UBATHLCST-2024-5-O - L-Università ta' Malta

Course Title

Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Communication Studies

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Years

180 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

Communication Studies

An Intermediate Level pass in English.

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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.

Theology

Students registering for the course shall be required to indicate their choice of a second Main Area of study to be taken with Theology at the time of applying for admission.

Students for the Theology and Human Studies degree shall be required to register and obtain credits for study-units to which a total of not less than 180 ECTS credits are assigned, of which not less than 94 ECTS credits shall be obtained from the Theology programme of study, not less than 80 ECTS credits from the programme of study of the second Main Ordinary area of study and 6 ECTS credits in optional study-units.

The Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Human Studies programme meets a variety of educational needs through the combination of Theology with a number of areas of humanistic studies. It provides a good base for students wishing to qualify as teachers of Religion at secondary school level (after pursuing studies in a teacher training course).

It is also intended for students who would like to prepare for church or community related work, including work in religious tourism, through the combination of Theology with Sociology, Psychology, Communication Studies, Philosophy, History or a language subject.

The Bachelor of Arts in Theology will prepare you to study and explore the intertwining relationships between faith, philosophy, and human experience. By engaging with a variety of scriptures and contributing to in-class theological debates, you will cultivate a more refined mind-set and approach towards religious thought. The course features a wide range of units that will cover different facets of theology, which will provide a holistic and unique learning experience. To name a few, some of the units involved range from; Fundamental Patrology, The History of the Church in Malta and the Philosophical Foundations of Theology, to Christian Anthropology, Bioethics, and Prophetic, Apocalyptic and Wisdom Literature.

Communication Studies

The programme of study in Communication Studies will provide you with an introduction to a selection of compulsory and elective units that are offered in communication studies as a main area. Throughout the 3-year programme, you will gain knowledge and skills in a variety of topics that will accompany your main area of studies, while also providing transferable skills for your daily personal and professional practice. Some of the topics range from Reflective Writing, Journalism, English Rhetoric, and Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, to Philosophical Approaches to Communication and Culture, Media Aesthetics, Audio Production and Website Creation, to name a few. During the final semester of the joint area, the topics studied will culminate into a synoptic exam that will assess your acquired skill and intellect.

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.

Theology

During their first year of studies, in addition to the compulsory study-units, students shall be required to choose a total value of 2 ECTS credits which may be taken from the list of optional study-units.

The total number of study-units to be covered during the year should as much as possible be spread evenly over the two semesters.


Semester 1

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

FDT1100	Philosophical Foundations of Theology	4 ECTS	(NC)
THL1001	Introduction to Theology	10 ECTS	(NC)

Students taking Philosophy* as their Human Studies area must register for the following study-unit:*

FDT1300	The Philosophy of Personhood	4 ECTS

Students taking any other* Human Studies area must register for the following study-unit:*

PHI1001	History of Philosophy: (a) Ancient Philosophy and (b) Medieval Philosophy	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

FDT1020	The Mystery of Christ	4 ECTS	(NC)
HPA1061	The Church in Early Christian Thought	2 ECTS	(NC)

Students taking Philosophy* as their Human Studies area must register for the following study-units:*

HPA1300	Platonic Philosophy in Christian Alexandria (2nd-5th Century)	4 ECTS
PHI1025	An Introduction to Philosophy through Film	2 ECTS
PHI1027	An Introduction to the Philosophy of Communication	2 ECTS

Students taking any other* Human Studies area must register for the following study-units:*

PHI1006	History of Philosophy: (a) Modern Philosophy and (b) Contemporary Philosophy	4 ECTS
PHI1017	Ethics	4 ECTS

During their second year of studies, in addition to the compulsory study-units, students shall be required to choose 2 ECTS credits which may be taken from the list of optional study-units.

The total number of study-units to be covered during the year should as much as possible be spread evenly over the two semesters.


Semester 1

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

FDT2310	A Christian Understanding of God	4 ECTS	(NC)
HPA2230	Fundamental Patrology	4 ECTS	(NC)
MRT1020	Catholic Social Teaching	2 ECTS	(NC)
MRT2010	Principles of Moral Theology	4 ECTS	(NC)
SHG3050	The Synoptic Gospels	4 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 2

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

HPA1061	The Church in Early Christian Thought	2 ECTS	(NC)
HPA2231	The History of the Church in Malta	4 ECTS	(NC)
MRT3300	Politics, Economics and Theology	4 ECTS	(NC)
SHG2050	Johannine Literature	4 ECTS	(NC)


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)

FDT3160	Christian Anthropology	6 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 1

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

MRT3330	Theology, Sexuality and Marriage	4 ECTS	(NC)
SHG2160	Pentateuch and Historical Books	4 ECTS	(NC)
SHG3050	The Synoptic Gospels	4 ECTS	(NC)

Students NOT taking Philosophy as their Human Studies area must register for the following study-unit:

PHI2120	Metaphysics 1: Ontology	4 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 2

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

HPA1100	Early Christian History	4 ECTS	(NC)
MRT3340	Bioethics	4 ECTS	(NC)
SHG2064	Hermeneutics of the Inspired Scriptures	2 ECTS	(NC)
SHG2260	Prophetic, Apocalyptic and Wisdom Literature	4 ECTS	(NC)

Students taking Philosophy* as their Human Studies area must register for ONE the following study-units:*

PHI2039	Doing Philosophy in the Islamic World	4 ECTS
PHI2051	Aesthetics	4 ECTS
PHI2123	Metaphysics 2: Natural Theology and Atheism	4 ECTS
PHI3026	Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations	4 ECTS
PHI3028	Philosophy of the Media	4 ECTS
PHI3031	Philosophy of Mathematics	4 ECTS

Communication Studies

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to register for 4 ECTS credits from the Support elective study-units and 8 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Semester 1

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

ELP1164	Reflective Writing: An Introduction	2 ECTS
MCS1000	Aspects of Communications	4 ECTS
MCS1021	Human Communication	4 ECTS

Support Elective Units

SOC1040	Sociology and Communications	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

MCS1010	Introduction to Film Studies	4 ECTS
MCS1030	Journalism 1	4 ECTS
MCS1040	Visual Communications and Graphic Design	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

MCS1311	Methods of Inquiry	4 ECTS

Support Elective Units

ELP1206	English Rhetoric and Writing Skills for Media and Communications Students	4 ECTS
MAL1211	II-Malti għall-Komunikazzjoni	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CRC1010	Introduction to Marketing Communications	4 ECTS
MCS1050	Internet Communications	4 ECTS
MCS1070	Personal Communications	4 ECTS

Students are required to register for 4 ECTS credits from the Support elective study-units and 22 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Semester 1

Support Elective Units

CGS2100	Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

DGA2005	Editorial Design	4 ECTS
IPG2001	Principles of Information Law	4 ECTS
MCS2020	Video Production 1	4 ECTS
MCS2040	Basic Photography	4 ECTS


Semester 2

Support Elective Units

PHI2038	Philosophical Approaches to Communication and Culture	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CST2061	Media Aesthetics	4 ECTS
IDG2000	Introduction to Digital Game Studies	4 ECTS
MCS2030	Journalism 2	4 ECTS
MCS2050	Cultural Theory and Semiotics	4 ECTS
MCS2060	Ethics in the Media	6 ECTS

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 4 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


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)

MCS3940	Mentored Practice	4 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 1

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

CST3192	Media in Maltese Society	4 ECTS
MCS3953	Social Media and 21st Century Communications	4 ECTS

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CST2121	Intercultural Communication	4 ECTS
CST4311	Advanced Research Methods	4 ECTS
GDS3001	Gender in Communications	4 ECTS
MCS3010	Practical Graphic Design	4 ECTS
MCS3050	Audio Production	4 ECTS
MCS3060	Reporting	4 ECTS
MCS3070	Video Production 2	4 ECTS
MCS3090	Video Manipulation and Animation	4 ECTS
MCS3100	Website Creation	4 ECTS
MCS3110	Radio Production	4 ECTS
MCS3200	Scripting Video	4 ECTS
MCS3201	Film Theory	4 ECTS
MCS3700	Economics in Media Studies	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

MCS3850	Synoptic - Theory 1	6 ECTS	(NC)
MCS3950	Synoptic - Practice	6 ECTS	(NC)

Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)

CST3111	Film Appreciation	4 ECTS
CST3281	Meet the Press	4 ECTS
CST3651	Using Communication for Social Change	4 ECTS
CST3811	Public Relations	4 ECTS
CST3951	Cyberculture	4 ECTS
IDG3000	Game Design and Conceptualisation	4 ECTS
IPG3001	Practical Issues in Information Law	4 ECTS
MCS3012	Analogue, Monochrome Photography and Darkroom	4 ECTS
MCS3040	Photography	4 ECTS
MCS3080	Online Journalism	4 ECTS
MCS3120	In-Depth Reporting	4 ECTS
MCS3130	Integrated Marketing Communications	4 ECTS
MCS3161	Copyright, Business and Entertainment Law	4 ECTS
MCS3300	Producing Film	4 ECTS
MCS3400	Adaptation for Film and Television	4 ECTS
MCS3500	Consumer and Organizational Buying Behaviour	4 ECTS
MCS3600	Documentary Film Production	4 ECTS

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Human Studies under the auspices of the Faculty of Theology.

Theology

Upon successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

Stimulate creative thinking when examining theological claims.
Classify the various ideas about the Church found in different texts.
Identify the major sources (documents) of Catholic social teaching, and be familiar with their development in their ecclesial and secular historical context.
Articulate clearly and faithfully the Christian Social Teaching and its practical application to specific issues and problems.
Relate to and interpret formative events, leading personalities, religious and devotional trends in the history of the Local Church, with a particular emphasis on its artistic, documentary and folkloristic heritage.
Appraise the role of the Church in Maltese society today in light of its past.

Communication Studies

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

Identify some of the main models in relation to reflective writing.
Create structures for organisational communication practice.
Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative means of research.
Describe different types of psychological, attitudinal, and behavioural effects produced by exposure to mass communication.
Work collaboratively with a mentor to bring secondary research and/or practical project to fruition.
Formulate a critical opinion that is based on current literature on issues in media and communications.

Non EU Applicants:

Fee per academic year: Eur 8,500

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.

Theology

As a graduate, the course will prepare you for church or community related work, including work in religious tourism and religious leadership, provided that the necessary requirements are met.

If you would like to pursue an academic career or further your studies, you may choose to enrol in a postgraduate course locally or internationally.

Communication Studies

Communication studies as a joint area will provide you with a plethora of transferable skills to choose from in order to integrate into the career that you would like to pursue. Provided the necessary requirements, alumni have found satisfying careers in journalism, media production, writing and publishing, public relations and social media marketing, just to name a few. You may also choose to enrol in a master's programme of your choosing if you would like to further your studies, either locally or abroad.

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