Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)

Bethlehem Tertiary Institute

Subject area

Teacher Education: Secondary (Pre-Service)

Qualification

Check out Fees Free to see whether you are eligible for a year of fees-free study or two years industry training. Contact your provider to confirm your study options meet the criteria.

Entry requirements

Criteria for how decisions will be made on whether a candidate has the ability to study at tertiary level:
The screening process and interview process will determine if the candidate has met the requirements set down by the Education Council for registration as a teacher in New Zealand in terms of Good Character and 'fit to be a teacher'. The candidate will also provide permission for BTI to request a copy of Police Clearance communication (this is also required for enrolment in subsequent years). All applicants are required to complete pre-entry competency tests in numeracy and literacy- reading comprehension and written language.

Academic requirements for this programme and criteria for whether a candidate has a sufficient body of knowledge in a relevant teaching subject:
An approved qualification at NZQA Level 7 or above [e.g., a Bachelor's degree (Level 7, at least 360 credits); a Graduate Diploma (Level 7, 120 credits); a Bachelor's degree with honours (Level 8, 480 credits); Postgraduate Diploma (Level 8, 120 credits) or a Master's degree (Level 9, 240 credits], with a sufficient body of knowledge from Levels 5 to 7 or higher that is relevant for teaching a particular secondary school subject.
Students entering the programme are required to have passed papers in topics appropriate to that subject area; a minimum of three papers at 300 level in their Senior teaching subject and a minimum of three papers across 100 / 200 level in their Junior teaching subject.

English Language Competency.
Prior to entry, candidates for English medium programmes must demonstrate English language competency by providing one of the Council's approved evidence of English language competency. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) requirement is a score of 7.0 across the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking tests.
See Appendix 1 Draft Programme Regulations 2022 for full details of the English language competency requirements.
Numeracy & Literacy
In order to have confidence that applicants will enter the course with the required level of numeracy and literacy required, a literacy test and numeracy test will be undertaken as part of the application process. This test will be done onsite in test conditions before an interview and by distance with an invigilator if the interview is an online one. Both these tests are designed to meet the requirement for University Entrance levels for numeracy (NZC Level 6) and literacy (NZC Level 7).

About the course

What can I expect out of this qualification?

Pre-service teachers bring their undergraduate degree knowledge into a different context - that of New Zealand Curriculum and Secondary education and develop professional knowledge and practice related to these. Those studying at a graduate level are able to:
· engage in self-directed learning and advanced study
· demonstrate intellectual independence, analytic rigor
· the ability to understand and evaluate new knowledge and ideas.

The programme has 135 credits
As such it meets the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand's requirement (2.1) that the "teaching qualification is at least a Bachelor's degree or a Graduate Diploma, at Level 7 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF)"