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Study Education at Otago

Learn how to change the world.

Education is a powerful tool that can transform the lives of children, adults, families and communities. How has education shaped your own life, for better or worse? What aspects of education have sparked your curiosity and excitement about the world?

If you study education, you will also learn about history, philosophy, psychology, politics and sociology. You will explore how education has changed the lives of people and communities in the past, and about the ways different people have made sense of education as a cornerstone of society. You will encounter different ideas about the purpose of education, what a good education looks like, and how people learn. You will learn about people, and how they think.

See information about teaching qualifications

Why study Education?

We are involved with education throughout our lives. Education papers investigate how education changes lives and how learning happens, and they identify and address patterns of success and failure in education.

Topics of interest:

  • Educational psychology (how children, young people, and adults learn)
  • How education systems evolve and how they function
  • The role of education in the lives of families, whānau and communities
  • The historical influences that have shaped institutions of childhood and education systems nationally and internationally
  • The cultural, social, and political influences on the school curriculum
  • Gender, disability, Māori education, ICT and research methods also feature in the undergraduate programme

The study of Education is diverse and interdisciplinary. It will give you a range of sought-after skills including critical thinking, problem solving, strong interpersonal skills, and both written and verbal communication skills.

Career opportunities

Students with a major in Education can apply for a diverse range of jobs. Education can be an especially useful background for careers in research, policy analysis, social work, the counselling professions and many areas of public service.

Educational processes are important in almost all settings and Education graduates can have a valuable role in most organisations.

BA in Education: Student profile

Sasha Johnston speaks to us about her experience studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Education Studies.

Read transcript

Introduction

Kia ora everyone, my name is Sasha, and I’m a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies. The Education degree is not a teaching degree, so you won’t be qualified to be a teacher at the end of it, but it is super interesting. We’ve covered a lot of facets of education that I think have really equipped me for an exciting future in the field.

I chose to come to Otago based on its strong research reputation. I’ve also really enjoyed living in Dunedin and all the different extracurricular activities the city has to offer. There are plenty of outdoor activities to get into, and it’s a really exciting place to live.

Why did you choose Education?

I chose to study Education as I was doing a teaching degree, and really found that some of the education papers delved into aspects of education that I hadn’t thought about previously. I really wanted to get stuck into those more, so I eventually made the switch to a Bachelor of Arts. I’ve felt really happy with that choice.

What has your degree covered?

Throughout the degree, we have covered the history of education, the psychology of teaching and learning, different educational theories, and philosophies of different educational approaches. I’ve really enjoyed looking at education from all of those angles and putting it all together to see how systems influence how people grow up in New Zealand and throughout the world.

What have you enjoyed the most?

I’ve particularly enjoyed the critical and theoretical focus. A lot of the papers we study encourage you to examine aspects of education critically—to not take them for granted but to ask why things are the way they are, how they might change in the future, and how those changes could improve outcomes for children throughout New Zealand.

Throughout all of my papers, my lecturers have been really supportive. Quite the contrary to what you hear at high school, you’re not on your own—you can go to anyone for help. It’s been a really supportive environment with lots of friends and people to help you along the way.

Currently, I am looking for jobs off the back of graduating, and I feel as though my degree has adequately equipped me for you know hopefully a long career in the education sector. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking into education as a field of study.

Education at Otago

You can study towards a major in Education as part of a three-year degree programme.

In your first year, you will learn about the political, social and cultural dimensions of contemporary educational practice. You also will study lifespan development in its social context. This includes the studies of families, of cultures within New Zealand and of disability.

Beyond your first year, you'll develop understanding of how people learn, ways of facilitating learning and how education in New Zealand has developed over time.

We offer papers that allow you to focus your studies in the following areas:

  • Psychology of education
  • Sociology of education
  • Pedagogy of education
  • Equity in education
  • Disability studies and education

Southland campus

The Southland campus, based in Invercargill, offers some Education papers.

Degree options

You can study Education as a major or minor for a range of degrees. You may elect to do a combined degree, a double major or a double degree.

Education papers can enhance any degree, as all professionals are involved in learning.

Student exchange

The University of Otago has exchange agreements with over 100 institutions worldwide. You have the opportunity to study at an international partnership institution while paying only New Zealand fees, and completing your qualification within the same timeframe as if you'd never been away.

Recommended background

There are no specific subjects you need to have studied at school in order to study education.

Choose a study option

Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.

Undergraduate qualifications

For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.

Note: this subject can also be studied as a minor.

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Further study opportunities

Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.

Programme details

Compare programmes for this subject.

Papers

View a list of all related papers below.

More information

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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.

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