PMADBSPET2-2024-5-O - L-Università ta' Malta

Course Title

Master of Arts in Disability Studies

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

6 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-time Evening

Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of the following qualifications:

any first cycle degree classified with at least Category II or Second Class Honours or
a Diploma in Health Science from this University in any of the following areas of study: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Podiatry, or in any other area deemed relevant by the Board, together with a minimum of five years of relevant work experience or
a professional qualification deemed by Senate to be comparable to the qualification indicated in paragraph (b), together with a minimum of five years of relevant work experience,

provided that applicants admitted under paragraphs (b) and (c) shall have successfully sat for an interview, during which they shall be required to provide written and employer-corroborated evidence of clinical practice and other relevant qualifications obtained following completion of the diploma course and provided that they shall have successfully completed the preparatory programme as specified below.

All applicants shall be required to demonstrate that they have the necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the Course with profit.

Professional aptitude and disposition shall be measured by means of a personal interview conducted by a board appointed for the purpose.

The maximum number of students that can be admitted into the course is 20 students.

When the number is so limited and the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants shall be selected according to the following criteria, which shall be weighted as follows:

qualification type and classification – 45%
experience in the area of the proposed study – 15% and
professional aptitude and disposition – 40%.

The interviewing board appointed by the Board shall be composed of at least three members.

Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL): Applicants may also be considered through the RPL process. Further information about RPL. Applicants whose RPL portfolio is recognised by the Department shall be required to complete the Preparatory Programme indicated below.

Preparatory Programme

Applicants admitted under paragraphs (b) and (c) shall be required to complete a preparatory programme, comprising 35 credits as directed by the Board, prior to their registration as regular students on the Course. Only those applicants who obtain an average of 65% or better in the preparatory programme shall be considered for admission to the Course under paragraphs (b) and (c).

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You can submit your application online. The deadlines for submission of applications vary according to the intake and courses. We encourage all international applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. This is especially important if you require a visa to travel and eventually stay in Malta.

You can compare your national qualifications to the local requirements by visiting our qualifications comparability webpage. Access more information about our admission process and English language requirements.

The University of Malta has student accommodation on campus called Campus Hub. Campus Hub is just a 2-minute walk from the main campus. For more information, visit the accommodation website.

Our dedicated team at the student recruitment office is here to support you every step of the way. From the moment you start your application to the moment when you receive your decision letter, we're here to assist you. If you have any questions or need further information, don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us at info@um.edu.mt, and our team will be more than happy to help.

After you receive an offer from us, our International Office will assist you with visas, accommodation and other related issues.

Where possible, the lectures for the Master of Arts in Disability Studies will also be delivered through video conferencing in Gozo.

The Master of Arts in Disability Studies aims to:

Induct you in the current issues pertaining to disability;
Appraise the complexity of the phenomenon of disability;
Examine the barriers faced by disabled people and consider alternative solutions in their work and life;
Explore the wide scope of areas covered in disability studies and research.

The taught component of the course is divided into two: core content that is delivered in the first year and a choice of two streams in the second year: the socio-cultural steam and the applied stream. The socio-cultural stream examines the concept of disability from different standpoints, namely the theoretical, the policy and legislative, the personal, and the socio-political perspective. The applied stream allows you to engage with the barriers disabled people encounter due to specific impairments and their implications to professional practice.

In addition, the guided literature review (DBS5013), in the second year, offers you the opportunity to choose an area that might interest you, and develop it independently with support and guidance from a supervisor. You will also acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct emancipatory disability research and to help them write your dissertation.

The programme of studies extends over a period of three years of part-time studies. The first two years will be dedicated to the taught component of the course and the third year to the writing of a dissertation. Lectures are normally held twice a week in the evening and are of three hours duration. Each semester, the Department supplements the taught component with foreign guest lecturers.


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

DBS5009	A Life Course Approach to Disability	5 ECTS
DBS5010	Conceptualising Disability	5 ECTS
SWB5001	Advanced Research Methods	5 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

DBS5008	Emancipatory Disability Research	5 ECTS
DBS5011	Disability, Poverty and Social Exclusion	5 ECTS
DBS5012	Rights Based Approach to Disability	5 ECTS

In addition to the compulsory study-unit, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 25 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year. Elective study-units will open only if enough students apply for the study-unit, therefore students should indicate their preferences from 1-10 when choosing electives.


Year (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

DBS5013*	Guided Literature Review	5 ECTS
* The topics chosen for study-units DBS5013 and DBS5007 must be different from each other.

Semester 1

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

DBS5015	Intellectual Disabilities	5 ECTS
DBS5017	Psycho-Social Disabilities	5 ECTS
DBS5019	Disability, Gender and Sexuality	5 ECTS
DBS5023	Disability, Media and the Arts	5 ECTS


Semester 2

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

DBS5014	Sensory and Physical Disabilities	5 ECTS
DBS5016	Contested Labels in Disability	5 ECTS
DBS5018	Person-Centred and Family-Oriented Disability Services	5 ECTS
DBS5020	Disability Across Cultures: Critical Dimensions	5 ECTS
DBS5021	Narratives of Disability	5 ECTS
DBS5022	Disability, Tourism, Leisure and Sports	5 ECTS


Year (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)

DBS5007*	Dissertation	30 ECTS
* The topics chosen for study-units DBS5007 and DBS5013 must be different from each other.

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Master of Arts in Disability Studies - M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

By successfully completing the Master of Arts in Disability Studies, you should:

Demonstrate that you are conversant with contemporary debates and issues in the field of disability;
Critically examine the underlying principles of definitions and theories of disability;
Show that you are able to assess the impact of public and social policy and law on disabled people’s quality of life and the choices and opportunities open to them;
Be able to explain and examine the barriers faced by disabled people and consider alternative solutions in their work and life;
Critically examine the complex factors involved in the relations between impairment and disability and the individual and society; and
Appraise and assess the importance of taking a holistic perspective when interacting with disabled people and in the use of language.

Explain and critically appraise the development of disability as a socio-political issue in relation to the struggle of other social groups;
Analyse data and information related to disability and be able to interpret this information;
Demonstrate that you are able to carry out emancipatory research and that you can critically appraise research studies in the area of disability.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800
Yr 1: Eur 5,400 - Yr 2: Eur 5,400 - Yr 3: NIL

You are viewing the fees for non EU nationals. Switch to EU nationals if you are a national of any country from within the EU/EEA.

This course will offer:

Opportunities for employment as a social and/or community operator in voluntary, non-governmental and governmental settings engaged in the social and/or welfare field;
The ability to explain disability to others is a useful skill in the job market, especially in the context of increased numbers of disabled people;
A graduate of this course will sensitise and help work settings comply with relevant legislation in this field;
The course will provide a gateway to doctoral studies in the area.