Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management and Communication Studies

Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management and Communication Studies

Course Title

Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management and Communication Studies

MQF Level

6

Duration and Credits

3 Years

180 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Information for International applicants

Communication Studies

An Intermediate Level pass in English.


You are viewing the entry requirements for International applicants. Switch to Local qualifications.

Need help? Request more information

Apply

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.

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.


Knowledge and Information Management

Knowledge and Information Management is offered as an honours main area of study together with a subsidiary area of study, or as one of two ordinary main areas of study, consisting of:

  1. Year 1: to which 60 ECTS credits are assigned, and
  2. Years 2 and 3: to which 120 ECTS credits are assigned.

At the end of Year 1, if you obtain an average mark of

  1. 65% or better in the Knowledge and Information Management area of study, and
  2. 60% or better in all the study units of Year 1,

then you will be eligible to proceed to the Honours programme. As a manager in knowledge and information, you will be responsible for the organisation, acquisition, documentation and handling of the body of information that a community or company shares. In your final year, you may have the opportunity to write a research-based dissertation to demonstrate your knowledge.


Knowledge and Information Management

Knowledge and Information Management is offered as an honours main area of study together with a subsidiary area of study, or as one of two ordinary main areas of study. Applicants shall be required to indicate the other area of study at the time of applying for admission to the course.

The course consists of two parts:

  • Part One (Year 1) to which 60 ECTS credits are assigned, and
  • Part Two (Years 2 and 3) to which 120 ECTS credits are assigned.

At the end of Part One of the course, if you obtain an average mark of

  1. 65% or better in the Knowledge and Information Management area of study, and
  2. 60% or better in all the study units of Part One, then you will be eligible to proceed to the Honours programme.

In order to be eligible for the award of the Honours degree, you shall be required to successfully complete study-units to which a total of 180 ECTS credits are assigned, of which not less than 132 ECTS credits shall be in Knowledge and Information Management and not less than 36 ECTS credits shall be in the Subsidiary area of study.

In order to be eligible for the award of an Ordinary degree in Knowledge and Information Management and another main area of study, you must obtain credit for study-units to which a total of 180 ECTS credits are assigned, of which not less than 80 ECTS credits shall be obtained in each of the two areas.


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.

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    
 
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    
MCS1022 Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Skills 4 ECTS    
MCS1030 Journalism 1 4 ECTS    
MCS1040 Visual Communications and Graphic Design 4 ECTS    
 
Support Elective Units
 
SOC1040 Sociology and Communications 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
MCS1311 Methods of Inquiry 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    
MAL1211 II-Malti għall-Komunikazzjoni 4 ECTS    
MCS1050 Internet Communications 4 ECTS    
MCS1070 Personal Communications 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    

 
Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
26 ECTS credits in Communication Studies
26 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
8 ECTS credits in optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 ECTS credits

Students are required to register for 4 ECTS credits from the Support elective study-units and at least 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    

 
Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
26 ECTS credits in Communication Studies
26 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
8 ECTS credits in optional study-units

Total credits for this year: 60 ECTS credits

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    
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    
MCS3090 Video Manipulation and Animation 4 ECTS    
MCS3120 In-Depth Reporting 4 ECTS    
MCS3130 Integrated Marketing Communications 4 ECTS    
MCS3161 Copyright, Business and Entertainment Law 4 ECTS    
MCS3400 Adaptation for Film and Television 4 ECTS    
MCS3500 Consumer and Organizational Buying Behaviour 4 ECTS    
MCS3600 Documentary Film Production 4 ECTS    

 
Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 60 ECTS credits, of which:
28 ECTS credits in Communication Studies
28 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
4 ECTS credits optional study-units

Requirement for award of Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management and Communication Studies: 180 ECTS credits, of which:
80 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
80 ECTS credits in Communication Studies
20 ECTS credits optional study-units

Knowledge and Information Management

In addition to the study-units (30 ECTS credits) taken from the Knowledge and Information Management area, students are reminded that during their first year of study they are required to register for 26 ECTS credits from their other area and also for 4 ECTS credits in optional credits, which may be taken from any area of study.
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIA1010 Libraries and Documentary Heritage: History, Formats and Structures 5 ECTS    
LIA1325 Information Theories: Concepts, Frameworks and Philosophies 4 ECTS    
LIS1211 Introduction to Records and Archives: Historical and Theoretical Perspectives 4 ECTS    
 
Recommended Optional Units
 
ELP1106 Advanced English Writing Skills 2 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
ELP1426 English Writing Skills 2 ECTS    
LIA1201 Introduction to Archival Description 4 ECTS    
LIA1410 An Introduction to Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control 5 ECTS    
LIS1011 Research Methods for Undergraduates 4 ECTS    
LIS1100 Introduction to ICT for Information Professionals 4 ECTS    

 
Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
30 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
26 ECTS credits in the other area
4 ECTS credits in optional study-units

In addition to the compulsory units (28 ECTS credits) taken from the Knowledge and Information Management area, students are reminded that during their second year of study they are required to register for 26 ECTS credits from their other area and also for 6 ECTS credits as optional study-units which may be taken from any area of study to cover the total of 60 ECTS credits throughout the year.
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIA1518 Classification, Subject Indexing and Authority Control 4 ECTS    
LIA2230 Collection Development 4 ECTS    
LIA2325 Information Organization and Management 4 ECTS    
LIS2612 Management in the Information Sector 4 ECTS    
 
Recommended Optional Unit
 
LIS2721* Special Topic 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIA1313 Maltese Archival and Manuscript Collections 4 ECTS    
LIA2201 The Globalised Dimension of Archives 4 ECTS    
LIA2326 The Information Professions, Sectors and Contexts 4 ECTS    
 
Recommended Optional Units
 
LIS2412 Library Services to Children and Young Adults 4 ECTS    
LIS2555 Basic Palaeography and Diplomatics 4 ECTS    
LIS2611 Preservation Studies 4 ECTS    
LIS2721* Special Topic 4 ECTS    

* Before registering for study-unit LIS2721, students are required to check its availability with the Student Helpdesk.

 
Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
28 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
26 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits as optional study-units

In addition to the compulsory study-units (8 ECTS credits), students are required to register for at least 16 ECTS credits in elective study-units on offer during the year.

In addition to the study-units (24 ECTS credits) taken from the Knowledge and Information Management area, students are reminded that during their third year of study they are required to register for 28 ECTS credits from their other area and also for 8 ECTS credits as optional study-units which may be taken from any area of study.
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
LIA3001 Research Seminar 4 ECTS    
LIA3711* Special Topic 4 ECTS    
LIS2223 Print and Digital Publishing 4 ECTS    
LIS3110 Advanced Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control 4 ECTS    
LIS3111 Advanced Archival Description 4 ECTS    
LIS3311 Legal Issues in Memory Institutions 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIA3864 Synoptic Issues 1: Library and Information 4 ECTS   (NC)  
LIA3865 Synoptic Issues 2: Archives and Records 4 ECTS   (NC)  
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
LIA3325 Knowledge Management 4 ECTS    
LIA3711* Special Topic 4 ECTS    
LIS3331 Specialised Archives 4 ECTS    
LIS3710 Aspects of Melitensia 4 ECTS    

* Before registering for study-unit LIA3711, students are required to check its availability with the Student Helpdesk.

 
Requirement for successful completion of Year 3:
24 ECTS credits in Knowledge and Information Management
28 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits in optional study-units.Requirement for award of Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management: 180 ECTS credits.

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the Award of the Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management (Honours) - B.KIM (Hons) - and Bachelor of Knowledge and Information Management - B.KIM – under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences.

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.

Knowledge and Information Management

The course is designed to develop your competences and skills in:

  • Understanding of and ability to critically analyse and apply major concepts, theories, practices, and diverse contexts of the Library and Information Science (LIS) discipline and the information professions.
  • Ability to understand the complexities and connections between concepts and practicalities of information, including what it is, where it is found, how it is used, how it is organized, how it is managed, how it is stored, and how it is preserved.
  • Understanding of the important functions, links, similarities, and differences between diverse information professions ֠from information and knowledge management to librarianship to archival work ֠and ability to navigate between them.
  • Ability to use analogue and digital means for information organization and management.
  • Critically reflect on and respond to changing information contexts and practices, and their associated organizations, systems, platforms, portals, products, collections, and other data-related materials.
  • Critically assess, and be aware of, the value of documentary materials for culture, heritage, and memory.

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.

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.


Knowledge and Information Management

As a graduate, you will be well-positioned to provide informed analysis, evaluation, and insight for various organisations aiming to leverage and maximise their knowledge and information assets and possibilities. You will be prepared for professional careers as knowledge and information managers, records managers, information policy consultants and researchers, knowledge consultants, information specialists, archivists, curators, and librarians.


 

Every effort has been made to provide information that is current and accurate. However, as the content is being constantly updated, users are advised to verify the details contained in these web pages with the relevant University office or authority before making decisions based on the published information.

Hello there. We noticed that you are searching from an overseas country. Do you possess any overseas qualifications?

Hello there. We noticed that you are searching from outside the European Union.

Are you an EU/EEA national?

https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/ubkimcstft-2024-5-o/