The MA in Community Action and Development delves into the intellectualizing of issues such as community education, empowerment and emancipation, citizenship, inclusion and exclusion, social movements, social capital, globalization, sustainable development and education for sustainable development. The programme of study also targets problematisation and deconstruction of prejudiced and stereotypical cultural notions and attitudes and social problems. It advocates a rethinking of citizenship: By drawing on emancipatory schools of thought, the programme of study challenges assumptions that citizenship 'just happens'. It also fosters critical engagement with social change and its academic study.
The course is designed around five distinct yet interrelated knowledge dimensions:
1. Community studies, sociology, politics and governance; 2. Community pedagogy and educational intervention; 3. Community activism and participation; 4. Community psychology; 5. Professional practice.
The course targets the understanding of these knowledge dimensions and related critical intellectual development within a framework of globalization, balanced by sustainable development.
The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of a Bachelor degree from this University or from any other higher education institution recognized by Senate, in an area of study deemed relevant by the Board with at least Second Class Honours or Category II, together with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working in a community setting.
All applicants shall be required to demonstrate that they have the necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the Course with profit. Professional aptitude and disposition shall be measured by means of a personal interview conducted by an interviewing board appointed for the purpose.
The interviewing board appointed by the Board shall be composed of at least three members.
The admission requirements are applicable for courses commencing in October 2022.
For more detailed information pertaining to admission and progression requirements please refer to the bye-laws for the course available here.
UM currently hosts over 1,000 full-time international students and over 450 visiting students. The ever-increasing international students coming from various countries, in recent years, have transformed this 400-year old institution into an international campus.
Our international students generally describe Malta as a safe place, enjoying excellent weather and an all-year varied cultural programme. Malta is considered as the ideal place for students to study.
You can compare your national qualifications to the local requirements by visiting our qualifications comparability webpage.
After you receive an offer from us, our International Office will assist you with visas, accommodation and other related issues.
Local/EU/EEA Applicants:
Total Tuition Fees: Eur 4,800 Fee per semester: Eur 800
Non-EU/Non-EEA Applicants:
Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800 Yr 1: Eur 5,400 - Yr 2: Eur 5,400 - Yr 3: NIL
A sample of the learning outcomes you will acquire by the end of the course are:
• Development of professional practice rooted in an academic and rigorous research culture of social engagement that seeks sustainable community development and regeneration. • Ability to develop, implement, co-ordinate and support policy that is grounded in scientific knowledge. • Generation of primary data, identification and effective deployment of secondary data to address poorly understood/vulnerable community and relational dynamics. • Critical engagement with stablished paradigms, policies, literature and data. • Leadership, team and team-building skills. • Engagement with education as a concept and a lifelong practice that goes beyond schools and schooling, i.e. extending to informal and non-formal dimensions.
The MA in Community Action and Development is intended if you are working, or planning on working, in EU, state and civil society organisations.
Potential career and employment prospectives include community workers/developers, health workers, educators, cultural operators and mediators, opinion makers, researchers, policy-makers, officers working on local regeneration and gentrification projects and other executive and high administrative posts within:
• The European Union (EU) and EU agencies, • State entities such as ministries, regional and local councils and other state entities, such as the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, the European Union Programmes Agency (EUPA), the Malta European Union Steering Action Committee (MEUSAC), SAPPORT, APPOĠĠ. • Civil society entities that include NGO remunerated staff and volunteers, social partners (trade unions, employers' associations), social cooperatives, fair trade proponents, members and agents of political parties; • The private sector, e.g. corporate social responsibility, technology with social purpose.
Click here to access the Programme of Study applicable from 2022/3.
Last Updated: 15 September 2022
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication. The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. Unless for exceptional approved reasons, no changes to the programme of study for a particular academic year will be made once the students' registration period for that academic year begins.
