Master of Arts in Archives and Records Management

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

6 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-time Evening

The course provides specialised training and the required national and international practical and theoretical skillset for archivists and records managers. The degree promotes research in the field by integrating traditional and digital theories and practices. It aims to enhance your current/future career as an archivist or records manager through a body of knowledge and experience to position yourself in local and international communities. The degree is structured around the concept of a one-year common compulsory course that covers the main records and archives management theories and practices. After the first year, you will be asked to choose between: Stream A 譅福利在线免费 Governance; Stream B 譅Ecclesiastical and Historical Archives. The course caters if you are a:

Newcomer to the sector seeking to build on your previous academic qualification and specialise in archives and records management.

Holder of the Bachelor of Knowledge and 福利在线免费 Management degree and would like specialised training.

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福利在线免费 for International applicants

Applicants must be in possession of:

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

a first cycle degree obtained with at least Second Class (Honours) or Category II in Knowledge and 福利在线免费 Management, awarded by the University of Malta or any other higher education institution recognised by Senate or
a first cycle degree obtained with a Third Class (Honours) or Category III in Knowledge and 福利在线免费 Management, awarded by the University of Malta or any other higher education institution recognised by Senate, provided that such applicants shall be required to submit a portfolio documenting and describing proven professional experience in the library, archive or information management sector, which experience was obtained following their first cycle degree. Applicants in possession of the degree with Third Class (Honours) or Category III shall be allowed to proceed to the research component subject to the attainment of an average mark of at least 55% in the taught component or
a first cycle degree obtained with at least Second Class (Honours) or Category II in any other subject, awarded by the University or any other higher education institution recognised by Senate, provided that they satisfy the Faculty Board that they are in possession of other qualifications, including relevant experience, obtained following their first cycle degree.

The Admissions Board, on the recommendation of the Faculty Admissions Committee, may admit into the Course applicants in possession of the Diploma in Archives and Records Management with at least a Merit classification, obtained from the University of Malta, or an equivalent qualification obtained from any other higher education institution recognised by Senate. Such applicants shall be required to demonstrate the learning achieved through prior experience and certification through the evaluation procedures established by the University Policy for the Recognition and Accreditation of Prior Learning (RPL). The admission of such applicants may be made subject to those conditions that may be imposed to address any lacunae in the applicants' academic preparation.

Applicants in terms of (b) and (c) shall be interviewed, to assess their suitability to follow the Course with profit.

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

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 .

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.


Semester 1

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

LIA5013	Records Management: History, Principles and Practices	5 ECTS
LIA5015	Research Methods	5 ECTS
LIA5017	Palaeography and Diplomatics	5 ECTS


Semester 2

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

LIA5014	Archival Description	5 ECTS
LIA5016	Introduction to Electronic Records and Digital Humanities	5 ECTS
LIA5018	Legal and Ethical Issues of the 福利在线免费 Professions	5 ECTS


Summer Semester

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

LIA5000*	Dissertation	30 ECTS
* Work on the dissertation is expected to start in Summer Semester of Year 1 and continue up to the end of the course.

Requirement for regular progression to Year 2: 60 ECTS credits

Students are required to choose either Stream A: 福利在线免费 Governance or Stream B: Historical and Ecclesiastical Archives


Semester 1

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) Stream A: 福利在线免费 Governance

LIA5019	Administrative History and Governance Structures	5 ECTS
LIA5020	Integrity and Authenticity in the Digital Environment	5 ECTS
LIA5021	Private Archives: Theoretical Basis and Practical Challenges	5 ECTS

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) Stream B: Historical and Ecclesiastical Archives

LIA5025	Administrative History of the Roman Catholic Church	5 ECTS
LIA5028	Administrative History and Archives of the Order of Saint John in Malta and Europe	5 ECTS
LIA5029	The Archives of the Maltese Universitates, Notarial and Private Archives	5 ECTS


Semester 2

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) Stream A: 福利在线免费 Governance

ARI5400	Archival Knowledge Representation and Management	5 ECTS
LIA5023	Appraisal, Retention and Accessions Practices	5 ECTS
LIA5024	Audio-Visual Archiving	5 ECTS

Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) Stream B: Historical and Ecclesiastical Archives

LIA5026	Maltese Historical and Ecclesiastical Archives	5 ECTS
LIA5027	The Roman Inquisition in Malta and its Archive	5 ECTS
LIA5030	Preservation, Conservation and Holdings Management	5 ECTS


Summer Semester

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

LIA5000*	Dissertation	30 ECTS
* Work on the dissertation is expected to start in Summer Semester of Year 1 and continue up to the end of the course.

Requirement for successful completion of Year 2: 60 ECTS credits

Requirement for award of Master of Arts in Archives and Records Management: 90 ECTS credits

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Archives and Records Management - M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences.

As a graduate of this Master, you will be able to:

Define theories and apply practices of the archival profession in the fields of archival history and science, modern records management, and digital technologies and preservation to become active members of the international archival community;
Interpret the local dimension of the Maltese archival scenario with its peculiarities and place it in the international context;
Dialogue and collaborate with other information professionals like librarians and museum curators.
value and interpret the diversity and unity of the archival profession and its main theories, concepts, standards and best practices;
formulate specialized solutions in different settings including historical archives or contemporary records management environments;
synthesize a wide range of theoretical knowledge in the practical aspects of the profession.

a) Subject knowledge and understanding

The Master of Arts in Archives and Records Management offers a well-structured programme of learning through which you will acquire the theoretical and practical skills of the records management and archives management disciplines. The course is built in a way to cater for whether you:

are a newcomer in the sector who wants to build on your previous academic qualification and specialise in archives and records management.

Have already attended the Bachelor of Knowledge and 福利在线免费 Management, and are seeking specialised training and upskilling.

The course will be structured around the concept of a one-year common compulsory component that covers the main theories, concepts, and practical skills of the two disciplines focusing on both traditional and digital knowledge management; the second year offers the opportunity to choose between:

Stream A - 福利在线免费 Governance

Stream B - Historical and Ecclesiastical Archives.

Stream A will equip you with the ability to deal with the ever-growing issues of information security, authenticity of records, GDPR, digital preservation, web and audio-visual archiving, appraisal, and accession practices.

Stream B will provide you with strong knowledge in the administrative history of the main historical institutions of the island and their archives also placing you in the international contemporary scenario. The stream also includes preservation and conservation skills.

As a graduate of this Master, you will be able to:

? Define theories and apply practices of the archival profession in the fields of archival history and science, modern records management, and digital technologies and preservation to become active members of the international archival community; ? Interpret the local dimension of the Maltese archival scenario with its peculiarities and place it in the international context; ? Dialogue and collaborate with other information professionals like librarians and museum curators.

b) Intellectual development

This Master course aims to address the challenges of teaching the archival profession and provide the best training to different kinds of audiences. The proposals to address these issues can be summarised as follows:

? The main aspect of the archival profession is that it is grounded in a strong knowledge of concepts, theories, and standards but it requires most of all exercising best practices in the field of managing, preserving, arranging and describing records, planning outreach activities, and creating access to the archival heritage. For this reason, most study units will include both the theoretical and the practical side of the discipline (cataloguing, surveys, site visits); ? The archival scenario is extremely complex and diverse, and archivists and records managers today have a multifaceted role both towards holding institutions/administration and the society/users. For this reason, it is essential to offer both the across-the board theories, principles and awareness of the main concepts and problems (first year) but also a specialized approach according to the areas of expertise (second year, Stream A and Stream B). Stream B also includes a half semester dedicated to ecclesiastical archives that are the largest category of holding institutions on the island, most still awaiting to be described, studied and accessed. This focus on the archives of the Church in Malta is also functional to a broad comprehension of ecclesiastical archives outside the island. Moreover, studying the archival heritage of the Order of Saint John place our students in a unique position by equipping them with the ability of interpreting, arranging, describing, and making accessible the Hospitaller archives scattered all over Europe.

c) Key/transferable skills

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

? Value and interpret the diversity and unity of the archival profession and its main theories, concepts, standards and best practices; ? Formulate specialized solutions in different settings including historical archives or contemporary records management environments; ? Synthesize a wide range of theoretical knowledge in the practical aspects of the profession; ? Interact within the dual nature of Maltese archives, their international dimension and the local specialty in terms of the uniqueness in supporting Maltese national identity.

Moreover, this course will foster intellectual, analytical, critical and organizational skills that will be of value in any future career.

d) Other skills

As a graduate, you will be able to:

? Critically evaluate ideas and approaches applied in the broad information sector; ? Argue in favour of records and archives management solutions especially in view of emerging technologies and new regulatory frameworks for public administration and the private sector; ? Produce well-structured written policies and strategies for the vast arrays of documents and information management at the national and international level.

Furthermore, this Master aims to address an intellectual and cultural gap in Maltese society at a challenging moment when traditional and digital accessibility to learning sources and community services are assuming a more demanding approach. Libraries, archives, and museums play an important role in the cultural and memory fabric of modern societies.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800
Yr 1: Eur 5,400 - Yr 2: Eur 5,400

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.

The course provides specialised and diversified knowledge in theory and practice-based archival history and records managements to work in public and private national and international institutions. Furthermore, you will be able to further your studies at doctoral level.