Regulations for The Master of Specialist Teaching - MSpecTchg

Qualification Regulations

Part I

Part II

Admission

1. Admission to the Master of Specialist Teaching requires that the candidate will meet the University admission requirements as specified; and shall have:

(a) been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor’s degree with at least a B grade average across the highest level courses, or equivalent; and

(b) been awarded or qualified for a relevant professional qualification; and

(c) have completed at least two years of relevant professional experience;

or will have:

(d) been awarded or qualified for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching with at least a B grade average, or equivalent.

2. For entry into the Adviser on Deaf Children subject candidates shall have:

(a) been awarded or qualified for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching (Deaf and Hard of Hearing), with at least a B grade average, or equivalent; or

(b) been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy Honours degree with at least Second Class Honours, or equivalent; or

(c) been awarded or qualified for a Master of Speech and Language degree having achieved at least a B grade average, or equivalent.

3. For entry into the Te Korowai Mokopuna subject candidates shall have:

(a) been awarded or qualified for the professional qualification Te Tohu Mātauranga Whakapakari Tino Rangatiratanga o Te Kōhanga Reo with at least a B grade average across the highest level courses, or equivalent; and

(b) have completed at least two years of relevant professional experience in Kōhanga Reo; and

(c) hold a current letter of endorsement from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.

4. In all cases candidates will be required to:

(a) be selected on the basis of a selection process which may include written application, interview, referee reports and practical exercises; and

(b) meet requirements equivalent to those set down by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand for registration as a teacher in terms of values, fitness and disposition to teach, and will:

(c) hold current relevant New Zealand Professional Registration; or

(d) be required to undergo police vetting prior to gaining entry into the programme.

5. All candidates whose first language is not English or Te Reo Māori, who have not gained a New Zealand university entrance qualification or an overseas entrance qualification in a country where the main language is English, will be required to provide evidence of their proficiency in English in the form of an academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 7.0 with no band less than 7.0 or other evidence that is acceptable to Academic Board.

Qualification requirements

6. Candidates for the Master of Specialist Teaching shall follow a parts-based programme of study, which shall consist of courses totalling at least 180 credits, comprising:

(a) completion of Part One and Part Two as detailed in the Schedule for the Qualification; and including completion of

(b) a subject

(c) any compulsory courses as listed in the Schedule for the Degree.

7. Notwithstanding Regulation 6, the programme of study for candidates admitted under Regulation 1(d) will be at least 120 credits including:

(a) 249.770 or 249.771; and

(b) completion of a subject as specified in the schedule for the Degree; and

(c) Part Two as detailed in the Schedule for the Degree.

8. Notwithstanding Regulation 6, the programme of study for candidates admitted under Regulation 2(a), (b) or (c) will be at least 120 credits including:

(a) 249.770 or 249.771; and

(c) completion of the Adviser Deaf Children subject as specified in the Schedule for the Degree; and

(d) Part Two as detailed in the Schedule for the Degree.

Specialisations

9. The Master of Specialist Teaching is awarded with or without a subject.

10. The requirements for each subject are set out in the Schedule for the Degree.

11. Subject specialisations available for the Master of Specialist Teaching are: Adviser on Deaf Children, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Blind and Low Vision, Complex Educational Needs, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Intervention, Te Korowai Mokopuna, Gifted Education, Learning and Behaviour.

12. A candidate admitted under Regulation 1(d) will complete the Master of Specialist Teaching without a specialisation.

Student progression

13. In cases of sufficient merit, the Degree of Master of Specialist Teaching may be awarded with Distinction or Merit.

14. For progression to Part Two of the Master of Specialist Teaching candidates must have maintained a grade average of at least a B over the first 120 credits undertaken for Part One.

Completion requirements

15. The timeframes for completion as outlined in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates will apply.

16. Candidates may be graduated when they meet the Admission, Qualification and Academic requirements within the prescribed timeframes. Candidates who do not meet the requirements for progression from Part One to Part Two, or who do not meet the requirements for graduation may, subject to the approval of Academic Board, be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching or the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching, should they meet the relevant Qualification requirements.

Unsatisfactory academic progress

17. The general Unsatisfactory Academic Progress regulations will apply.

Transitional provisions

18. Subject to the Maximum Time to Completion and Abandonment of Study provisions specified in the Part I regulations to the degree, candidates who commenced study towards the Gifted and Talented Education subject prior to 01 January 2022 may elect to be awarded this specialisation title rather than the title ‘Gifted Education’ on completion of the subject. These transition arrangements expire 31 December 2025.

Schedule for the Master of Specialist Teaching

Part One (Choose 135 credits from)

Compulsory courses

Compulsory course selection (Choose 15 credits from)

Subjects

Part Two (Choose 45 credits from)