Ministry of Education to go toward paying your salary or wage as a certificated teacher. So if you are a primary school teacher you can apply for teaching positions in early childhood education.

Secondary School Teachers
Secondary teaching qualifications are not recognised for the purpose of teaching in early childhood education.  You may work in an early childhood service as an unqualified teacher or undertake a recognised ECE degree or ECE graduate diploma.  

Overseas Qualifications
Contact the NZ Qualifications Authority for information and clarification of recognition for your particular qualification. NZQA assesses applications on a case by case basis.  For an overseas qualification to be recognised by the NZ education system for the purpose of working in early childhood education it must be assessed as at least equivalent to a NZ Level 7 qualification or as containing core components of a NZ Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) qualification. Overseas qualifications assessed by NZQA as equivalent to a Level 7 ECE qualification and approved by the Teaching Council, are recognised by the Ministry of Education for ECE staffing and service funding purposes.

 

2. Study options 

• Full-time enrolment
• Part-time enrolment
• On-campus study (going to classes)
• Distance study (similar to correspondence study)
• Field-based (where you work in an ECE service - earning,  studying, and able to apply your new knowledge all at the same time!)

 

3. Training providers

There are many different training providers, offering different study options and combinations of study options.  It may that a training provider in your own town or nearby suits you best for convenience.  But also consider:

• How many years it will take to complete the training programme, any differences between programme providers in fees, and if the type of training suits the way you like to learn and your personal obligations (e.g. if you have young children or dependants).
• The reputation of the training provider (ask other people what they think of it).
• Is it university based?   
• Is it research-based, is it more practical focused, does it have a strong cultural focus, does it have more course content on the younger years under 2 years or older years,  is it more suited to teaching under a certain philosophy (e.g. Montessori?) 

AUT School of Education Te Kura Mātauranga
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)
Location: North Campus (Northcote) or South Campus (Manukau)
Length: Three years of full-time study

Bachelor of Education (Pasifika Early Childhood Teaching)
Location: North Campus (Northcote) or South Campus (Manukau)
Length: Three years of full-time study

Bethlehem Tertiary Institute
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Childhood Education
Location: Study anywhere within NZ: online and onsite (Tauranga) options available
Length: 3 years (Full-time study)

Eastern Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Napier: Taradale
Length: Three years of full-time study

Manukau Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching)
Location: Otara Campus
Length: Three years of full-time study

Massey University
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Palmerston North: Manawatu Campus or Auckland: Albany Campus
Length: One year of full-time study

Open Polytechnic
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Programme delivered online – available to students anywhere in New Zealand
Length: Three years of full-time study

Te Rito Maioha
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Length: Three years of full-time study

Te Wānanga o Raukawa
Poutuarongo Whakaakoranga Kōhungahunga
Location: Te Wāhi Ako Ōtaki
Length: Kia toru tau

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi
Te Tohu Paetahi Ako - Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Years
Location: Whakatane, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and Te Tai Tokerau (Northland)
Length: 36 weeks per year

The University of Auckland, Faculty of Education and Social Work
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Childhood Education specialisation
Location: Auckland: Epsom campus
Length: Three years of full-time study

Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Auckland: Epsom Campus
Length: One year of full-time study

The University of Waikato School of Education
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood)
Location: Hamilton and Tauranga
Length: Three years of full-time study

Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood)
Location: Distance Learning
Length: One year of full-time study

Toi-Ohomai Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood Education: Te Tohu Paetahi Whakaako Kōhungahunga
Location: Rotorua: Mokoia Drive campus. Tauranga: Windermere Drive Campus
Length: Three years of full-time study

Master of Teaching Early Childhood Education: Tohu Paerua o te Whakaako i te Mātauranga Kōhungahunga
Location: Rotorua and Tauranga
Length: 18 months of full-time study

Unitec Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Auckland: Mt Albert Campus
Length: Three years of full-time study

University of Canterbury, College of Education, Health and Human Development
Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood)
Location: Christchurch and Distance
Length: Three years of full-time study

Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching
Length: One year of full-time study

University of Otago, College of Education
Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) – Early Childhood Education
Location: Dunedin and Invercargill
Length: Three-year undergraduate degree

Master of Teaching and Learning - Early Childhood Education
Location: Dunedin only
Length: One-year (January-December) postgraduate degree

Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Education
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Childhood
Location: Wellington: Kelburn Campus
Length: Three years of full-time study

Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Online throughout New Zealand.
Length: One year of full-time study

Wintec – Waikato Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
Location: Hamilton: City Campus
Length: Three years of full-time study or up to six years part-time.

 

* Please contact us with any corrections and let us know of any updates.