The Faculty of Education of Victoria University of Wellington was formed from the former School of Education (of the Faculty of Humanities of Social Sciences) of the University, and the former Wellington College of Education on 1 January 2005.
The Faculty, for marketing purposes, is often referred in advertisements as the University's College of Education, rather than as a faculty of the university. The University, in internal bulletins, refers to both a faculty and college fluidly: a VicNews of 13 January 2005 apparently describes a "new Faculty of Education to oversee the degrees and diplomas awarded by it, and a new College of Education, consisting of four Schools," and later in that issue refers to a Victoria University College of Education.
The Faculty is made up of three 'schools'. There are also divisions such as School Support Services, which supports in-service teachers.
The campus was designed by well-known local architect William Toomath. Stage One of the campus development was awarded an NZIA Silver Medal (1972), and an NZIA Local Award (Enduring Architecture) (2005). The buildings were renamed in 2004 after all the principals of the College and the College's sole VC-decorated serviceman.
2005 is the Faculty's 125th anniversary, the College being originally established in 1880. (The Victoria University of Wellington's predecessor, Victoria College – later Victoria University College – opened in 1899.)
Previously, the Wellington College of Education (until 1988 the Wellington Teachers' College) was a college of education (formerly a teachers' college) in Wellington, New Zealand.
The College and University had already released a joint course catalogue for that academic year in October 2004 by the time the merger was sealed.