University of Malta

What you'll study

The programme combines advanced doctrinal modules with practical and skills-based training. Core topics typically include Maltese civil and criminal procedure, evidence and advocacy skills, professional ethics and conduct, constitutional and administrative law, and specialist options in areas such as commercial law, family law, EU law and human rights. Students also study research methods for legal practice and complete a capstone component that may take the form of a supervised dissertation, a practice-based project or clinical placement.

• Civil and Criminal Procedure: advanced rules of court, case management, remedies and appeals.
• Evidence and Advocacy: proof, admissibility, witness handling and oral advocacy techniques.
• Professional Ethics and Regulation: duties of lawyers, disciplinary procedures and access to justice.
• Substantive Law Options: modules such as contract and commercial law, property, family law, administrative and constitutional law, EU and comparative law.
• Research and Practice Project: applied research methods and a dissertation or practice-based project to demonstrate specialist knowledge.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a recognised first degree in law (such as an LLB) or an equivalent qualification. Those with substantial professional legal experience but without the standard academic qualification may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Candidates whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English. Selection may take account of academic transcripts, references and, where relevant, a personal statement outlining professional aims.

Career prospects

Graduates from this kind of professional master’s programme typically proceed to roles that require advanced legal knowledge and practical skills. Common pathways include qualification or advancement in private practice (advocate or solicitor roles), in-house counsel positions, appointments in public administration and regulatory bodies, judicial or prosecutorial support roles, and specialist advisory positions in areas such as commercial transactions, family law, human rights and EU law. The research and project components also prepare graduates for academic or policy-focused careers and for further doctoral study.

Why study at University of Malta

The University of Malta’s Faculty of Laws offers local legal expertise combined with comparative and European perspectives relevant to practice in Malta and beyond. Students benefit from close links with the Maltese courts, regulatory bodies and legal profession, as well as opportunities for clinical experience and supervised placements. Teaching typically blends experienced academics and practising lawyers, providing both doctrinal depth and applied skills training. The programme is delivered in an environment where instruction and course materials are accessible in English while engaging with Malta’s mixed legal tradition.