Qualification regulations for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching

Qualification Regulations

Part I

These regulations are to be read in conjunction with all other Statutes and Regulations of the University including General Regulations for Postgraduate Degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Certificates.

Part II

Admission

1. Admission to the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching requires that the candidate will meet the University admission requirements; and shall have:

(a) been awarded or qualified for a Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent; and

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

2. For entry into the Te Korowai Mokopuna endorsement candidates shall have:

(a) been awarded or qualified for the professional qualification Te Tohu Mātauranga Whakapakari Tino Rangatiratanga o Te Kōhanga Reo; and

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

3. 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:

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

4. 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 the equivalent TOEFL score) or other evidence that is acceptable to Academic Board.

Qualification requirements

5. Candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching shall follow a flexible programme of study, which shall consist of courses totalling at least 120 credits, comprising:

(a) two core courses as listed in Schedule A for the qualification (60 credits);

(b) two courses for one endorsement as listed in Schedule B for the qualification (60 credits).

Specialisations

6. Candidates must complete one endorsement by completing the requirements for that endorsement as set out in Part B of the Schedule for the Qualification.

7. The endorsements available for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching are Blind and Low Vision, Complex Educational Needs, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Intervention, Gifted Education, Te Korowai Mokopuna, Learning and Behaviour.

Completion requirements

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

9. Any candidate who has previously been awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching may be permitted to cross-credit the courses into the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching. Time limits for completion and for the award of distinction will apply from the time that the candidate first enrolled in a course credited towards the diploma.

10. In order to graduate with the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching endorsed in Blind and Low Vision a candidate must pass the Trans-Tasman Braille Proficiency Examination.

11. 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 graduation may, subject to the approval of Academic Board, be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Teaching should they meet the relevant Qualification requirements.

Unsatisfactory academic progress

12. The general Unsatisfactory Academic Progress regulations will apply.

13. For candidates enrolled in the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching failure to complete a course in two successive attempts will lead to exclusion from the qualification.

Transitional provisions

14. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in the Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled in Gifted Education prior to 01 January 2025 who have successfully completed 262751 may substitute this for 262760.

15. This transition arrangement expires 31 December 2027.

Schedule for the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching

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.

Key terms for course planning

Courses: Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
Course code: Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
Credits: Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
Specialisations: Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.

Part A: Core courses

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Regulations for The Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching - PGDipSpecTchg