Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education)
OP7032
The aim of the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) is to equip ākonga with a recognised, flexible and applied teaching qualification in the primary education context.
Availability
Our distance learning courses are offered throughout the year to help you fit study around your work and life commitments.
Courses are offered up to 12 times per year depending on demand and availability of academic staff.
Exact start dates are in the course information pages and in our Enrolment dates page:
Cost
- Course costs can be found on all course pages. The fees may increase annually.
- Qualification cost – to give you an idea of how much a qualification may cost in total over the duration of your studies, an approximate cost is provided for many of our qualifications. This is based on the required number of courses to complete the qualification and the average cost of those courses. It does not include annual administration fees, text books and course materials or external exam fees, and is subject to annual course fee increases.
Credits
Courses are assigned credits depending on how much time and effort is needed to complete their learning outcomes. In general, each credit represents approximately 10 hours of study time.
Delivery method
- Online – The course materials for online courses are delivered in an online format and all assignments are submitted online.
- Mixed – These courses are delivered using a mix of online and paper based course materials. This may include receiving paper course materials, submitting assignments online, or being required to participate in online forums and learning activities.
- Print Only - The course will be delivered using paper based courses materials, and assignments may need to be submitted in hard copy rather than online. This will depend on the course.
Whether courses are delivered online, on paper or a mixture of both, there may also be components such as workshops, noho marae, work experience and practicum to participate in. To find out what your course involves check the course information page.
EFTS
EFTS stands for equivalent full-time student. An EFTS is the study time required for each course and is used by the Tertiary Education Commission to decide if a course is part-time or full-time.
One year of full-time study is generally between 0.8 and 1.2 EFTS.
Level
You can tell how hard a course or qualification is by the level it is set at:
- Levels 1-4 are about the same as secondary school and basic trades training.
- Levels 5-7 are the same as university study.
Prerequisites
- Prerequisites are courses that must be completed before another course can be studied.
- Co-requisites are courses that can be studied at the same time as another course.
If a course has a specific prerequisite or co-requisite course, it will be listed on the course page under the title 'Prerequisites'. If no courses are listed, check the entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying for. Some courses require you to have studied at a particular level prior to enrolling.
Student loans
Not all qualifications or students are eligible for student loans. You will need to meet criteria such as studying a minimum number of credits over a specific study period. It is up to you to apply for a student loan via StudyLink - Open Polytechnic does not do this for you.
Information about student loans and eligibility
Teaching weeks
Teaching weeks is the number of weeks that we teach a course. This differs from the enrolment period, which is based on the course start and end dates.
For example, a 20-week enrolment period will have 16 teaching weeks, followed by four weeks to accommodate marking, any extensions and reassessments, or exams.
Workload
The workload estimate given on a course page is calculated like this:
Number of credits x 10, divided by the number of teaching weeks for the course. The hours will be rounded up to nearest whole number.
Please note, this is a guide only. You may need more or less time for study, and you may also need to do more hours during assessment due dates or exams times.
-
Level7
-
Credits360
-
Cost$18,000 NZ Domestic
Not including any course materials or external exam fees.
-
Student loan
Available.
Practical courses connect theory with practice and are strongly aligned with sector needs to ensure work-ready graduates equipped with skills and knowledge required for teaching positions or for further study at postgraduate level.
Enrolment Information for new learners
Please note: Enrolments for February for new learners have now closed. We are enrolling for June 2025
What you will Learn
Graduates of this programme will be able to:
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding and knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in primary education settings to support tamariki Māori and rangatahi Māori to enjoy educational success as Māori;
- Utilise skills for engaging appropriately and effectively with tamariki and rangatahi, their parents, families and whānau, as well as colleagues, stakeholder professionals and external organisations;
- Critically analyse effective practices for planning, differentiating and implementing learning and teaching practices for tamariki and rangatahi of diverse backgrounds and which meet specific learning needs across the full range of abilities in primary education settings;
- Utilise current research on tamariki and rangatahi development in the physical, social, intellectual, emotional and cultural domains to facilitate accurate and useful planning, programming and assessment of learning and for learning in primary education settings;.
- Demonstrate learning gained in multiple, varied practicum opportunities in primary education contexts with the support of accomplished mentors;
- Apply critical reflection to continually improve knowledge and skills, and collaborate effectively with professional colleagues within and beyond their primary education context.
Teacher Registration
Once you have successfully completed this programme, you will be eligible to apply for registration and a practising certificate to begin your teaching career in New Zealand. A Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate is the first practising certificate you will hold. For New Zealand trained teachers, a Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate is issued or renewed for three years.
For more information please visit this link:
Teaching Council of New Zealand, Applying for a Tōmua | Provisional Practising Certificate
Partner school
Ākonga require the support of an approved partner school in order to enter this programme. Open Polytechnic can assist with acquiring this support.
Ākonga are based in a local primary school (partner school) for two full days per week if full time, or one full day per week if part time (in addition to practicum). These days are decided between the ākonga and the school, and ākonga are expected to attend between 9am and 3pm. There are 140 days in total across this degree.
This time in schools ensures ākonga have the opportunity to directly connect theory with practice. During school-based practice ākonga will be exposed to a range of learning experiences and will develop their teaching practice alongside qualified teachers. Ākonga are expected to contribute to the mahi of their partner school, based on their own area of skill or interest.
If you have an existing relationship with a school (you already work there, or are well known to them), please approach them to seek candidate support for your application. Schools are busy places, so please contact them first to make an appointment. When you are in discussions with the school, please email or bring them a copy of this School Placement Information. This document includes the following:
- Partner School Letter: This letter explains why you are approaching the school for support.
- Programme Leaflet: This gives the school an overview of the programme and details the responsibilities required by the school.
- Candidate Support Form: Schools should complete and return this form to confirm their support.
We suggest you give yourself plenty of time to do this before the application close-off date.
If you do not have an existing relationship with the school, please do not approach a school directly, rather indicate this on the pre-enrolment check (also linked in the ‘Choose courses and apply’ tab).
Career opportunities
This programme leads to employment in primary education and other teaching settings, and related professions.
It is a recognised initial teacher education qualification for the purposes of meeting the requirements for application to register as a teacher with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa
New Zealand.
Programme delivery
Noho marae
Ākonga participate in three compulsory noho marae (overnight stay) during the programme. Noho are held in 4 or 5 centres across the country. Ākonga will have an opportunity to connect with local tikanga and kawa (marae protocols and Māori practices), and te reo Māori.
For ākonga enrolled in Tō Tātou Tiriti courses below are the details for noho marae offered in the second half of 2024. Please note that while these dates and venues are confirmed, a change might occasionally be required:
- 03-04 August – Ara Marae, Te Kura Wanaka, Christchurch
- 10-11 August – Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, UNITEC, Auckland
- 17-18 August – Puketeraki Marae, Karitane, Dunedin
- 07-08 September – Ōrongomai Marae, Upper Hutt, Wellington
- 21-22 September – Maungatapu Marae, Tauranga
If you enrol in a course starting in September or October 2024 that has a noho marae as a compulsory course requirement you will not be able to complete the course until after the course end date. You will be awarded a Grade Pending result until you have attended a noho marae in April/May 2025.
Please note that a Grade Pending result will not satisfy any pre-requisite requirements, you must have a pass grade before you have met the pre-requisite.
Practicum
Throughout this programme ākonga complete three practicums, totalling 120 days. During practicums you are expected to be at schools before 8:30am and to be available until 4pm each day. In these practicums, ākonga engaging with tamariki, family, whānau and communities, as well as other members of the teaching profession. Throughout their practicums ākonga are supported to engage in a wider community of practice and build their professional connections.
During practicums, ākonga have an opportunity to demonstrate the progress they are making towards achieving the Key Teaching Tasks and their ability to meet the Standards for the Teaching Profession (in a supported environment).
Maximum Programme Completion Time
To be awarded the qualification, the programme must be completed in no more than 6 years of first enrolment, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Availability
Our distance learning courses are offered throughout the year to help you fit study around your work and life commitments.
Courses are offered up to 12 times per year depending on demand and availability of academic staff.
Exact start dates are in the course information pages and in our Enrolment dates page:
Cost
- Course costs can be found on all course pages. The fees may increase annually.
- Qualification cost – to give you an idea of how much a qualification may cost in total over the duration of your studies, an approximate cost is provided for many of our qualifications. This is based on the required number of courses to complete the qualification and the average cost of those courses. It does not include annual administration fees, text books and course materials or external exam fees, and is subject to annual course fee increases.
Credits
Courses are assigned credits depending on how much time and effort is needed to complete their learning outcomes. In general, each credit represents approximately 10 hours of study time.
Delivery method
- Online – The course materials for online courses are delivered in an online format and all assignments are submitted online.
- Mixed – These courses are delivered using a mix of online and paper based course materials. This may include receiving paper course materials, submitting assignments online, or being required to participate in online forums and learning activities.
- Print Only - The course will be delivered using paper based courses materials, and assignments may need to be submitted in hard copy rather than online. This will depend on the course.
Whether courses are delivered online, on paper or a mixture of both, there may also be components such as workshops, noho marae, work experience and practicum to participate in. To find out what your course involves check the course information page.
EFTS
EFTS stands for equivalent full-time student. An EFTS is the study time required for each course and is used by the Tertiary Education Commission to decide if a course is part-time or full-time.
One year of full-time study is generally between 0.8 and 1.2 EFTS.
Level
You can tell how hard a course or qualification is by the level it is set at:
- Levels 1-4 are about the same as secondary school and basic trades training.
- Levels 5-7 are the same as university study.
Prerequisites
- Prerequisites are courses that must be completed before another course can be studied.
- Co-requisites are courses that can be studied at the same time as another course.
If a course has a specific prerequisite or co-requisite course, it will be listed on the course page under the title 'Prerequisites'. If no courses are listed, check the entry and other requirements under the qualification you are studying for. Some courses require you to have studied at a particular level prior to enrolling.
Student loans
Not all qualifications or students are eligible for student loans. You will need to meet criteria such as studying a minimum number of credits over a specific study period. It is up to you to apply for a student loan via StudyLink - Open Polytechnic does not do this for you.
Information about student loans and eligibility
Teaching weeks
Teaching weeks is the number of weeks that we teach a course. This differs from the enrolment period, which is based on the course start and end dates.
For example, a 20-week enrolment period will have 16 teaching weeks, followed by four weeks to accommodate marking, any extensions and reassessments, or exams.
Workload
The workload estimate given on a course page is calculated like this:
Number of credits x 10, divided by the number of teaching weeks for the course. The hours will be rounded up to nearest whole number.
Please note, this is a guide only. You may need more or less time for study, and you may also need to do more hours during assessment due dates or exams times.
-
Level7
-
Credits360
-
Cost$18,000 NZ Domestic
Not including any course materials or external exam fees.
-
Student loan
Available.
-
Factsheet (PDF) Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) factsheet (683 KB pdf)
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Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education)
OP7032
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