Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Wellbeing Studies (Top-Up Degree)

Course Title

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

6 Semesters

180 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-time Day

Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of the Higher Diploma in Community Access for Disabled People of this University or a comparable qualification in a related area.

Applicants who have obtained credits for study-units considered by the Board of Studies to be equivalent to those in the programme of study, may also be admitted into the Course under those conditions as the Board may impose and follow a programme of study as directed by the Board of Studies.

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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.

The concept behind this top-up degree is that you are free to design your own programme by registering for a number of elective study-units (timetable permitting) on offer by the various departments within the Faculty for Social Wellbeing. These would be study-units which you consider most suitable for your academic interest and career plans alongside a number of compulsory core units. A list of the elective study-units on offer during the course is available here.

During this course, you will be exposed to a wide range of concepts which bring together opportunities for achievement and active engagement in society. Focusing on wellbeing, you will benefit from exposure to issues and trends on social inclusion. Personal, professional and social skills will also be addressed. To further address empowerment and the implementation of skills learnt, you are challenged to take responsibility for your learning and to pursue areas of interest to you.

During this course, you will be exposed to a wide range of key facts, concepts, principles and explanatory frameworks which bring together opportunities for conceptual achievement as well as active engagement in society. Focusing on wellbeing, you will benefit from exposure to issues and trends on social inclusion across the life-course. Personal, professional and social skills will also be addressed. To further address empowerment and the implementation of skills learnt, you are challenged to take responsibility for your learning and to pursue areas of particular interest to you. You will be encouraged to appreciate uncertainty and diversity and to search for meaning and purpose; to take responsibility for your own learning; to be an autonomous thinker; and to develop an integrated understanding of wellbeing.

If you are a student in possession of the Higher Diploma in Access to the Community for persons with Disability, then you shall be allowed to transfer 72 ECTS credits from the Higher Diploma to the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Wellbeing Studies. You shall be required to complete 118 ECTS credits over three years of part-time study as indicated in the programme of study below.

In order to satisfy the requirements for the award of the degree as outlined in the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, you must ensure that your choice of elective study-units when added to the study-units transferred from the Higher Diploma, comply with the following requirements:

Level 0: Not more than 4 ECTS
Level 1: Not less than 56 and not more than 68 ECTS
Level 2 and 3: Not less than 108 ECTS credits more or less divided equally, of which not less than 56 ECTS credits must be at Level 3.

Communication and Academic Skills Programme

The communication and academic skills programme complements students’ main course of study. It introduces them to writing and presenting as situated within academic contexts sensitive to specific disciplines and develops their competences for future careers.

During their first year of studies, in addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose elective study-units to the value of 8 ECTS credits from the elective pool on offer throughout the year. When choosing electives, students can choose up to 8 ECTS credits from the same area of study but cannot choose any study-units from the area of studies of their Diploma which made them eligible for this top-up course.

Students can choose up to 6 ECTS credits as optional study-units which may be taken from outside the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

Students may not register for more than 18 ECTS credits in any one semester (including compulsory study-units).

Any elective study-unit will only be offered if there is a sufficient number of students registered on it and time-table permitting. Elective study-units already chosen during this year may not be chosen again.


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)

COU1302	Inter and Intra Personal Skills	8 ECTS
SWB1001	Foundations of Social Wellbeing	6 ECTS


Semester 1

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

SWB1000	The Arts for Health and Wellbeing	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

PHI1018	Ethics for Social Wellbeing	4 ECTS
SWB1003	Introduction to Research, Writing and Referencing for Social Wellbeing	6 ECTS

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2: 36 ECTS credits

During the second year of this programme, in addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to register for 22 ECTS credits from the elective pool on offer throughout the year, provided these have not already been chosen during the previous year of the course. When choosing electives, students can choose up to 12 ECTS credits from the same area of study, but cannot choose any study-units from the area of Disability Studies.

Students can choose up to 6 ECTS credits as optional study-units which may be taken from outside the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

Students may not register for more than 18 ECTS credits in any one semester (including compulsory study-units).

Any elective study-unit will only be offered if there is a sufficient number of students registered on it and time-table permitting. Elective study-units already chosen during this year, may not be chosen again.


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)

SWB2001	Research Methods for Social Wellbeing	6 ECTS


Semester 1

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

GDS2002	The Intersectionality of Inequality	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

EER2506	Transformative Learning for Sustainable Development and Wellbeing	4 ECTS

Requirement for regular progression to Year 3: 36 ECTS credits

During the third year of this programme, in addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose elective study-units to the value of 22 ECTS credits from the elective pool on offer throughout the year, provided these have not already been chosen during the previous years of the course. When choosing electives, students can choose up to 10 ECTS credits from the same area of study, but cannot choose any units from the area of Disability Studies.

Students can choose up to 6 ECTS credits as optional study-units which may be taken from outside the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

Students may not register for more than 18 ECTS credits in any one semester (including compulsory study-units).

Any elective study-units will only be offered if there is a sufficient number of students registered on it and time-table permitting.


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)

COU3206	Advanced Intrapersonal Skills	4 ECTS
SWB3001	Dissertation	10 ECTS	(NC)

Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 36 ECTS credits

Requirement for award of B.A. (Hons) Social Wellbeing Studies: 180 ECTS credits

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Social Wellbeing Studies - B.A. (Hons) - under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

This course is designed to develop a number of important skills, including:

Intellectual skills: critical thought, analysis and synthesis, creative thinking, problem-solving. These will be fostered through lectures, assessment, supervision and project work.
Personal skills: reflexivity, communication, assertiveness, time management, stress management, decision-making, ethics and values. These skills will be taught directly in a number of units, but will also be developed in the context of lectures, workshops, seminars and interaction with tutors and peers.
Research skills: basic skills of independent library and internet research; critical analysis; quantitative and qualitative research design and methods.
Organisational skills: the capacity to set goals and to organise oneself to reach them. These will be strengthened through choosing and planning one's degree, participating in independent or group work, and working on one's dissertation.

Other skills relevant to employability and personal development

This programme will provide skills that are traditionally of great relevance to students' future employability, including initiative and self-motivation; professional integrity and the capacity to adhere to standards and procedures; resilience and stress tolerance; verbal and written communication; teamwork and interpersonal sensitivity; analysis and investigation; planning and organisation; creativity; and problem-solving.

Non EU Applicants:

Annual Tuition Fees: Eur 4,250

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.

The B.A. (Hons) Social Wellbeing Studies Programme prepares you to be suitable for employment with government departments, ministries and agencies, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private providers of all kinds of welfare, social and human services, or any service with important social and wellbeing aspects. The training enables you to work successfully in many other capacities in the private and public sector as well.

The B.A. (Hons) Social Wellbeing Studies enables you to access different Masters Courses both locally and overseas. This course will help you to pursue postgraduate courses offered by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

Every effort has been made to provide information that is current and accurate. However, as the content is being constantly updated, users are advised to verify the details contained in these web pages with the relevant University office or authority before making decisions based on the published information.

https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/ubahswsiiiptd-2025-6-o/