Postgraduate Diploma in Probation Services

The Postgraduate Diploma in Probation Services is necessary for all those who want to work as probation/parole officers. During this diploma, students learn about the role of probation/parole, the law that governs probation/parole and the issues surrounding counseling offenders. Working with victims, research problems in criminal justice, crime prevention and other alternatives to imprisonment are also addressed.

The Department of Criminology has 35 students reading the MA in Probation Services. This course has been upgraded from the Post Graduate Diploma in Probation services, giving the opportunity for students who had previously read the probation diploma to upgrade it to a Masters level. This has resulted in a number of probation officers and other ex-students registering for this new Masters degree. With 17 new students and 18 continuing students the course offers a good mix of experience, enthusiasm and a will to succeed. In the coming weeks the proposals for the dissertation will be submitted. This should result in research proposals that will enrich the Maltese probation research field.

The Department of Criminology offers periodic in-service courses to the Probation Services.  We have tackled issues like Community Service Orders and the new amendments to the Probation Act.  The former has resulted in lectures to members of the judiciary and lawyers as well as probation officers. The latter changes are the result of the European Union Framework Decision on Community Sanctions. We have also assisted the Service in identifying lectures for Cybercrime and Criminal Procedure.

The Department has also delivered lectures to Correctional Officers working in Prison.  These lectures were on offenders and how to deal with them. Another lecture on communication skills is planed for the future.

Timetables

Exam Timetable

More information can be acquired from: 

Office of the Registrar

Students Advisory Services