Master of Science in Public Policy and Strategic Management

Course Title

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Information for International applicants

Applicants must be in possession of:

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

the degree of Bachelor of Commerce from this University, in the same or in related areas of study as one of the areas of study applied for, obtained with at least Category II or
the degree of Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from this University, in the same or in related areas of study as one of the areas of study applied for, obtained with at least Second Class Honours. The Board may also consider applicants in possession of the degree obtained with Third Class Honours, provided that applicants have obtained other qualifications, including relevant work experience, following their first cycle degree or
the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Business and IT from this University, obtained with at least Second Class Honours or
the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and Computing from this University, obtained with at least Category II and with a minimum average of 65% in the Business area. The Board may also consider applicants in possession of the degree obtained with Category III, provided that applicants have obtained other qualifications, including relevant work experience, following their first cycle degree or
a first cycle degree from this University obtained with at least Second Class Honours or Category II in an area deemed appropriate by the Board. Applicants shall be required to submit a portfolio covering at least twelve months of relevant and related experiences. Such applicants may also be required to attend an interview to allow the Board to assess their suitability to follow the Course with profit or
a first cycle degree from any university that is equivalent to the qualifications set out in paragraphs (a) to (e).

In appropriate cases, the Board may require students admitted to the Course to follow and pass supplementary study-units to which a maximum of 12 ECTS credits are assigned, in addition to the programme of study.

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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.

Public and private sectors, multilateral and transnational corporations are continually looking for management and public policy managers who are able executives and can significantly contribute to strategic decision-making by integrating public policy with a management perspective. This masters' programme will expose you to the knowledge, theories and practices that organisations in any sector demand from modern public and private managers and policy analysts. You will be exposed to relevant subjects and case studies which include Governance, Managing EU Policy, Policy implementation, Leadership, People Performance Metrics, Decision making and Modelling and human resource management. The M.Sc. in Public Policy and Strategic Management is the foundation for admission to careers as managers and policy analysts.

In addition to the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the programme of study for the course, students who did not cover PPL3103 and PPL3108 during their undergraduate studies, shall be required to register for these supplementary study-units as indicated below:

In addition to the prescribed 60 ECTS credits for the year, students can apply to the Board to register for extra study-units. Please refer to the note at the end of the programme.


Semester 1

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

MGT5205	Service Design and Operations Strategy	5 ECTS
MGT5207	Strategic Management and Enterprising	5 ECTS
MGT5208	Cognitive Heuristics and Judgment in Managerial Decision Making	5 ECTS
MRK5811	Advanced Research Techniques	5 ECTS
PPL5008	Good Governance and Leadership	5 ECTS
PPL5105	Competitiveness and Innovation: Government and New Ideas	5 ECTS

Supplementary Unit

PPL3103	Policy Analysis	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

MGT5202	Strategic Human Resources Management	5 ECTS
MGT5203	People Performance Metrics	5 ECTS
MGT5204	Management Science and Decision Analysis	5 ECTS
PPL5101	Strategy, Policy Implementation and Review	5 ECTS
PPL5111	Managing EU Policy	5 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)Students are required to choose ONE* elective study-unit from the following.*

PPL5004	Political Economy	5 ECTS
PPL5113	Policy Management Seminar	5 ECTS

Supplementary Unit

PPL3108	Regulatory Policy and Institutions	4 ECTS


Semester 1

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

PPL5009	Dissertation	30 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 Economics, Management and Accountancy.

Extra study-units cannot substitute compulsory, elective or optional study-units that form part of the official Senate-approved programme of studies, and do not count towards the Year Average Mark or towards the Final Weighted Average Mark.
Year 1
PPL5019* Dissertation Research Seminars– 4 ECTS

*PPL5019 will start in Semester 2 of Year 1 and continue up to the end of Year 2 Semester 1.

The conditions and criteria for Extra study-units can be accessed here.

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

acquire a full, critical command of the state of the art on public policy and management, including governance processes and standards, institutional design, decision-making, leadership and management processes;
think critically, test ideas empirically and learn from experiences of both public and private policy success and failure;
synthesize the insights of different fields of knowledge for application to complex problems;
develop their leadership skills in policy innovation and business competitiveness;
articulate a vision, think strategically, organise effectively and communicate persuasively.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800
Yr 1: Eur 10,800 - Yr 2: 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.

As a graduate of this programme, you will be prepared to play substantial public policy and related management roles in a diversity of business, regulatory and governmental fields both locally and overseas. Specific opportunities may include sectors such as EU and public institutions, manufacturing and service-oriented sectors.

https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/pmscpplsmnftt8-2024-5-o/