Program Overview

Master in Probation Services

The Master in Probation Services aims to provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of what effective probation entails, and to understand and define what the role of probation is in the criminal justice system and in society. The course will equip students with the required skills for independent learning and develop the capacity to work both with others and autonomously.

Course Overview

The course will enable students to develop a critical awareness of the social world and issues of social justice, particularly crime prevention and victimization and research-based interventions. Taught lectures will teach students how to apply criminological theories to professional probation practice and gain the ability to engage in critical thinking/analysis. By gaining the knowledge, understanding, and capacity to use qualitative and quantitative research techniques for probation assessment and interventions, students will be prepared for progression to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses and Ph.D. programmes.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must be in possession of:
  • a Bachelor degree with at least Second Class Honours from the University of Malta in an area of study deemed relevant by the Board
  • a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Category II from the University of Malta in an area of study deemed relevant by the Board
  • a Bachelor degree from another university recognized by Senate comparable to the qualifications indicated above
• The admission of applicants under the above paragraphs shall be made conditional on the result of an interview
• Applicants in possession of the Diploma in Probation Services or the Postgraduate Diploma in Probation Services may be allowed to join Part Two of the Course, if they have completed successfully the Diploma or Postgraduate Diploma programmes with a minimum average mark of 50%

Programme Structure

The programme is divided into two years, with the following compulsory units:

Year 1

• CRM5007: Practical Placement (10 ECTS)
• CRL5100: Criminal Law and Procedure (5 ECTS)
• CRM5002: Dynamics in Probation: Interactivity and Counselling Concerns (10 ECTS)
• CRM5003: Theoretical Criminology (5 ECTS)
• CRM5004: Research Methods in Probation and the Criminal Justice (5 ECTS)
• CRM5001: Dynamics in Parole: Assessment and Interpersonal Concerns (10 ECTS)
• CRM5005: Probation and Other Forms of Community Based Alternatives (10 ECTS)
• CRM5006: Victimisation and Crime Reduction Perspectives (5 ECTS)

Year 2

• CRM5008: Dissertation (30 ECTS)

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the MA in Probation Services, students will have:

• An understanding of the probation process and its core objectives
• An ability to relate criminological analysis to current debates and policy issues in corrections and penal policy
• An ability to present and critically analyse data of various kinds clearly and concisely
• An ability to apply analytical tools to identify social needs for probation and parole offenders in the context of reconviction risk assessments
• An understanding of the techniques and application of criminal justice decision-making across criminal justice, particularly in corrections
• An appreciation and evaluation of the organizations in the criminal justice system and their management strategies
• An ability to present ideas, arguments and data effectively
• A capacity for time management
• An ability to synthesize and operationalise a critical review of literature, appropriate methodology and the presentation and analysis of data for the purposes of the dissertation
• An ability to carry out information search, retrieval and analysis
• Capacity for independent study, self-organization, and self-appraisal
• An ability to work with others

Tuition Fees

• Total Tuition Fees: Eur 10,800
• Yr 1: Eur 10,800 - Yr 2: NIL

Career Prospects

The main aim of the MA in Probation Services is to prepare students to work within the criminal justice system as probation officers. Probation / parole officers are court officials who seek to rehabilitate sentenced offenders by enforcing the conditions of court orders, conduct offender risk assessments and advise the courts, managing and enforcing community orders as well as working with offenders during and after sentence.