Make a positive difference in the lives of adolescents and young people in New Zealand. Get the skills and knowledge you need to be a confident and effective secondary school teacher.

The Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) is a 10-month programme focused on The New Zealand Curriculum with 16 weeks based in the classroom. You can choose to study the programme full time, over 10 months, or part time, over two years. You can study either on campus or online.

You will learn the principles and theories of teaching and learning to support learners of all backgrounds and abilities and to be an agent of change for young people’s education and wellbeing.

Successful graduates will be able to teach in secondary schools throughout New Zealand, and elsewhere, and be eligible for provisional teacher certification with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

To enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) you will need to have included at least one subject aligned to the secondary school curriculum in your undergraduate degree. This subject will need to be a major subject studied to 300-level. You may have another subject studied to at least 200-level.

The following curriculum areas and subjects are offered in our secondary teaching qualifications (subject availability can vary):

• English
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• Social Sciences (History, Geography, Psychology, Economics, Accounting, Business Studies, Social Studies)
• Visual Art
• Music
• Performing Arts (Drama, Dance)
• Technology (Design and Visual Communication, Digital, Textiles, Materials, Food)
• Learning Languages (Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Sāmoan, Spanish, Te Reo Māori)
• Physical Education and Health.

To find out more about the teaching subjects offered by the Wellington Faculty of Education, contact the Student Success team.

New Zealand is facing a shortage of secondary teachers, so employment prospects are good for all subjects. In particular, there is high demand for teachers in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Te Reo Māori, and Technology.

With the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary), you can apply for provisional teacher registration from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. You’ll also be able to apply for teaching positions in New Zealand and overseas.

If your previous academic qualification is from another country, you may need to have it assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority after you complete the GDipTchg(Secondary). This review might be needed to help decide your salary.

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

You will gain valuable experience on three teaching placements. This will develop your skills and enable you to see how theory and practice interlink in your development as a teacher.

There are limited teaching placements available for students studying online from outside the Wellington region. You may be required to travel for teaching placements. Your teaching subjects will also impact our ability to secure your teaching placements.

You can expect to spend 40 to 50 hours studying each week.

Courses are taught over three trimesters, between February and November.

You can study on campus or online. A blended approach is taken for campus-based study where some courses may be online. If you choose to study online, you’ll need to attend two week-long block courses at the University in Wellington (held at the beginning and end of the programme). All students will be supported by a professional learning community and an academic mentor.

If you choose to study part time, you'll have:

• two learning design courses in both trimesters of your first year (four courses over the year)
• an observation week in Trimester 1 of your first year
• the professional practice courses in the second year (one course per trimester)
• six weeks of placement in trimester 1 and eight weeks of placement in Trimester 2 of the second year.

Make sure to review the student loan and allowance requirements applicable to part-time studies.

As well as the subjects that you will be teaching at secondary school level, you may want to include courses in your undergraduate degree that will help you prepare for a career as a teacher. For example, courses in Education (particularly child and youth development), Te Reo Māori, and Statistics.

Find out more about preparing yourself to be a teacher.

You can complete a nationally recognised certificate in Christian Studies, which sits outside the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary). The certificate is offered through Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College, with delivery customised to suit the University’s timetable. A teaching experience in a Catholic school is included.

Graduates with the certificate are able to teach the religious education curriculum in Catholic and other state-integrated schools and are highly sought after for employment in those schools.

Find out more at Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College.