Institute of Technology or Polytechnic
Universal College of LearningNew Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5)
This course is available
On-Campus
Level of Study
Diploma
Summary
OverviewThis programme is your gateway to becoming a confident, skilled educator of infants, toddlers, and young children in a range of early childhood contexts. You’ll build a strong foundation in child development, curriculum design, and culturally responsive teaching practices.
This programme has been developed in partnership with iwi to ensure inclusion of local culturally competent practices that include history, stories, and knowledge that can be shared confidently with tamariki in an early childhood setting. This will also ensure the whakapapa of the area is entwined in the early childhood teaching practices and meets the growing need for educators to be able to incorporate te reo and tikanga Māori in the day-to-day delivery of Te Whāriki.
Offered as a blended delivery programme with one day a week on campus and over 400 hours of placement experience in an early childhood setting organised by UCOL.
Entry criteria
Domestic Entry RequirementsNCEA Level 3
OR
New Zealand/National Certificates in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3 or Level 4),
OR
equivalent academic achievement,
OR
on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Executive Dean.
Non-Academic Requirements
Learners must authorise UCOL to obtain a background check from the New Zealand Police Licensing and Vetting Agency. If a conviction and/or a matter of concern is identified, the decision for accepting the applicant’s enrolment into the programme is at the discretion of the Academic Portfolio Manager.
UCOL will undertake a safety check of students to ensure UCOL meets the legislative requirements of the Vulnerable Children's Act, 2014. UCOL will do this on behalf of early childhood education institutions and providers of private childcare placements hosting UCOL learners. The safety check involves confirming the student’s work history, verifying their suitability to work with children with a trusted referee, and the completion of New Zealand Police vetting.
International Entry RequirementsIn addition to the Domestic Entry Requirements, the following applies to international learner applicants.
English language proficiency
International learner applicants whose first language is not English must have an IELTS Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 (or equivalent including TOEFL). IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (i.e. combining scores from more than one test is not permissible).
Under 20 years of age
In addition to this, international applicants under 20 years of age must have NCEA equivalency.
Disclaimer