The number of places available in some courses has been higher than previously. Photo: Darrin Zammit LupiThe University of Malta has reopened applications for 81 courses, more than twice as many as last year, because there are still vacancies.
The list includes a large number of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education courses, as well as several Master of Science and other postgraduate degrees and a single doctorate-level degree in pharmacy. Prospective students now have until the end of this month to apply.
“Regarding the Bachelor of Education (Honours) course, it is a common occurrence that a number of areas are reopened,” a university spokeswoman said. “This year, the number of reopened areas increased given that, in some instances, such as primary education and art, the number of places available were higher than previously.”
The spokeswoman said another major reason for the increase in courses reopening was the addition, for the first time, of a BA History of Art with Fine Arts option, which includes 22 different combinations.
New courses often struggle to attract a full cohort of students as news of their availability spreads. However, a number of postgraduate degrees have nevertheless exceeded expectations in their first year on offer. The highly publicised new Master of Arts in film studies, part of a major government investment in the local film industry, is one of the courses to have attracted a particularly high number of applicants.
Other new courses to do similarly well include an MA in Catholic school leadership, an MSc in environmental management and sustainability and a postgraduate certificate in evidence-based management and effective decision-making.
The university said it could not give the number of applications for other courses because the late application period had not yet closed.