Undergraduate Higher Diploma in SME Management

The main rationale of this course is that of translating theoretical knowledge to practical work situations so that at the end of the course the students will be able to participate in SME projects. The theory detail will be that of providing a background which upon completion of the course, both students and practitioners, can then decide whether to continue with their studies in SME Management at a higher level.

The course will provide tools and necessary knowledge and the skill in applying SME management practices which would help grow and support a business. This course will also be offered to students across faculty or professionals in different sectors such as Engineering, ICT, Finance, etc. The programme will also include weekly on-site support classes extra to the online tutorials and not part of the study hours.

This course will include a list of modules that will be available to students as compulsory or electives. In addition, these courses can also be offered as a standalone.

Entry Requirements:

• A Pass in a Level 5 Diploma OR
• A Grade C or better in a Level 4 Diploma (e.g. Advanced Level certificates) and  a minimum of 2 years work experience AND

• Students whose first language is not English and whose previous qualifications were in a language other than English will be required to produce evidence of IELTS level 5 results, or equivalent

Note: Prospective students over the age of 25 can apply without a level 4 diploma as long as they provide evidence in a CV and a work reference that they can make up for it through work experience (at least 2 years).

Target Group

• Level 4 and Level 5 students from a non-business related field who recognise the impact that SME concepts will have on their careers and therefore wish to further develop their competences in order to prepare them for middle management roles
• Junior and middle management SME staff who wish to build on their practical knowledge with comprehensive, specialised and factual theoretical knowledge which is based on best practices
• Middle management staff who although not directly in SME departments, wish to develop strategic and creative tactical responses based on best practices and obtain skills to better communicate their ideas

Overall Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, students should acquire the following knowledge to:

• Describe management theories concerning entrepreneurship
• Describe the importance of an organisation’s vision, mission, strategy and core values
• Understand how the internal and external environment shape the decisions of their business
• Identify how the design of information flows and management controls impact the maximization of their organisation’s effectiveness
• Graduates will be able to research and solve problems using abstract and practical information
• Graduates will be able to identify and discuss the social and ethical dimensions of their problem-solving.

Hours of Total Learning:

Contact Hours: 466

Self-study hours: 1646

Supervised placement and practice hours: 24

Assessment hours: 114

Total Learning Hours: 2,250

Teaching & learning:

Online – using elearning platform from www.aea.academy

Onsite – Easy School of Languages, 21 St. Ursula Street, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1230

Language of Instruction: English

Assessment Methods:

Each Module will be assessed as follows:

Quality of contributions provided in Forums (30%)

Quality of contributions provided in tutorials (20%)

Assignments which will be research based (50%)

Students need to get an aggregate of 50% marks from the above to pass a module.

Fee Structure:

A registration fee of €100 is required for direct applicants, and €60 for applicants referred by registered agents. This fee must be paid in full before the recruitment interview and is non-refundable if the interview is unsuccessful. Successful applicants will have their registration fee deducted from their total tuition fee payment.

Undergraduate Higher Diploma in SME Management (90 ECTS) – Course Fee: €5,990 for Online (74 weeks parttime)/ €7,890 for Blended (52 weeks full time)

Undergraduate Diploma in SME Management (64 ECTS) – Course Fee: €4,880 for Online (48 weeks part time) / €6,480 for Blended (48 weeks full time)

Arrangements will also be made to host students for individuals course modules of EQF/MQF Level 5 – 8 ECTS (6 weeks duration) :- Online : €610 / Blended €810

Scholarship Schemes for Maltese residents

Get Qualified Scheme – 70% refund of course fee as a tax rebate

Intakes:

Intake #1: 13/01/2025

Intake #2: 24/02/2025

Intake #3: 07/04/2025

Intake #4: 19/05/2025

Intake #5: 30/06/2025

Intake #6: 18/08/2025

Intake #7: 29/09/2025

Intake #8: 10/11/2025

Intake #9: 29/12/2025

Admission Process:

• Submit the official application, Application Link : https://forms.office.com/r/6LTbxw9J5F
• Send the support documents

Contact Details: admin@aea.academy / info@aea.academy