Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary)

Summary

New Zealand secondary schools are normally for students 13–18 years old. They need secondary-school teachers who are passionate about teaching their subjects and who can encourage a love of learning in their students. This one-year Graduate Diploma programme is the best preparation for teaching. It will qualify you to teach once you become a provisionally-certificated teacher in accordance with the requirements of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is taught by experts in  education and lecturers who are specialists in their subjects. Both the online and city campus programmes begin with an in person three-day block course at Auckland campus Wednesday 21 – Friday 23 January 2026. This will provide an invaluable opportunity to build relationships and develop your knowledge of teaching secondary students in Aotearoa New Zealand. All students are strongly encouraged to attend this critical part of the programme. However, for students whose circumstances affect their ability to attend the block course, learning materials will be made available. Shaped by a commitment to fairness and social justice, the programme is underpinned by principles in the Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a determination to ensure equitable learning outcomes for our young people. The programme is highly practical with time spent in schools, lectures or online learning. You'll learn what and how to teach. You will also form important professional relationships with teachers and prospective employers. The programme is suitable for those with a bachelors degree or higher. You may be continuing straight on from a just completed degree or returning to study to change your career. Either way, this programme will enable you to gain an internationally recognised degree from the only New Zealand University to rank in the Graduate Diploma in Teaching students are eligible for the external TeachNZ Scholarships. Before you begin your teaching journey, there are a few key steps you need to complete, so we recommend applying early. Read about the process on our . The Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) is available both as a face-to-face programme at City Campus and as an online programme. The teaching subjects available for both the City camous and Online programmes are: English, Dance, Drama, Music-Sound Arts, Visual Arts, Art History, Health and Physical Education, Languages, ESOL English as a Second Language, Te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Mathematics and Statistics, Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics Social Sciences, History, Geography, Classical Studies, Psychology, Media Studies, Economics, Business Studies, Accounting, Technology: Design for Visual Communication, Digital Technologies, Fabric, Food, Hard Materials, Special Topic (e.g. Religious Education, Environmental Education) The online programme is available to students across New Zealand. Read the FAQ's about the Online programme Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) Online may be eligible to apply for the  . This scholarship programme allows students to undertake their teaching qualification online while being based in a host Secondary School with study fees covered and a $12,500 stipend. Read more about the