New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5)

Thinking about becoming an early childhood educator? This one-year course sets you up with the introductory skills to begin a career in early childhood education (ECE). You could become a non-registered educator in an early childhood setting, a home-based carer, or a nanny. You find out how to enhance young children’s physical, social, cultural and educational development. You learn about the principles of the national early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, and how to incorporate these into teaching and learning. As part of the course you spend time on placement at an early childhood centre supervised by a registered teacher. We find the placements for you! This course makes up the first year of our Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood Education. By enrolling in the diploma first, you can see if teaching is for you. If you’re ready for higher-level study by the end of the course, you can then apply to move into the degree for the remaining two years.

If you are under 20 years of age or an international students you must have:

NCEA Level 2 with passes in English/Te Reo Māori, OR New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3), OR New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 4), OR Evidence of ability to meet academic requirements.