Bacbelor of Psycbology - B.Psy. - Degree Course Regulations, 1998

B \65\

L.N.I96 ofll998

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bacbelor of Psycbology - B.Psy. - Degree Course Regulations, 1998

IN exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 30 (5)

and 31 (6) of the Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the

University of Malu has promulgated the following Regulations made by

the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the powers conferred

upon it by sections 31 and 35 of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(l) These Regulations may be cited as the Bachelor of Psychology -

B.Psy. - Degree Course Regulations, 1998.

(2) In th~ regulations. unless the context otherwise requires·

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Education;

"the Board of Studies" means the Board of ~tudies appointed for the

Course;

"the Course" means the Course leading to the Degree of Bachelor of

Psychology - B.Psy.; and

"the Degree" means the Degree of Bachelor of Psychology - B.Psy.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses starting in October 1997 or

later, except for regulation ~ which shall apply to courses starting in October

2000 or later.

Eligibility for lbe Degree

In order to be eligible for the award of the Degree, a student must

(1) register as a regular student

terms of the Admission

In

Regulations of lhe University;

(2) register for and successfully complete the Course as provided in

these regulations;

(3) pass the final examinations; and

(4) satisfy all other requirements laid down in these regulations and

any other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of this University.

Special Course Requirements

Applicants shall be in possession of a pass at Intermediate Level in

Biology at Grade C or better, or equivalen t.

Duration of Course

(I) The duration of the Course shall be of three full·time academic

(2) Students shall be required to register before the beginning of

each academic year.

(3) The Board may allow a student to complete the Course within

fOUf years, for good and sufficient reason, and under those conditions that

the Board may impose.

(4) Students may not complele lhe Course earlier lhan lhree years

or laler lhan four years from the dale of the firsl admission lO lhe Course.

except with the pennission of the Senale.

Course Structure

(1) The Course shall consisl of two parts

(a) Part One shall normally extend over a period of two academic

years and is common both to the Course and to the course leading to the

Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) - B.Psy. (Hons).

(b) Part Two shall normally extend over a period of one academic

(2) The areas of study shall be the following

(a) Psychology. which shall consist of four modules as follows

Core Module;

Module A (clinical/counselling psychology area of

specialization);

Module B (educational psychology area of specialization);

Module C (social/organhational psychology area of

specialization); and

(b) one subsidiary area of study from a list approved by the Board of

Studies at the beginning of the Course.

(3) Students may take one observation session in any of Modules A,

B. or C. An 'observation session' consists of a series of field~based and

suuclured observations.

(4) To complete Part One and proceed to Part Two of the Course,

students must obtain a minimum of 46 credits including

(a) 29 credits in Psychology;

(b) 15 credits in the subsidiary area of study; and

(c) 2 optional credits.

(5) Students who complete Pan One of the Course, and who satisfy

also all the necessary requirements for registration for Bachelor of Psychology

(Honours) course, may opt to apply for the course leading to the Bachelor of

Psychology (Honours) degree before the commencement of the third year of

the Course.

Course of Studies

(1) The Course shall consist of study-units to which nOlless than 65

credits are assigned.

(2) In order to complete the Course. students are required to

obtain the following

(a) at least 42 credits in Psychology;

(b) 20 credits in the subsidiary area of study; and

(e) 3 optional credits.

(3) The Board of Studies may allow a student to change I.he

subsidiary area of study before the beginning of the second semester of !.he

Course, provided that the proposed subsidiary programme allows the student

to obtain 15 credits in the new ·subsidiary area of study by the end of the

second year.

(4) A catalogue of study-units, with the credits assigned to each,

shall be approved by Senate and published by the Board of Studies before the

start of each academic year.

(5) The Board of Studies may exempt a student from the

requirement of obtaining a credit certificate for a particular study-unit if he

obtains. from the University or an institution or other body recognised by the

Senate for the purpose. a qualification which, in the opinion of the Board of

Studies, is equivalent to that required for the credit concerned. A student

shall not be exempted from morc than ten credits of the whole Course.

Exemptions shall be allowed only during Part One of the Course.

Assessment and Final Examinations

(1) During the Course. students shall be ~et assignments (including

written and/or oral tests) and shall be required to pass the final

examinations.

(2) The study-units shaH be arranged so that !.he Course may be

completed in two years for Pan One and one year for Part Two.

(3) During Part One of the Course. sluclems shall be required to

register for a number of study-units for which a total of not less than 46 and

nOl more than 52 credits are assigned. During Part Two of lhe Course, the

minimum number of study-units shall be 19 and me maximum 26.

(4) Credits shall be assigned according to the University's grading

scheme in descending order of merit: A+. A, B+, n, C+, C, D+, D and F, where

F means a fail.

(5) Students who fail to obtain any credit shall be allowed to take a

rMit once only. The maximum grade mat may be awarded shall be grade D.

(6) If students fail during !.he resit. they may be allowed to repeal

that study-unit once during lhe following academic year. If successful, the

maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D.

(7) A student who fails to oblain 22 credirs during any of the first

two academic years (Part One) or 18 credirs during the third academic year of

the Course is required to apply to the Board for pennission to extend his

studies by one year in terms of paragraph (3) of regulation 5.

(8) A student may be allowed to repeat only one year throughoul

the Course, except in special circumstances with permission of Senate.

(9) A student is required to sit for the Final Examinations in

Psychology on completion of the programme of studies.

(10) Final Examinations shall be held once annually, normally in

June. and shall consist of four papers in Psychology. The papers shall be

marked according to the grading scheme as indicated in paragraph (4) of this

regulation. A viva voce examination may also be held.

(11) Studenrs shall be successful in each of the four papers in order

to pass the Final Examinations.

(12) A student who fails in any of !.he four papers may rait the

failed paper or papers in a supplementary session once only.

(13)

The maximum grade thal may be awarded during a

supplementary session of the Fmal Examinations shall be grade D.

Final Results

(1) The overall assessment of a student shall take into account the

grades obtained in the study-units required under paragraph (2)

of

regulation 6 and his performance in the Final Examinations.

(2) The Final Examinations shall carry 40% of the weighting for the

grading of Lhe final result The oilier 60% shall be calculated on the basis of

the overall average of the 65 credits referred to in paragraph (2) of regulation

7. (3) The names of students who qualify for the award of the Degree

shall be published in a list in alphabetical order divided into the following

categories: 1, llA. lIB and III.