PMSCBIOFTR8-2025-6-O - L-Università ta' Malta

Course Title

Master of Science in Biology

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time (by Research)

Information for International applicants

Applicants must be in possession of:

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

the degree of Bachelor of Science with at least Second Class Honours in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years previous to registration for the Course or
the Bachelor of Science with Third Class Honours in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years previous to registration for the Course, provided that the applicants have obtained other qualifications, including relevant experience, following their first cycle degree. The Board may, at its discretion, require such applicants to follow a preparatory programme.

The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the admission of applicants in possession of a Bachelor of Science with at least Category II in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years previous to registration for the Course, provided that the admission of such applicants shall be made conditional on the result of an interview and in such cases they shall be required to follow a preparatory programme.

The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the admission of applicants with a first cycle degree deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years previous to registration for the Course, provided that the admission of such applicants may be conditional on the result of an interview and in such cases they may be required to follow a preparatory programme.

Applicants whose first degree was obtained more than 10 years previous to registration for the Course may also be admitted following an interview to ascertain their capability to follow the Course. The Board may, at its discretion, require such applicants to follow a preparatory programme.

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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.

This programme of study is also offered on a part-time basis. Please consult the Registrar's website for more information pertaining to courses offered by the University.

The dissertation will describe your scholarly research, results and conclusions. The dissertation will generally be laboratory/field-based in nature, although it would be acceptable for the work to be based on literature research, provided that an original contribution is made. The dissertation must be based on work of a sufficiently advanced nature. The work should demonstrate that you are able to set up a research problem, plan experiments and/or observations, present and analyse data and draw logical conclusions from the results obtained. You are required to give a Seminar to which 5 credits are assigned, consisting of a presentation to be given to an audience that will include the Board of Examiners. The presentation shall consist of your appraisal of a subject area related to the dissertation project but which does not directly form part of the dissertation or include a discussion of the results of the dissertation project.

The Research Areas that are currently being offered for potential projects may be accessed here.

You are required to write a dissertation based on research work of an advanced and original nature performed during the Course. The dissertation, to which 85 credits are assigned, will describe this research and present results and conclusions in a scholarly manner.

The dissertation will generally be laboratory/field-based (i.e. experimental/observational) in nature although in specific cases it would be acceptable for the work to be based on literature research, provided that an original contribution is made (e.g. meta-analysis, modelling etc). The dissertation must be based on work of a sufficiently advanced nature, and should produce results that are publishable in the mainstream scientific literature. The work should demonstrate that through the project, you have gained experience in biological research and are able to set up a research problem, plan experiments and/or observations, present and analyse data and draw logical conclusions from the results obtained.

You are also required to give a Seminar to which 5 ECTS credits are assigned. This will consist of a presentation to be given to an audience that will include the Board of Examiners (i.e. the Panel of Supervision in its assessment function). The presentation shall consist of your appraisal of a subject area related to the dissertation project but which does not directly form part of the dissertation or include a discussion of the results of the dissertation project. Students are expected to demonstrate their familiarity with the literature of the subject area chosen for the seminar presentation.

The Research Areas that are currently being offered for potential projects, include the following:

Aquaculture
Aquaculture-environment interactions
Bioremediation
Biotechnology
Conservation Biology
Conservation genetics of wild species
Ecological Assessment and Monitoring
Ecology of Seagrass and Algal Habitats
Environmental Management
Faunistics and Biogeography of the Maltese Islands
Fish Diseases/Pathology
Genetics of domesticated species
Influence of physical/chemical factors on marine habitats/species
Isolation and Bioactivity of Natural Products
Marine and Coastal Ecology
Marine Ecotoxicology
Marine Pollution Studies
Microbiology
Utilisation of plant and microbial resources
Vegetation Ecology


Semester 1

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

BIO5400*	Project and Dissertation in Biology	85 ECTS
* Work on the dissertation is expected to start in Semester 1 of academic year 2024/25 (October 2024) and continue up to the end of Summer Semester of academic year 2024/25 (September 2025).

Semester 2

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

BIO5300	Seminar in Biology	5 ECTS

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of Master of Science - M.Sc. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Science.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

Carry out independent and academic research in an area of your choice.
Plan experiments, present and analyse data, and draw logical conclusions from obtained results.
Write scientific reports.
Critically assess published scientific literature.
Defend research presentations.
Use effective scientific jargon in your delivery and communication skills.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fee: Eur 13,400

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.

As a M.Sc. Biology graduate, you will learn the necessary skills to carry out biological research and contribute your findings to scientific literature. You may also opt to enrol in more postgraduate studies, such as a doctorate or an alternative masters' degree.

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