Price
Domestic learners
$1,149* per 15 point course
International learners
$4,775* per 15 point course
*Price is approximate and subject to change. Fees outlined are based on the 2026 fee schedule and are subject to revision each year. Prices include GST where applicable. Non-tuition fees, such as the Student Services Levy (SSL), will also apply.
Qualification
PGCertAIDE
60 points
Duration tooltip: Duration is approximate and subject to course availability
1 year part-time
Entry times
13 July 2026*
28 September 2026
February 2027
July 2027
*July learners will complete their first course as a Certificate of Proficiency, which they can apply to credit toward the PGCertAIDE after Universities NZ regulatory approval.
Overview
The Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education is subject to Universities New Zealand approval, expected in September. Apply now to start your first course in July as a Certificate of Proficiency that you can apply to credit towards the PGCertAIDE after Universities New Zealand regulatory approval.
Building on our popular AI for Educators short courses, this online postgraduate certificate is designed for working professionals who want to grow their expertise in artificial intelligence and digital education. Through flexible online study you'll develop the expertise to lead responsible AI adoption across schools and kura, tertiary institutions and workplace learning environments.
You'll go beyond learning how to simply use AI tools, and explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching, learning, assessment, and educational systems more broadly. You'll critically evaluate emerging AI technologies, design meaningful digital learning experiences, and examine the wider ethical, cultural, and societal implications of AI in education.
With support from UC education experts, you'll develop the ability to engage thoughtfully with AI - understanding both its possibilities and its limitations. These online AI education courses emphasize critical AI literacy, enabling you to assess AI tools, recognise risks such as bias and misinformation, and implement technologies in ways that are ethical, culturally responsive, and effective for diverse learners.
You'll graduate with a recognised UC qualification and the practical skills to champion ethical, effective use of AI in education. Help improve teaching and learning outcomes across Aotearoa New Zealand through flexible online study.
Requirements
To ensure that our learners have the necessary background and experience to succeed, you must have completed an Aotearoa New Zealand bachelor's degree at level 7 in Education or equivalent, with a grade average of B or higher.
If English is your additional language, you are also required to meet UC's English language requirements.
Every application will be reviewed before approval by the Amo Matua Ako | Executive Dean of Education, or delegate.
Unsure about your suitability?
As part of our application process, your eligibility will be assessed by our education academic team to make sure that your academic and/or professional background meets the entry criteria. Unfortunately our Tuihono UC | UC Online team cannot confirm your eligibility before your application is submitted, beyond referring you to the requirements above. We are happy to help answer any general questions you have about the programme or online learning, however. You can get in touch with us here.
Looking for more education and teaching options?
Explore UC's wide range of specialised programmes in teacher education, educational studies and leadership, and youth & community leadership.
Structure
The Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education can be studied part-time over one year, subject to course availability, and must be completed within two years. Full-time availability is being explored — stay updated.
Time commitment
Part-time learners complete 30 points of AI in education course(s) each semester, requiring approximately 18.5 hours of study per week. Study time includes taking in course material, reflection time and writing assessments. Our Postgraduate Certificate in AI and Digital Education is flexible, enabling you to plan your study around your other commitments.
Upcoming dates
Our current learning dates can be found below (please note: these dates exclude our period of marking and feedback).
- 13 July - 8 November 2026
- Study break dates to be confirmed with enrolled learners.
Please note: these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.
Begin
Get started with our foundational online course in AI and digital education.
Studying online at your pace, you'll build your understanding of AI in education, and how you can best use digital tools for the range of different teaching and learning contexts across Aotearoa New Zealand — and beyond.
Course taken: Digital pedagogies for enhanced learning (EDME433).
Develop
Continue building your expertise through two specialised digital education courses. You'll explore the ethics and pedagogical design principles you need to create AI-enabled education, and how to best support learner-centred experiences when using digital tools.
Course(s) taken: Foundations of AI Education (EADE441) and AI-Enabled Learning Design (EADE443).
Finish
Congratuations — you're ready to graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury!
Careers and job opportunities
Developed by UC’s education experts, this postgraduate certificate will build your capability in artificial intelligence and digital education. You’ll be prepared to support the thoughtful use of AI in teaching and learning, work alongside colleagues to explore new approaches, and contribute to decisions about how digital technologies are used in your organisation.
Rather than focusing on tools alone, you’ll develop the confidence to evaluate AI technologies, understand their implications, and apply them in ways that are practical, ethical, and appropriate for your context.
What you'll study
You'll study three NZQF level 8 courses to graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education.
Description
Participants will gain a comprehensive overview of the field of technology-enhanced learning and develop an ability to select, evaluate and create digital tools in a variety of digital education contexts. This course explores the evolution of digital education, and the impact digital technology has on learning practice and theories. Drawing on theories of affordances, students learn about the opportunities and constraints of a wide variety of digital tools, and materials, and how they can be used in a pedagogically appropriate way to enhance learning. Focusing on digital pedagogies the course will enable participants to learn about how best they can use digital tools for teaching and learning in a particular context.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop an understanding of how technology has developed to the point it can be utilised in the classroom to support teaching and learning.
- Demonstrate an advancing knowledge of theory and practice with the application of digital technology in the classroom, drawing on appropriate pedagogical, cultural and social aspects of its use.
- Critically assess research about the effectiveness of technology and its impact on learning.
- Appraise and critically evaluate suggested technology for teaching and learning. And the issues and approaches for the effective integration of technology in the educational context.
Description
Foundations of AI Education supports educators to critically re-examine teaching, learning, and assessment in response to the growing influence of artificial intelligence, with particular attention to generative AI. Rather than centring on tools alone, the course foregrounds foundational concepts, ethical considerations, and pedagogical design principles that enable educators to respond thoughtfully and responsibly to AI-enabled educational contexts. Drawing on contemporary research, theory, and practice, the course integrates three key dimensions: foundational AI literacy, the redesign of authentic assessment, and the development of AI-informed pedagogical approaches that support meaningful learning, learner agency, and educational integrity. Throughout the course, participants critically engage with the social, cultural, and ethical implications of AI, including issues of bias, data governance, academic integrity, and equity. By the end of the course, educators will be equipped to make informed, principled decisions about how (and whether) AI is integrated into educational practice, and to articulate coherent, values-informed approaches to teaching and assessment in an AI-rich world.
Learning outcomes:
- Critically evaluate the educational, ethical, and social implications of artificial intelligence in education, including generative AI, with particular attention to equity, academic integrity, and cultural responsibility.
- Design and critically evaluate AI-supported assessment practices that enable learners to engage with generative AI in culturally inclusive, ethical, and equitable ways.
- Critically analyse, design, and enact AI pedagogy by evaluating contemporary theories and models and applying them to create AI-enhanced pedagogical approaches that support meaningful learning, and AI literacy, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and culturally sustaining practice.
Description
AI-Enabled Learning Design supports educators and learning designers to critically and creatively integrate generative AI into the design of digital and online learning experiences. The course focuses on how AI can be used to enhance learning design processes, support adaptive and learner-centred experiences, and streamline digital content development - while remaining attentive to ethical, cultural, and pedagogical considerations.
Learning outcomes:
- Critically evaluate the pedagogical affordances and constraints of generative AI tools for learning design and digital content development.
- Design and apply AI-supported learning design principles to create learner-centred, adaptive, and immersive digital learning resources.
- Critically examine the ethical, cultural, and societal implications of integrating generative AI into digital learning solutions, including issues of responsibility, risk, and equity.
Our people
The Postgraduate Certificate in Structured Literacy is coordinated by Dr Kathryn MacCallum, with contributions from other industry professionals and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury academics.
Professor Kathryn MacCallum
Professor, Digital Education Futures, University of Canterbury, School of Leadership and Professional Practice in Education
Kathryn is a Professor of Digital Education Futures at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. She brings extensive expertise in integrating digital technologies into education across K–12 and tertiary sectors. Her research explores innovative approaches to technology-enhanced learning, including the use of AR, VR, and emerging practices to support learners. Kathryn has led national and international projects on digital education and published widely, including editing multiple books on technology in education. She also serves as Editor-in-Chief for leading journals in mobile and blended learning and educational technology.
As Director of the Digital Education Futures Lab at UC and Programme Coordinator of the postgraduate education programme within her School, she is focused on developing a community of researchers engaged in the exploration of digital technologies within the educational context across all contexts of education, including; formal and informal, schooling, pre and post-schooling. Kathryn is also past President of the International Association of Mobile Learning (IAmLearn) and a member of the NZ AI Forum, leading a workgroup focusing on AI for Education.
Stay updated
If you’re keen to know more, stay updated on when enrolments open or ask a question about this AI in education programme, please sign up for updates below.
Cap & minimum enrolment threshold: a minimum number of learners is needed for effective interaction and feedback, while a maximum cap of learners ensures high quality learning and support. If the minimum number of enrolments required for a course isn’t met, or the maximum cap is exceeded, learners will be given the option to defer their study or receive a refund.
FAQ
Graduates are well positioned to take on more specialised or leadership roles in digital and AI-enabled education.
You’ll be able to support colleagues, guide responsible use of AI tools, and contribute to decisions around teaching, learning, and assessment in your school or organisation.
This qualification, helping demystify AI for educators, is particularly relevant for those working in schools and kura, tertiary organisations, and workplace learning environments to ethically and proactively use AI in teaching.
This programme is designed for educators and professionals working in teaching, learning or training roles who want to better utilise AI in teaching.
It’s suited to classroom teachers, leaders, learning designers and other professionals interested in how artificial intelligence and digital technologies are shaping education.
It’s a good fit if you want to build your confidence with AI, think more critically about its use, and apply it in ways that are effective, ethical and appropriate for your learners.
The overall cost of tuition fees per 15 point course based on the 2026 fee schedule:
- for domestic learners is $1,149* incl GST
- for international learners is $4,775* plus GST if applicable.
Total programme investment for 60 point programme based on the 2026 fee schedule:
- for domestic learners is $4,596* incl GST
- for international learners is $19,100* plus GST if applicable.
Please note that the fees are charged on a per year basis and the amount charged reflects the number of courses/points enrolled in the current year. These are based on the 2026 fee structure and subject to revision – you can learn more about the University of Canterbury’s Tuition fee structure here.
Student Services Levy costs
Each year university students around Aotearoa New Zealand are charged a Student Services Levy (SSL) in addition to their tuition fees. All the SSL money collected can only be used for the benefit of students - never for academic or administrative costs.
The SSL is automatically calculated on how many points you enrol in per academic year, capped at a maximum of 150 points. Tuihono UC | UC Online learners are charged a reduced SSL rate, which is 20% of the usual on-campus student levy. This is calculated as $2.06 per academic point in 2026 . You can learn more about the Student Services Levy here, and more about UC Support Services here.
There are a range of options you can use to finance your Postgraduate Certificate in AI and Digital Education, which you can learn more about here.
Yes, our online Postgraduate Certificate in AI and Digital Education is a recognised university qualification.
Successful learners will graduate with a Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, and be eligible to attend graduation! You can either receive your testamur (qualification certificate) on-stage, or elect to receive your certificate in the mail.
The programme is delivered completely online, using a range of technologies including video conferencing, online discussion forums, and interactive learning experiences.
You can log on to complete your studies when it suits you, so long as you meet assessment deadlines — learn more about studying with UC Online.
You’ll build practical skills in structured literacy, including how to assess learners, plan effective teaching, and use explicit, evidence-based approaches to better utilise AI in teaching.
You’ll apply your learning in your own context, while also developing knowledge and skills that can support broader roles in literacy, including more specialised or leadership-focused work. This programme is designed to support professionals upskill in AI for educators.
Yes, we offer unpointed 20-hour short courses through the year, including:
- AI for Educators short course
- Designing Authentic Assessment in the Age of AI short course
These courses are designed to help you better utilise AI in teaching, and are a great place to start if you're unsure about returning to study, or want to try out how UC Online learning works.
Learners have access to the same support services as on-campus students, including academic advising, technical support, and library resources. There are also great resources for both Canterbury based and remote learners at the UC RecCentre. Learn more here.
Learners also have the support of our Tuihono UC Learner Experience team.
Whether you need advice finding the right course for you or support with the enrolment process, we’re here to help! Contact our enrolment support team for course information, technical help and enrolment support.
Applications for this online programme are made online through our Tuihono UC | UC Online website – please sign up for updates to stay in the loop about when applications open.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Education is a standalone professionally relevant qualification, but can lead to further study, including master's degrees — explore UC's postgraduate Faculty of Education study options.
We are also developing our online offerings - if you'd like to hear about our latest news and offers, join our mailing list.
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