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Postgraduate subject

Secondary Teacher Education

07 November 2023
Become a qualified secondary school teacher in UC's one-year programmes.
HOW TO APPLY

Overview


Secondary Teacher Education

Introduction

Secondary Teacher Education offers you an exciting and rewarding career teaching and creating a positive impact on the youth of Aotearoa, in particular subjects of your choosing.

To complete this subject, you will need to already have an Aotearoa New Zealand bachelor’s degree.

Qualify for registration as a secondary school teacher with three postgraduate degree programmes offered at UC.

Science Teaching Chrystie Woods

Secondary Teacher Education

What will my study involve?

  • Key skills in managing a classroom, presenting lessons, and supporting the different ways people learn.
  • Focus your teaching on your intended secondary school subject from a wide range of options — art to chemistry to te reo Māori.
  • Multiple placements in secondary schools around Aotearoa so you can work with practicing teachers, meet principals, and teach directly to students.

Secondary Teacher Education

Courses

UC offers the following qualifications specialising in Secondary Teacher Education:

Secondary Teacher Education is made up of courses in the following areas of study:

  • Professional Studies where you learn about the secondary school student and hone presentation skills, lesson planning, classroom management, questioning skills, learning theories, and teaching strategies.
  • Education Studies provides opportunities for students to explore issues surrounding the history, sociology, philosophy, politics, cultural contexts, and psychology of education. It also considers strategies for using ICT in education and e-learning.
  • Teaching Practice is the school-based requirement of the programme and provides the placement contexts in which students develop skills and gain experience in practical situations.
  • All Teaching Studies courses focus on the essential learning areas of the Aotearoa New Zealand Curriculum including curriculum statements, examination prescriptions, unit and achievement standards, teaching and management approaches, assessment practices, and curriculum resources.

Secondary Teacher Education – major subjects

For the Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, and Master of Teaching and Learning, you can choose up to two teaching subjects from the Teaching Studies list below. Previous degree studies, preferably to 300-level, is required for your main teaching subject. For your secondary teaching subject, study to at least 200-level is preferable.

  • Art
  • Biology with Science
  • Chemistry with Science
  • Classical Studies with Social Studies
  • Economics with Social Studies
  • English
  • Geography with Social Studies
  • Health
  • History with Social Studies
  • International Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Outdoor and Environmental Education
  • Performing Arts
  • Physical Education
  • Physics with Science
  • Te Reo Māori
  • Technology.

Secondary Teacher Education

Career opportunities

After completing one of our programmes, you will be eligible to apply for provisional registration as a secondary school teacher and can apply for teaching positions in Aotearoa New Zealand schools and in many countries around the world.

A teaching degree also prepares you for roles in school leadership, business management, and services that involve training and working with youth and other people.

Career pathways could include:

  • secondary teaching
  • public sector
  • human services
  • industry training.

Find out more about what you can do with a degree in Secondary Teacher Education.

Related brochures


Postgraduate Prospectus 2025

Whakatairanga Tāura

Download (application/pdf, 6 MB)
Download

International Prospectus 2024/2025

Download (application/pdf, 6 MB)
Download
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