Be a leader in education
With Massey’s Master of Education (Early Years) you’ll develop the skills and knowledge to be a leader in early years education.
The Master of Education (Early Years) is of particular value for early childhood educators and early years teachers. It will also be valuable for:
This qualification builds upon prior knowledge and experience in early years educational settings. It also supports you to develop your understandings and teaching practices through engagement with research, theory and other professionals.
Join us to take your learning to the next level and achieve your goals in education.
You will:
The Master of Education does not qualify you to be a teacher in New Zealand. If you want to be a teacher, you will also need to take a postgraduate teaching qualification. Explore your options in our education pathways tool.
The Master of Education (Early Years) can lead to numerous opportunities, professionally and in voluntary positions in the community. You may be enhancing your career or broadening your knowledge. Your skills and teaching knowledge will always be highly valued by yourself and others, as well as being applicable to your day-to-day work.
Use your skills to directly benefit your early years students. Master of Education (Early Years) graduates work in many educational areas such as:
If you want to be a teacher, you will also need to take a postgraduate teaching qualification. Please explore your options in our education pathways tool.
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
To enter the Master of Education (Early Years) you will have been awarded or qualified for:
If you do not have a Bachelor of Education or equivalent, you will need to supply a copy of your curriculum vitae. See below for more details.
You will need to provide verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
When you apply, you will choose either a research pathway (90-credit thesis) or a professional inquiry pathway (45 credits of courses).
If you intend to do the research pathway you will need to provide a short summary of your research interests (200 words or less) with your application.
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
From the Schedule to the Degree including:
Choose a
A specialisation (subject) is optional. Subjects require 135 credits for the course work pathway, or 150 credits for the research pathway.
Advanced entry: Those who have already completed specified qualifications in advance of the minimum entry requirements may be able to complete this degree in 120 credits.
See ‘Courses for this programme’ below for schedules of courses.
This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.
| 265736 | Quality in Early Years Education | 30 |
| 265737 | Young Children and Their Families | 30 |
| 265738 | Children's Play and Learning in an Intentional Teaching Practice | 30 |
| 265740 | Advanced Studies on Learning in the Early Years | 30 |
The Master of Education is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second.
The maximum completion timeframe for the 180 credit Master of Education is five years.
It is strongly recommended that all subject courses are completed first. The research methods courses should then be completed.
To progress to Part Two you will need a minimum B grade average in the first 120 credits of courses.
It is strongly recommended that all subject courses are completed first. The research methods courses must then be completed.
To progress to Part Two you will need a minimum B+ grade average in the first 90 credits of courses.
If you have completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (and are ineligible to surrender this qualification), you may be admitted directly to Part Two if the required minimum grade average is achieved in the PGDipEd.
If you have a specialisation in the same subject area you may be admitted directly to Part Two in that specialisation.
There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the programme if you wish to continue your studies.
Where your qualification is completed within the stated time limit and to a high standard, you may be able to graduate with a class of Honours, Distinction or Merit.
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students will find their National Student Number on their student homepage.
Massey is ranked in the world's top 150 universities for education in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements. These regulations should be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including the below.
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
If you are ready to apply, have a look at our application checklist. It will help you get prepared with what you need. Please also check the entry requirements carefully before you apply.
You will apply for the programme using the Apply now button on this page. You’ll also choose your specialisation (major, subject or endorsement) if applicable.
Some programmes have additional requirements such as the submission of a portfolio or CV. Click on Apply now and you will be able to submit those documents as part of the application process.
You will receive an Admission Offer of Place when you have been accepted into the programme. You need to accept this before you can enrol in your courses. International students also need to pay their fees at this point.
You’ll then get access to your own student homepage (also known as the student portal). This is where you can enrol in courses. Any updates on your application or enrolments will also be on your student homepage. Make sure you check this regularly.
When you choose courses, ensure you check for any requirements that apply including:
Each of our courses has its own webpage where you can find this information. You can use our course search to find course pages.
More information on courses is in the ‘Courses for this programme’ section on this page.
You can find information on application due dates and semester dates on the key dates page.
We look forward to welcoming you to Massey!
If you have any questions, contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
Each Massey programme is made up of courses (in some tertiary institutions they are called ‘papers’).
You will have some compulsory courses and some you can choose from.
Each course is worth a certain amount of credits (often 15 credits, but this does vary). You must gain a set number of credits to be able to graduate from this programme.
There may also be some rules about which courses you need to pass to progress to the next year, or stage, of your study (known as progression). There are also courses you must pass to graduate with a specialisation.
The first three digits of our course numbers show you which subject the course is about.
The second three digits show you the level and course ID number. For instance:
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the programme or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these programmes go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.