An applied practice part-time or full-time programme for ECE leaders and aspiring leaders that grows a community of leaders within the ECE sector.
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This Level 8 postgraduate qualification has a strong emphasis on work-based leadership practice within the ECE context. Students will develop their ECE leadership skills through connection with other students and engagement with current research.
Students who graduate with the Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership (ECE) – Tītohu Paerua i te Ārahitanga (ECE) are eligible to staircase into further postgraduate early childhood education studies with a Level 9 master’s degree, with the four courses contributing to the first part of a master’s degree.
Students who complete the Leading Pedagogical Change and Leading Teams courses are eligible to graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership (ECE) – Tiwhikete Paerua i te Ārahitanga (ECE).

ECE Leadership Programme delivery
Te ara tuku
This is a 120-credit qualification comprising four 30-credit courses. It is equivalent to 1 full-time academic year but can be completed part-time within 2 years. Full-time students need to set aside 30–34 hours per week, which is why most students choose to study part-time.
Three of the four courses are compulsory core courses, with the other being an elective course. The programme is fully online, including an online block course at the beginning of each semester. There is one 1.5-day block course per course.
A 1-day online orientation course for new students precedes the online block course.