Page 47 - IJPS-8-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Gerontology education in Malta

ageing; clinical conditions and health-care services in emphases for doctorate study include masculinity and
geriatrics medicine; psychological and psychogeriatric caregiving, gay and lesbian older persons in long-term
issues; social interactions in later life; pharmacological care, Montessori activities for persons with dementia, and
issues in later life; and gerontology: Multidisciplinary active ageing in long-term care.
and interdisciplinary approaches. In June 2014, the Institute of Gerontology migrated to
Field placements. Participants are required to have an the Faculty for Social Well-being, and another name change
internship of 240 h divided into four placements of 60 took place, this time to Department for Gerontology. The
h each (5 ECTS). department continued offering the Master of Gerontology
Dissertation. Dissertation on an approved area of and Geriatrics, but also launched two new graduate
study chosen in consultation with a supervisor (20,000 programs: Higher Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics
words) (30 ECTS). (October 2015) and the Master of Arts in Ageing and

University of Malta, n.d. Dementia Studies (February 2016). The Higher Diploma
in Gerontology and Geriatrics targets students who have
Admission requirements were modified to include
either a bachelor degree obtained with at least second completed their higher education and are looking to expand
class honors, or a professional qualification considered their knowledge of gerontology and geriatrics through a
by the board to be comparable to a degree, in a discipline recognized university program. Admission requirements
pertaining to one of the caring professions; or a bachelor included the general entry requirements for entrance
degree obtained with at least second class honors; or a to university. At the time of writing, the higher diploma
professional qualification considered by the board to be comprised of 19 study-units and three field placements:
comparable to a degree deemed by the board as relevant Study-Units. Nineteen study units of four ECTS each
and adequate for the applicant to follow the course with requiring 18 and 50 h of lecturing and study hours,
profit; or a bachelor degree obtained with third class honors respectively. Study-units included: Key principles in
if applicants are also in possession of other qualifications, social gerontology; physiological and medical issues
including relevant experience, following their first cycle in old age; community services for older people;
degree; or in exceptional cases, a professional qualification biological aspects; research methods; economic and
in one of the caring professions, together with at least 5 social aspects of ageing; health-care professionals in
years’ experience, which together are deemed by the old age; theoretical issues in ageing policy; mental
Admissions Board, on the advice of the Faculty Admissions health issues in later life; researching ageing and later
Committee, to be comparable to the level of a first degree. life; food and nutrition in later life; familial networks
Regulations allow students who do not wish to continue and informal care; pensions and their sustainability in
with the research component, as well those who do not Malta; social rehabilitation in later life; introduction to
achieve at least a 65% average mark in their examination abuse and neglect; income security, social protection
results, to be awarded the postgraduate diploma. and poverty prevention; diversity and discrimination
in later life; long-term services for population ageing;
The year 2010 also witnessed the launch of a Doctoral educational gerontology; multi-disciplinary health
(PhD) program in gerontology which was juxtaposed services for older people; and recognizing and
midway the North American route for gaining a doctoral preventing elder abuse in long-term settings. Another
degree in gerontology and the British path for the award study-unit, legal issues in later life, comprised a two
of a Doctor of Philosophy. While the PhD program ECTS (10 h of lectures).
comprised a 3-year research initiative, where students Field placements. Participants are required to have an
have to write a 100,000-word dissertation and originality internship of 180 h divided into three placements of
is a key requirement, as generally found in the British 60 h each (12 ECTS).
path, it also included intensive and interdisciplinary
doctoral training in the biological sciences, health and University of Malta, n.d.
medical issues, psychological theories and mechanisms, On completion of the higher diploma, graduates are
public policy issues, social theories, and most importantly, expected to be able to provide higher levels of social and
methodology and research issues. To-date, titles of health-care services to older persons which, in turn, will
completed dissertations included Implementing person- function to improve the quality of service to older adults.
centered dementia care in a rehabilitation hospital through Most especially, candidates will be able to meet the needs
an appreciative inquiry approach (Scerri, 2018) and Moral of prospective employers by being knowledgeable in
reasoning in end-of-life decision-making for persons in embracing the roles of financial planning for older persons,
end-stage dementia (Dimech, 2019). Ongoing research engaging in case work, and assisting in the organization

Volume 8 Issue 1 (2022) 41 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.v8i1.1311