Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)

Summary

Become a teacher and make a difference. Build on your degree with a professional qualification in primary school teaching.

Get the skills and knowledge you need to create positive, inclusive learning environments and become a confident and effective educator. You will become an agent of change for children and young people’s education and wellbeing.

Learn in the classroom

The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is an 11-month, school-based full-time programme, running for the length of the school academic year. You’ll attend campus lectures, but most of your time will be spent in host school classrooms.

Campus lectures are in person and include compulsory attendance at Ngā Mihi and Wānanga at the start and conclusion of the programme.

Your classroom experience is undertaken primarily in a host school where for at least 16 weeks you will spend two or three days a week working alongside your mentor teacher in a classroom context.

In addition, you will have 16 weeks of full-time practice experience, including six weeks in a different school. Your full-time practice experience in your host school includes eight weeks in the second half of the year to widen and deepen your teaching experience.

These valuable experiences will develop your skills and enable you to see how theory and practice are interlinked in your development as a teacher.

Learn in the classroom

The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is an 11-month, school-based full-time programme, running for the length of the school academic year. You’ll attend campus lectures, receive additional support from our academics, and spend quality time in host school classrooms.

Campus lectures are in person and include compulsory attendance at Ngā Mihi and Wānanga at the start and conclusion of the programme.

In total, you will have 16 weeks of full-time practice experience across two different schools.

These valuable experiences will develop your skills and enable you to see how theory and practice are interlinked in your development as a teacher.

Scholarships for international students

We are currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme. Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.

Globally ranked

This programme is ranked in the top 250 worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2026.

The QS World University Rankings is an annual global publication that gives overall rankings and subject rankings for more than 1,500 universities worldwide.

Learn the New Zealand curriculum

The Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) is focused on The New Zealand Curriculum. You will learn the principles and theories of teaching and learning to support learners of all backgrounds and abilities. Successful graduates will be able to teach in primary and intermediate schools throughout New Zealand, and be eligible for provisional teacher certification with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary)

We also offer the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary), a 10-month, full-time programme with 16 weeks based in the classroom.

The study experience

You can expect to spend 40 to 50 hours studying each week. Courses are taught over three trimesters, between February and November.

We teach this programme in person on campus—not online. Your professional practice placements, which take place in Wellington primary and intermediate schools, are also in person.

All students will be supported by a professional learning community of 8 to 10 peers and an academic mentor.

2027 dates

• Trimester 1: Monday 8 February–Friday 25 June 2027
• Trimester 2: Monday 12 July–Thursday 2 December 2027.

This includes compulsory campus attendance at:

• Ngā Mihi: Tuesday 9 February–Thursday 11 February 2027
• Wānanga: Monday 29 November–Thursday 2 December 2027.

2027 dates

As an international student, you'll start your courses on 8 February 2027. You'll need to attend these block courses:

• one-week block: 8–12 March 2027
• seven-week block: 3 May–18 June 2027
• eight-week block: 23 August–29 October 2027.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Māori

New Zealand teachers live the values of Te Tiriti of Waitangi and use te reo Māori. During your studies you will strengthen your knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership and practice using te reo Māori in everyday and classroom situations.

Undergraduate preparation for Teacher Education

You may be able to include courses in your undergraduate degree that will help prepare you for a career in teaching, such as courses in te reo Māori, New Zeala...