PLAS stands for Programme in the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Micro-credentials in the Programme are open to persons who are deemed to have the ability to follow such micro-credentials with profit. Acceptance may be subject to a short interview. Most micro-credentials do not have specific requirements. Certain qualifications and/or experience may be specified for particular micro-credentials. You can refer to the micro-credentials database to check if the micro-credential you wish to follow has any pre-requisites.
PLAS offers applicants maximum flexibility and the opportunity to study at one's own pace. If you face any difficulties, feel free to contact the Centre for help.
Yes, you can choose to follow micro-credentials from whichever area of study being offered. The majority of micro-credentials are of an Introductory level; others are of a Higher level. Please refer to the list of PLAS micro-credentials for further details on micro-credentials.
Lectures will normally be held between 18:00 and 20:00 to allow applicants working full-time to follow PLAS micro-credentials. Assignments must be done for accreditation to be given. However, you may attend lectures/seminars without eventually being assessed. The same application procedures and fees apply.
No, PLAS is an innovative programme because students get to choose their own programme of studies from the range of micro-credentials offered.
No, these micro-credentials are specially designed for PLAS and are not part of undergraduate programmes.
No, students are free to follow as many micro-credentials as they like, given that there are no time-table clashes between the different micro-credentials.
4ECTS credits micro-credentials: €180*(€120* for full-time University of Malta staff and students & 60+ Citizens)
Full amount needs to be paid and then send us an email with your details, ID number and for which micro-credential you applied for, and we will issue a refund.
4ECTS credits: €340*(€220* for full-time University of Malta staff and students & 60+ Citizens)
Full amount needs to be paid and then send us an email with your details, ID number and for which micro-credential you applied for, and we will issue a refund.
No, the same fees apply for Maltese, EU/EEA and Non-EU/EEA nationals.
Payments are made through the online application process. On successful submission of your application form, you will be sent an email confirming that payment was received.
*A late application fee of €20 per micro-credential applies.
Applications for PLAS Semester 1 micro-credentials are now CLOSED.
Applications for Semester 2 are available from 4 July 2025 - 23 January 2026.
You can apply for micro-credentials to be offered during SEM2 by clicking here
Yes, applications are only available online. Refer to the information which will guide you through the process.
This facility has the advantages of being available 24/7, can be submitted from the comfort of your home and the micro-credential fee/s can be paid through a secure online payment system.
It should take around ten minutes to complete the online application form. You also have the possibility of starting an application and saving it, to be completed at a later date. An application is only considered as submitted when it has been fully filled in and when the respective fees have been paid.
When creating an application for the first time, please select New User. You will then be asked to create a username and password of your choice. Should you have started an application and saved it to continue later, the next time you try to access your application, please insert the username and password you would have created when you first started your application and select LOGIN. However, once you register, your details will be retained and retrieved when subsequent applications are opened.
Fees are fully refunded only if the micro-credential is not offered due to an insufficient number of applicants or if the applicant is not accepted to follow the micro-credential after a short interview. If an applicant withdraws before the micro-credential starts or within the first month of the semester, the fee is refunded but an administrative fee of €20 is retained.
After the first month of the semester, fees are non-refundable.
Yes.
No, you can apply for more than one micro-credential on offer in the same semester. However, a new application needs to be submitted each semester.
No, in the online application, you are not asked to apply for a Certificate, Diploma, Higher Diploma or Degree. You apply for individual micro-credentials.
When students accumulate enough ECTS credits, they are entitled to the following Awards:
Eligibility for Awards
(1) Students shall be entitled to a Certificate of Achievement for each successfully completed Unit and may request a transcript detailing the successfully completed Units.
(2) Students shall be awarded qualifications as follows:
(a) a Certificate in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 30 Credits; of which not less than 26 credits shall be at the Introductory Level;
(b) a Diploma in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 60 Credits, of which not less than 56 credits shall be at the Introductory Level;
(c) a Higher Diploma in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 120 Credits, of which not less than 56 credits shall be at the Higher Level;
(d) a degree of Bachelor in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 180 Credits, which shall include not less than 100 Credits at the Higher Level, and which may include a long essay or extended project assigned 12 Credits, and provided that in all cases, students (i) may be allowed to offer Higher Level credits in substitution of the required credits at the Introductory Level; and (ii) shall alsosatisfy any other requirements as specified in these Regulations.
Applicable from 1 June 2025 onwards:
(1) Students who obtained Credits when registered on courses offered by this University may have their Credits accepted by the Board of Studies for transfer towards the Programme; provided that if these Credits have already been counted towards the award of another qualification of this University or any other university as approved by Senate, a note to this effect will be included in the transcript or Diploma Supplement issued.
(2) The transfer of Credits referred to in paragraph (1) of this bye-law can only be approved if (i) the student is interested in pursuing a higher level qualification within this Programme; and (ii) the student is required to take a number of micro-credentials offered by the Centre out of the total number of Credits required for the award of the qualification as follows:
(a) for the Certificate in Liberal Studies at least 8 Credits shall be taken from the Programme;
(b) for the Diploma in Liberal Studies at least 16 Credits shall be taken fromthe Programme;
(c) for the Higher Diploma in Liberal Studies at least 24 Credits shall be taken from the Programme;
(d) for the degree of Bachelor in Liberal Studies at least 32 Credits shall be taken from the Programme.Certificate in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 30 Credits;
Diploma in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 60 Credits, provided that not more than 40 Credits are at the Introductory Level;
Higher Diploma in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 120 Credits, provided that not more than 60 Credits are at the Introductory Level;
Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies if they obtain at least 180 Credits, of which not more than 80 Credits at the Introductory Level.
Once you obtain the number of ECTS credits required for a qualification, you may contact the Centre and indicate your wish to be granted the award.
Regulations for the Programme and Statute of the Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences
Information on the PLAS Research project (12 ECTS)
Lectures will normally be held between 18:00 and 20:00 at the Main Campus (Msida) or Online or at the Gozo Campus. The venue and location will be included on the timetable.
SEM1 Timetable - October 2025 - January 2026 [PDF] - for PLAS micro-credentials on offer between October 2025 - January 2026
SEM2 Timetable - February - June 2026 [PDF] - Semester 2 Timetable for PLAS micro-credentials on offer between February - June 2026.
Contact the Centre by email or call on +2340 3772/3.
An academic year consists of two semesters, each incorporating 14 weeks of teaching, two weeks of recess, and examination periods of two weeks and of four weeks at the end of the first and the second semester respectively.
The allocation of credit to micro-credentials forming part of a Programme of Study follows the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) proposed by the European Commission. ECTS credits are a numerical value (between 1 and 60) allocated to micro-credentials to describe the student workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each micro-credential requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic study, that is, lectures, practical work, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, private study in the library or at home and examinations or other assessment activities. ECTS is thus based on a full student workload and not limited to contact hours only. In the ECTS system, 60 credits represent the workload of one academic year of study.