Prepare for your career in education
Advance your expertise within the field of education and gain specialist knowledge in your area.
Our postgraduate programmes are designed for teachers, educational leaders, researchers, policy makers, and others already working in education. They also suit you if you’re interested in professional learning or education leadership.
Study full time or part time, and focus on areas of education that you’re passionate about, such as education policy, sustainability, curriculum, leadership, or Māori or Pacific education. We also offer special education, international education, language and literacy, or digital futures.
Choose your study path
We offer several ways to study Education at postgraduate level.
Postgraduate qualifications in Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
A flexible postgraduate qualification that you can fit into your commitments. It suits you if:
- you’re interested in returning to study but don’t have the time to commit to a Postgraduate Diploma or a Master’s degree
- you want to deepen your knowledge of a specific subject
- you’re a teacher or other education specialist and need a qualification to fit around your work schedule.
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Education
A more involved qualification that takes than the Postgraduate Certificate. You’ll explore the educational field in more depth, and can choose to cover a broader variety of topics. The Postgraduate Diploma also gives you a solid grounding for senior leadership roles and policy work.
Postgraduate Diploma in Education
Master of Education
This Master’s degree helps you become an expert in your area of interest. It’s an opportunity for you if you’re an education professional, you can tailor your Master’s to your specific field, and fit around your work commitments.
Master of Education
Master of Secondary School Leadership (MSSL)
This Master’s degree equips you with the skills to be a secondary school principal or to take other leadership roles. You’ll learn how to lead a secondary school and raise student achievement with effective leadership based on informed decision-making.
Master of Secondary School Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Carry out original, sustained research in Education, mentored by an academic supervisor. It’s an opportunity to make discoveries, address major issues in the education field, challenge yourself, and develop a mix of transferable and specialised skills.
Education as a major in your postgraduate degree
Deepen your expertise in the education field and improve your Education career prospects with advanced postgraduate study.
Bachelor of Arts with Honours—BA(Hons)
Explore your areas of interest in Education in depth and improve your career prospects with a BA(Hons). Refine your research, writing, and analytical skills while expanding your knowledge.
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts)
Change focus to explore Education in more detail. Refine your research, writing, and analytical skills while expanding your knowledge.
Master of Arts (MA)
Focus on Education in depth and contribute to the world's knowledge in that area. Boost your critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, and learn to create and assess new ideas in the field.
Fit your study into your commitments
Our postgraduate programmes are designed to fit around your schedule. You can study full time or (if you’re a domestic student) part time, and we offer both face-to-face and online pathways.
We hold on-campus classes late in the afternoon, or as block courses over several days or on weekends. We also offer many courses online, or in blended form with the option for online attendance.
If you want to be a teacher
The study of Education does not qualify you to teach in New Zealand schools—you need a specialist 1-year teaching qualification.
To become an early childhood teacher
There are two ways you can become an early childhood teacher with us:
- complete the 3-year Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Early Childhood
- complete an undergraduate degree (in any subject) and then gain the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education).
Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)
To become a primary- or secondary-school teacher
To train as a teacher, you need an undergraduate degree, and then to complete one of the following 1-year qualifications:
- Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary)
- Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary)
- Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)
- Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary)
More information on becoming a teacher
TeachNZ has resources about training to become a teacher, the benefits, and how to find a job.
Becoming a teacher in New Zealand—TeachNZ
Here are some of our resources on preparing for a teaching career.
Qualification support and advice
We can help you match your interests and career goals with the right course of study.
If you’re a new student, talk to a Future Student Adviser through our enquiry form.
If you’re already studying with us, talk to Tītoko—Student Success.
For the research portion of your study, you’ll need a supervisor to help guide your research. Your programme coordinator will work with you to find the right person.
Study options
Find out how you can study Education at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Globally ranked
This programme is ranked in the top 200 universities worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
The QS World University Rankings is an annual global publication that gives overall rankings and subject rankings for more than 1,500 universities worldwide.
Future careers
A postgraduate qualification in Education will develop your skills in research, writing, critical thinking, and problem solving. These skills open up many career pathways. For example, you could work:
- as a researcher or policy analyst in an education-sector government organisation, such as the Ministry of Education, the Education Review Office, or the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
- in education and youth development roles in other sectors of the economy, such as in educational technology, publishing, or with not-for-profit organisations
- as a lecturer, programme coordinator, and in student support roles in the tertiary education sector.
More career information
Find out more about careers in education.
The government careers website, Tahatū, offers more information about jobs, salaries, and current opportunities.
Scholarships
You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.
We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It’s a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
School of Education prizes and awards
Prizes and awards available within the School of Education include:
- The Ilse B Steinberger Prize in Primary Teaching
- Teacher Education Excellence Awards
- New Horizons Research Award
Ministry of Education Study Awards
If you’re currently working in a school, the Ministry of Education offers scholarships, awards, funding, and sabbaticals that enable you to take graduate or postgraduate study while you work. You’ll find more information about these study awards at www.education.govt.nz.
Scholarships for Education
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This Scholarship was established in 2025 to honour Professor Margaret Hyland who held the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at Victoria University of Wellington from 2018 to 2025.
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This scholarship has been established by a gift from Autism New Zealand to further its mission to empower the autistic and wider autism communities. The scholarship is designed to support Education and Educational Psychology Master’s by thesis students to undertake research evaluating early support for Autistic children.
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This scholarship is open to any undergraduate or postgraduate student who is currently enrolled full-time in a degree majoring in Education. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic merit, but where more than one top applicant consideration will be given to applicants experiencing financial hardship.
Scholarships for international students
We are currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme.
Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.
School of Education prizes and awards
Prizes and awards available within the School of Education include:
- The Ilse B Steinberger Prize in Primary Teaching
- Teacher Education Excellence Awards
- New Horizons Research Award
Ministry of Education Study Awards
If you’re currently working in a school, the Ministry of Education offers scholarships, awards, funding, and sabbaticals that enable you to take graduate or postgraduate study while you work.
Find more information on these awards at the Ministry of Education
Other scholarships
We also have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas. If nothing fits right now, something may suit you later.
We encourage you to apply. It’s a straightforward process, and it could make a real difference.
Scholarships for Education
-
This scholarship has been established by a gift from Autism New Zealand to further its mission to empower the autistic and wider autism communities. The scholarship is designed to support Education and Educational Psychology Master’s by thesis students to undertake research evaluating early support for Autistic children.
-
This scholarship is open to any undergraduate or postgraduate student who is currently enrolled full-time in a degree majoring in Education. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic merit, but where more than one top applicant consideration will be given to applicants experiencing financial hardship.
Join our postgraduate community
The Postgraduate Students’ Association provides a voice for you on campus and information on studying at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Postgraduate Students’ Association
MAI ki Pōneke
MAI ki Pōneke are part of an international network of Māori and Indigenous postgraduate students. They provide advice, support, and information to Indigenous postgraduate students of all levels, as well as those thinking about enrolling.
A focus on research
The School of Education has a strong reputation for research that enhances theoretical and evidence-based educational psychology policy and practice, from early childhood through to tertiary education. The University’s postgraduate courses are informed by this research-led teaching.
You’ll also benefit from collaboration across education and psychology disciplines in the School and in the Faculty of Education, Health, and Psychological Sciences, and with the education sector.
Academic staff research areas
Chris Bowden
Director, Educational Psychology
Sue Cherrington
Professor
Carmen Dalli
Head of School
Vanessa Green
Professor of Education
Linda Hogg
Senior Lecturer
Judith Loveridge
Deputy Head of School, Education
Sandi McCutcheon
Senior Lecturer
Hiria McRae
Associate Dean, Maori
Anita Mortlock
Senior Lecturer
Fuapepe Rimoni
Senior Lecturer
Jenny Ritchie
Professor
Kabini Sanga
Associate Professor
Jeff Sigafoos
Professor
Kate Thornton
Associate Professor
Hannah Waddington
Associate Professor
Bronwyn Wood
Associate Professor
Anne Yates
Senior Lecturer
Get help to manage your finances
We can help you:
- budget your money
- manage your student loan or allowance
- work out your accommodation payment schedule.
If you’re facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for the Hardship Fund.
You may be eligible for government or community support, too.
Apply for a New Zealand study visa
You’ll need to apply for a study visa if you plan to study with us as an international student.
You should apply for your visa after you’ve received your Offer of Place, and before you come to New Zealand.