Bachelor of Arts in Disability Studies and Psychology

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

3 Years

180 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Disability Studies

The introduction of the course stems from the need to offer you the possibility to engage in studies related to disability at undergraduate level. The programme of studies offers a diversity of topics related to disability, from empowerment, to rights, to policies to art and cultural representation. It has been devised with the aim of exposing you as a student and future professional to the challenges that disabled people face in all walks of life. This is done from both a theoretical and experiential perspective through the involvement of disabled people in the delivery of the lectures. The course is targeted to reach all students who have an interest in disability issues and want to engage with and learn more about this field.

Psychology

The programme of study offers a range of study-units central to the study of Psychology. The overall objective is to provide high-calibre, relevant and culturally sensitive education in the major areas ofPsychology and to generate scholars who are well-versed in the scientific understanding of human behaviour, emotions, relationships and mental health and core psychological theories.

Psychology

In your final year of studies, you will have the opportunity to consolidate and synthesise these core areas by means of synoptic study-units. They would be able to choose elective study- units from various applied areas such as Organisational Psychology, Health Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Neuropsychology, amongst others.

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.

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Information for International applicants

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

Disability Studies

Applicants considered as "Adult Learners" (mature applicants) in terms of paragraph (c) of regulation 6 of the Admissions Regulations must be in possession of those qualifications and/or experience that would satisfy the Faculty Admissions Committee that they have reached the academic standard required to follow the Course with profit. Such applicants shall be required to submit with their application a letter written in English giving their motivation for applying for the Course together with a copy of their Curriculum Vitae (C.V.). The eligibility of applicants referred to in this paragraph shall be decided by the Faculty Admissions Committee, following an interview conducted by an interviewing board appointed for the purpose.

Psychology

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Disability Studies

In addition to the compulsory study-units, students are required to choose study-units to the value of 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)

DBS1003	Building a Maltese Disabled People’s History	6 ECTS
DBS1004	Disability Issues in Practice	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

DBS1006	Services for an Independent Life	4 ECTS
PHI1018	Ethics for Social Wellbeing	4 ECTS

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

DBS1005	Exploring Disabled People’s Expressions through the Arts	4 ECTS
SOC1058	Health, Illness and Society	4 ECTS
YTH1011	Young People with Minority Experiences	4 ECTS

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
26 ECTS credits in Disability Studies
26 ECTS credits in the other area
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 18 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year. Only one 6 ECTS credits study-unit may be chosen from the two offered.


Semester 1

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

DBS2004	Sexuality and Disability	4 ECTS

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

DBS2201	Campaigning for Rights on an Equal Basis with Others	4 ECTS
DBS2202	From Dependence to Autonomy: Empowerment in Everyday Life	4 ECTS
DBS2203	Developing Disability Arts	6 ECTS


Semester 2

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

DBS2216	Disability Policy	4 ECTS

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

DBS2206	Building Inclusive Communities	4 ECTS
DBS2211	Providing Equal Access to Disabled People	6 ECTS
DBS2217	Education, Employment and Health Access to Related Services	4 ECTS

Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
26 ECTS credits in Disability Studies
26 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits 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 8 ECTS credits from the elective study-units on offer during the year.


Semester 1

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

DBS3010	Representation of Disabled People	4 ECTS
DBS3011	Disability Issues and Pastoral Ministry	4 ECTS
DBS3030	Hidden Impairments: Private or Public?	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

DBS3001	Universal Design: Access for All	2 ECTS
DBS3100	Directed Literature Review	10 ECTS
DBS3110	Disability Access Project	8 ECTS

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

DBS3009	Living with the Label ‘Intellectual Disability’	4 ECTS

Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 60 ECTS credits, of which:
28 ECTS credits in Disability Studies
28 ECTS credits in the other area
4 ECTS credits optional study-units

Requirement for award of B.A. Disability Studies and in another area of study: 180 ECTS credits, of which:
80 ECTS credits in Disability Studies
80 ECTS credits in the other area
20 ECTS credits optional study-units

Psychology

Kindly note that students may not register for optional study-units in Psychology.


Semester 1

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

PSY1315	Understanding Research in Psychology	4 ECTS	(NC)
PSY1610	Major Paradigms in Psychology: The Psychoanalytic and Humanistic Paradigms, and Behaviourism	6 ECTS	(NC)
PSY1622	Developmental Psychology 1	6 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 2

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

PSY1623	Developmental Psychology 2	6 ECTS	(NC)
PSY1630	Foundations in Human Biology for Psychology	4 ECTS	(NC)

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2:
26 ECTS credits in Psychology
26 ECTS credits in the other area
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 16 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)

PSY1606	Social Psychology	6 ECTS	(NC)

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

PSY1620	Philosophical Psychology	6 ECTS


Semester 1

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

PSY1617*	Biological Psychology 1	4 ECTS
PSY1628	Introduction to the Psychology Profession	4 ECTS
PSY2606**	Psychology of Learning and Applied Behaviour Analysis	4 ECTS
PSY2628***	Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis	4 ECTS
PSY2629***	Qualitative Research Methods and Data Analysis	4 ECTS
PSY3130	Psychology of Adjustment	2 ECTS
PSY3655	Neurodiverse Profiles	4 ECTS
* Study-unit PSY1617 is compulsory for students who plan on following the Higher Diploma in Psychology. Study-unit PSY2606 is highly recommended. * PSY2628 and PSY2629 are strongly recommended for those students who plan on following the Higher Diploma in Psychology. Students may take PSY2628 or PSY2629 as Optional study-units instead of elective study-units (in the B.A. Psychology course) provided that this is allowed by their programme of studies during their second year and may not take any other Optional Psychology study-units.

Semester 2

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

PSY2610	Psychopathology	4 ECTS	(NC)

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

PSY1618	Biological Psychology 2	4 ECTS
PSY1635*	Major Paradigms: Cognitive Psychology	4 ECTS
PSY2623	Work Psychology	6 ECTS
PSY2626	Psychology of Sexuality	2 ECTS
PSY2633	Health Psychology	6 ECTS
PSY2634	Psychology of the Family	4 ECTS
PSY3611	Media Psychology	4 ECTS
PSY3648	Sports Psychology	4 ECTS
* Study-unit PSY1617 is a pre-requisite for study-unit PSY1635. Study-unit PSY1635 is compulsory for those students who plan on following the Higher Diploma in Psychology.

Requirement for regular progression to Year 3:
26 ECTS credits in Psychology
26 ECTS credits in the other area
8 ECTS credits 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 16 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)

PSY3352	Psychology Synoptic Study-Unit 1	6 ECTS	(NC)


Semester 1

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

COU3301	Career Education and Guidance	4 ECTS
PSY2641	Psychology of Helping	4 ECTS
PSY3130	Psychology of Adjustment	2 ECTS
PSY3647	Selected Topics in Organisational Psychology	4 ECTS
PSY3651	Introduction to Critical Psychology	4 ECTS
PSY3655	Neurodiverse Profiles	4 ECTS


Semester 2

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

PSY3353	Psychology Synoptic Study-Unit 2	6 ECTS	(NC)

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

PSY2626	Psychology of Sexuality	2 ECTS
PSY2634	Psychology of the Family	4 ECTS
PSY3611	Media Psychology	4 ECTS
PSY3648	Sports Psychology	4 ECTS

Requirement for successful completion of Year 3: 60 ECTS credits, of which:
28 ECTS credits in Psychology
28 ECTS credits in the other area
4 ECTS credits optional study-units

Requirement for award of B.A. Psychology and the other area: 180 ECTS credits, of which:
80 ECTS credits in Psychology
80 ECTS credits in the other area
20 ECTS credits optional study-units

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 Degree of Bachelor of Arts - B.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

Disability Studies

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

Communicate clearly and critically your direct or indirect personal experiences of disability.
Identify the main challenges encountered by persons with disability in relation to sexuality and understanding their origin.
Research and read around a chosen topic on an independent basis.

Psychology

By the end of the course, you will have achieved a diverse range of learning outcomes. To name a few, you will be able to:

Compare and contrast major theoretical and therapeutic paradigms in the field.
Appraise current topics in psychology from different perspectives, including diverse disciplines within the field itself.
Engage with current theoretical issues and research findings in psychology within a bio-psycho-social perspective, attending to evidence-based practice.

Non EU Applicants:

Fee per academic year: Eur 8,500

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Disability Studies

Disability intersects in numerous fields of study. As an eventual professional, you will gain knowledge about a topic that you are very likely to experience in your future professional setting. This course will offer opportunities for employment in social and/or community services in governmental settings and non-governmental service providing entities.

The ability to explain disability to others is a useful skill in the job market, especially in the context of increased numbers of disabled people. As a graduate of this course, you will sensitise and help work settings comply with relevant legislation in this field.

As a holder of this degree, you can further your studies by reading a range of Master programmes, such as the Masters in Disability Studies, Masters in Social Work, Masters in Youth and Community Studies, Masters in Community Action and Development, Masters in Youth Justice, Masters in Health, Medicine and Society, Masters in Gender, Society and Culture, Masters in Gender Studies, Masters in Ageing and Dementia Studies and Masters in Gerontology and Geriatrics, among others.

Psychology

As a holder of this degree, despite the programme not having offered the professional training in psychology, will offer your opportunities for employment in areas that involve human interaction or community services. Some areas include human service agencies and personnel management. Your background in psychology will be the foundation for transferrable skills in a variety of work settings, while also providing a platform for further training and study at postgraduate level. Transferring to the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology can serve as a stepping stone for further studies that paves the way for Masters programmes offered by the University of Malta, such as Master of Arts in Social Work, Master in Youth and Community Service, Master of Psychology in Clinical/Counselling/Educational, and many more.

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