Overview
Stay up to date with the latest education knowledge
Extend your professional knowledge, explore new developments, and enhance your contribution to the education field.
Level
- Postgraduate, NZQF Level 8
Credits
- 120
Duration
- 1 year(s) full-time. Available part-time.
With Massey’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education, you’ll learn how to critically apply theory and research. You'll understand the complex dimensions of current educational issues, practices and/or policies in particular contexts. By reflecting on research, you’ll demonstrate skill in analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation of teaching and learning.
Why study with us?
Massey uses an enquiry-based and inter-professional learning model. This results in best practice learning and teaching experiences and student learning outcomes. We employ a range of distance and blended learning delivery options. These provide flexible learning options for all students regardless of their location. You’ll be taught by highly qualified, well-regarded teachers who are supportive and provide a high level of pastoral care.
Massey’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education offers the largest number of endorsements of any postgraduate degree of its kind in New Zealand. Alternatively, you can follow an unendorsed pathway. This means you can choose from any of the courses in the endorsement areas or the elective schedule.
Your qualification options
Please note that the Postgraduate Diploma in Education does not qualify you to be a teacher. Explore education study options at Massey and the qualification you need to become a teacher in our education pathways tool.
Specialisations
Careers and further study
Careers
When you have graduated, you will be able to enhance and advance your career relevant to your specialisation, in areas such as:
- early childhood teaching
- primary school teaching
- secondary school teaching
- TESOL settings
- kaiwhakaako Māori
- special education
- training and development roles within organisations (e.g. teaching hospitals, businesses, community organisations, libraries)
- leadership roles in centres/schools and post-school settings
- learning and instructional design
- counselling and guidance
- educational psychology.
Entry requirements
University admission
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Programme admission
Required
To enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Education you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for the Bachelor of Education, or equivalent, or
- have been awarded or qualified for any other bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and hold a professional qualification in teaching, or
- have been awarded or qualified for any other bachelor’s degree or equivalent and have professional experience relevant to the intended postgraduate subject.
You will need to provide copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University.
You may be required to provide evidence of sufficient background experience.
If you hold any other bachelor’s degree or equivalent and have no professional qualification in teaching you will need to provide a copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) to support your application.
English language requirements
To study this programme you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
Prior learning, credit and exemptions
For information on prior learning, exemptions and transfer of credit or other questions:
- review the Recognition of Prior Learning regulations
- contact us through the Enquire button on this page.
If you do not have the entry requirements
English language and foundation courses
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, we have courses and programmes that may help.
Courses and planning
Credit summary
120 credits
- Courses from the Schedule – 90 credits
- Elective(s) from the Schedule – 30 credits
A specialisation (endorsement) is optional, requiring at least 90 credits from the endorsement.
Courses for this programme
Endorsements
Please refer to individual specialisation page for a list of courses for your specialisation.Elective courses
| 254706 | Advanced Studies in Curriculum Policy and Practice | 30 |
| 254744 | Educational Issues Among Pacific Islands Peoples in New Zealand | 30 |
| 254773 | Educational Policy Analysis | 30 |
| 262751 | Theory and Practice of Gifted and Talented Education | 30 |
| 267740 | Mixed Methods Research in Education | 15 |
| 267741 | Indigenous Research Methodologies | 15 |
| 267782 | Quantitative Research in Education | 15 |
| 267783 | Qualitative Research in Education | 15 |
Majors and minors
About specialisations
You may enrol in this qualification with or without a specialisation (endorsement).
Postgraduate Diploma in Education without specialisation
If you are completing the PGDipEd without a specialisation you will complete 120 credits from any of the endorsement schedules or elective schedule. This will allow you to construct a qualification individualised to your personal needs.
See the Regulations for this programme for the courses available for the ‘without specialisation’ option.
Postgraduate Diploma in Education with specialisation
You will complete at least 90 credits from the relevant endorsement schedule, including any compulsory courses. The requirements for each endorsement are set out in the schedule for the qualification. An additional 30 credits may come from any of the subject schedules, or from the elective schedule.
It is recommended that any compulsory courses are completed first.
Planning your programme
Planning overview
If you study full-time, you’ll take 120 credits per year or 60 credits per semester.
Would you like to go on to the Master of Education?
The following are the research methods courses that are prerequisite/s for undertaking research in the Master of Education. If you are intending to progress onto the Master of Education, it is recommended that you complete your research methods just prior to undertaking your research, i.e. after you have completed the content courses of the PGDipEd:
- 267.782 Quantitative Research in Education
- 267.783 Qualitative Research in Education
- 267.741 Indigenous Research Methodologies
- 267.740 Mixed Methods Research in Education
Without subject endorsement
If you would like to complete the PGDipEd without a subject endorsement, you must complete 120 credits from any of the endorsement schedules or elective schedule. This will allow you to construct a qualification individualised to your personal needs.
With subject endorsement
You must complete at least 90 credits from the relevant subject endorsement schedule, including any compulsory courses. The requirements for each endorsement are set out in the schedule for the qualification. An additional 30 credits may come from any of the subject schedules, or from the elective schedule.
It is recommended that any compulsory courses are completed first.
Maximum time limits for completion
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.
Time limits for Honours, Distinction and Merit
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.
- Look for information under ‘Student Progression’ in the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
- Contact us through the Enquire button on this page if you have any questions.
Fees and scholarships
Fees and finance
Fees, student loans and free fees scheme
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.
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
If you already know which courses you are going to take, you can use our fees calculator to get an estimate of your fees.
Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme
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.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student homepage login
A good fit if you:
- have a degree and some professional experience in the subject you’d like to explore
- want to engage at the cutting edge of an education debate
- are interested in advanced studies in education, including research.
Accreditations and rankings
Massey is ranked in the world's top 200 universities for education in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.
Regulations
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.
Postgraduate regulations
General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates.
Applying and enrolling
Applying for the programme
Check you are ready
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.
Choose your programme and click on Apply now
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.
Receive and accept an Admission Offer of Place
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.
Enrolling in courses
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:
- prerequisites (courses you have to do before the one you are enrolling in)
- corequisites (courses you have to do at the same time as the one you are enrolling in)
- restrictions (courses that you cannot enrol in if you are completing or have completed another identified similar course)
- location – for instance some distance-based courses still have an on-campus element, so double check that the way the course is taught is suitable for your situation.
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.
What are courses and credits?
What are courses and credits?
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.
- See the ‘Courses for this programme’ section for the list of courses.
- Courses search
Understanding course numbers
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:
- sub-degree courses are '0' (i.e. xxx.0xx)
- undergraduate study begins at 100-level, (i.e. xxx.1xx)
- as you progress through 200- and 300-level courses this number changes to 2 and 3 respectively. The higher the number that starts the second three digits, the higher the level of study.
| 1 | 6 | 2 | . | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| Subject area | Level | Course ID number | |||||
Workload and time management
Use this tool to help determine how much time you will need each week to complete your studies.
Returning students
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.
Scholarships and awards
There are a number of scholarships available for new and current students. They could relate to your situation, achievement or interest.