PMABSTFTR2-2023-4-O - L-Università ta' Malta

Course Title

Master of Arts in Baroque Studies

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time (by Research)

Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

To be registered as regular students in the course, applicants must be in possession of a Bachelor degree awarded by this University or any other higher education institution recognised by Senate, pegged at Level 6 on the MQF and obtained with at least Second Class Honours or Category II, in an area of study which the Board deems relevant to the proposed research study.
Subject to the conditions laid down below, the Board may also consider applicants in possession of a degree with Third Class Honours or Category III.
The Admissions Board, on the recommendation of the Board, may also admit into the Course applicants not in possession of a first cycle degree, if it is satisfied that such applicants are in possession of other academic or professional qualifications and experience relevant to the proposed area of study, that together are deemed to be comparable to the level of a first degree. Such applicants shall be required to demonstrate the learning achieved through prior experience and qualifications through the evaluation procedures established by the University Policy for the Recognition and Accreditation of Prior Learning (RPL).

Supplementary and Preparatory Programmes

In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge in particular areas not covered in their first degree, the Board may require applicants registering in terms of paragraph (1), to follow and pass supplementary study-units at Level 4 or lower, to which not more than 12 ECTS credits shall be assigned. These study-units shall be followed concurrently with the programme of study for the Course.

Students admitted in terms of paragraphs (2) and (3), shall be required to successfully complete a preparatory programme comprising not less than 30 ECTS credits and not more than 60 ECTS credits, with an overall average mark of 55% or better, prior to their registration as regular students on the Course.

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Applications for our February and October intakes have been officially open since the third week in November. 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 MA in Baroque Studies is intended to instil you with the necessary knowledge and skills about the 16th, 17th and 18th century world to actively participate in different kinds of fora which would require your expertise. As a professional researcher, you will also garner important life skills such as public speaking and critical thinking, in order to communicate your ideas about the Baroque world that you would have acquired during the course of your training.

Areas of specialisation include for your research include:

Ecclesiastical and Civil Architecture.
Military Architecture and Urban Planning.
Religious Reforms and Spirituals Concerns in the Baroque Age.
Baroque Spectacle.


Semester 1

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

BST5019	Research Methods for Baroque Studies	5 ECTS
BST5500	Research Seminars in Baroque Studies	5 ECTS


Semester 2

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

BST5555*	Dissertation	80 ECTS
* Work on the dissertation is expected to start in Semester 2 of academic year 2023-24 and continue up to the end of Summer Semester of academic year 2023-24.

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 for the Degree of Master of Arts in Baroque Studies under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built Environment.

By the end of the programme, you will:

Have acquired a holistic set of knowledge about the Baroque world during the second half of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Have acquired specific and updated knowledge about unique themes of the Baroque world.
Become aware of the need to better conserve the rich legacy of the buildings and artefacts of early modern Europe.
Become aware of the value of primary-source research to unravel still unresolved issues in our present knowledge of our early modern past and its conservation.
Learn to better appreciate the lessons to be learnt from the histories of the Baroque world and apply this knowledge in present situations.

The exposure to archival research envisaged in this programme of study will automatically provide new knowledge and promote a deeper understanding of the subject being investigated, in the context of the wider study of the baroque world promoted by research seminars. This will lead to your intellectual development, also motivating you to pursue doctoral studies as it is the case in other international institutions of higher education.

The seminars are designed to support your research component by providing an understanding of what has been written and what is being written about the subject, within the context of the wider study of the Baroque world. You will have to choose two (2) appropriate themes related to the subject of your dissertation and prepare a research paper. The seminar themes include:

Politics, violence and ideological issues
Religious reforms
The scientific revolution and medical practice
Aesthetics and Fine things
Gender issues
A world of spectacle and literary achievement
The conservation of the Baroque legacy

Apart from providing an in-depth knowledge related to the area chosen, the seminars will also serve to provide a combination of research skills such as critical thinking, informed debate, communication and public speaking. They will be supplemented by a study-unit on Research Methodology.

Key Transferable Skills

If you would like to obtain your MA in Baroque Studies (by research), then you should be able to:

Participate in the working of National and International governmental and non-governmental operating units concerned with all or specific aspects of the Baroque heritage
Participate in the working of National and International governmental and non-governmental operating units concerned with academic studies and research on the Baroque world.
Participate in the operations of public and/or private organisations involved in the expert recreation of diverse Baroque scenarios for educational, touristic, entertainment and other purposes
Think critically about the Baroque Age and communicate their research in informed debates, written research papers and public lectures.

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.

Upon successfully completing this course, you will be provided with an opportunity to use your acquired general knowledge about the Baroque age, as well as your in-depth knowledge about those aspects of the Baroque age that you have investigated during your research, to address a wide range of audiences having diverse levels of knowing and perceiving things concerning the history of humankind.

In this context, it should be stressed that on conclusion of the programme of studies, you would be in a strong position to participate in the working of National and International governmental and non-governmental bodies concerned with the Baroque age and the preservation of the Baroque heritage, of particular importance in the Maltese islands and often the subject of articles and media debates about the subject where the writing and public speaking / communication skills acquired during the programme, already mentioned above, would become important.

In view of the fact that you would have been exposed to the rigours of academic research within a fixed time frame by the end of the course, the additional skills of public speaking and communication skills you would have acquired in the course programme can improve your chances of employment and, if you would like to achieve further personal development, these learning outcomes would enable you to embark on further postgraduate studies at doctoral and post-doctoral level, thus enhancing the publication aim of the International Institute for Baroque Studies