Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Specialise in Learning and Behaviour for your Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching at Massey
The Postgraduate Diploma Specialist Teaching (Learning and Behaviour) will give you the skills and networks to work collaboratively to bring about barrier-free access to education for all learners.
The qualification uses inquiry and evidence-based approaches to support you in working with practitioners, kaiako and whānau in proactive and positive ways. Through developing strong and productive partnerships, you will be able to work at universal, targeted, and tailored levels to support identity, language and culture for all learners.
Get qualified as an RTLB
The Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching is the Ministry of Education’s official qualification for New Zealand resource teachers: learning and behaviour (RTLB). To be an RTLB you must have or be working towards this qualification.
Your qualification options
Please note that the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching does not qualify you to be a teacher.
A Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching in Learning and Behaviour is a good fit if you:
- Have a passion for inclusive education
- Want to work alongside practitioners, whānau and kaiako
- Enjoy hybrid learning opportunities
Planning information
This qualification is designed to be studied part-time.
In your first year you will take:
- 254766 Professional Learning Pathways
- 249753 Theory and Practice of Learning and Behaviour Diversity
In your second year you will take:
Completion of this qualification requires attendance at compulsory contact workshops. See courses for details.
If you have previously graduated with a Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching you can apply to credit your courses to the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching.
Official regulations
To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.
You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.
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 qualification 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 qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
Courses you can enrol in
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Core courses for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching
As well as the specialisation courses listed below, this qualification has core courses that you will need to complete.
Endorsement courses
Course code: 249753 Theory and Practice of Learning and Behaviour Diversity 30 credits
An advanced study of the theory and practice of specialist teachers in the area of learning and behaviour diversity
View full course detailsCourse code: 249755 Practicum in Learning and Behaviour Diversity 30 credits
Professional and field-based practice in the area of learning and behaviour diversity
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
This is a selected entry qualification. This means there are a number of extra requirements you must meet.
To enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching you will have:
- been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent; and
- been awarded or qualified for a relevant professional qualification; and
- have completed at least 2 years of relevant professional experience.
Application closing date
Applications close on 10 December.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English or Te Reo Māori and you have not gained a New Zealand university entrance qualification, or an overseas entrance qualification in a country where the main language is English, you will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English in the form of an academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 with no band less than 7.0 (or the equivalent TOEFL score) or other evidence that is acceptable to Massey University.
IELTS EXEMPTION: A teacher who has registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and holds a current Practising Certificate, will be exempted from meeting this English language requirement. For more information, see the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Documents you need to supply to support your application
- copies of all official academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University
- a copy of your current CV (including education and employment for at least the last 5 years. If you have recently changed jobs to a resource teacher role, please ensure the new role is included as your current employment)
- a verified copy of your current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (if a registered teacher with a current full practising certificate)
- if you are not a registered teacher you will also need to supply:
- a completed NZ Police Request and Consent form, along with 2 pieces of verified identification (1 of which must be photographic) from the list of acceptable forms of identification
- a copy of a police report from every overseas country you have lived in for more 12 months in the last 10 years. Please do not supply originals as these will need to be supplied to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand at a later date.
Curriculum vitae
Please provide a full CV including details of your educational and professional qualifications, employment history with dates and descriptions of roles and responsibilities, membership of associations/organisations, and a list of professional publications and research reports.
Health and disability
If you have any short or long-term disability including learning disability or heath issue that may affect your study, please upload a summary in your application. If you disclose any disability, health or personal information as part of your application, this will be assessed during the selection process and is confidential to the University staff processing your application.
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
Fees and scholarships
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.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
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, including how much could be covered and your eligibility on the Fees Free website.
Learning Support Study Awards and Scholarships
The PGDipSpecTchg attracts a range of Learning Support Study Awards funded by the Ministry of Education.
Scholarship and award opportunities
Search our scholarships and awardsFees disclaimer
This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.
Careers and job opportunities
A Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching (Learning and Behaviour) can lead to a range of career opportunities. You could find work or enhance your career in many educational areas such as:
- Resource Teacher Learning & Behaviour (RTLB)
- Education Adviser and School Leader
- Special Education Needs Coordinators (SENCo)
- Learning Support Coordinator (LSC)
- Academic, Professional Learning & Development or Research roles.
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Useful planning information
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz