Degrees Course Regulations, 1998

L.N. 31 of 1998

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D. - and Master of P.hilosopby - M.Pbil. -

Degrees Course Regulations, 1998

IN exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections ~O

(!)) and 31 (6) of the Education Act (Cap_ 327), the Chancellor of

Univcrsity of Malta has promulgated the following regulations

l11<1dc oy I he Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the

powers con krreri upon it by sect ions 31 anri 35 of the said Act

Citation and interpretation

These regulations may be cited as the poctor of Philosophy -

(1)

Ph.D. - anri' i\tasler of Philosophy - M.Phil. - Degrees Course Regulations

199H. (2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty or Institute where the

lTSe,\lTh will be carried out;

"tlw Committee" means I he M.Phil. / Ph.D. Committee;

"the Courses" means the Courses leading to the Degree of Doctor of

PhilosophY - Ph.D. - and of l\[aster of Philosophy - l\1.Phil.

"tIlt' Dcgrccs" lllcallS the Degree of Doctor of Philosophv - Pld). - ane.

n[ i\bster o[ Philosophy - l\lPhil.

Applicability

')

These regulations shall apply from October 1997 onwards.

Award of Degrees

Dawn ir-regolamenti ghandhomjapplikaw minn Ouubru 1997 'I

quddiem.

Ghoti tal-Gradi

(I) The Ph.D. degree shall be awarded upon the successful defence

of a thesis containing original and significant contrihutions to knowledge in

one of the disciplines studied at the Univcr<;j ty.

(2) The M.Phi!. degree shall he awarded upon the successful

defence of a dissertation based on original research.

Committee appointed by Senate

(I) Applications for registration for the Degrees shall he accepted

by Senate, on the recommendations of the Board and of an M.Phi\. / Ph.D.

Committee appointed by the Senate for this purpose.

(2) The Committee shall be appointed for three years and shall he

composed as follows

The Rector (or his delegate) as Chairman

Three members elected from and by the Senate

The Registrar as Secretary

The Dean of the Faculty or Director of the Institute in which I be

candidate plans to carry out his research, co-opted.

Registration for Degrees

(I)

The Committee shall consider applications for the Ph.D.

degree from candidates who possess a Ylaster's degree of this or another

Cniversity or qualifications of comparable standard recognised for thi:,

purpose by the Senate.

(2) The Committee shall consider applications for the M.Phi\.

degree from candidates who possess a good Honours degree (not below

Second Class (l'pper)) of tbis or another Lniversity or qualifications of

comparable stftndard recognised for this purpose by the Senate.

(3) In addition to the qualifications specified in paragraphs (1)

and (2) of this regulation, candidates shall possess such qualifications and

satisfy such other conditions as the Board may from time to time establish for

the purpose and which shall be approved by Senate in the form of bye-laws_

(4) Applications for the Degrees shall include the following

(<I) tlw proposed titk or the thesis / dissertation;

(h)

detailed research proposal. normally of approximately 1000

<l

word.s

(c) a sl,\Icmcnl on whether the studies will be undertaken on a full-

time or <I part-time basis, and, in the latter case, the number of hours that will

be rlcdicaterl to this research work;

(d) ll1e name of a member of staff of the University who has agreed to

an as supervisor, and in special cases, the name of a member of staff of this or

,mol her l'niversity or of a specialist who has agreed to act as co-supervisor

,lnd

a ITcoll1ll1cnd,l1ion froll1 the head of the department or

(c)

Lt1l'

rli\'ision co-orrlin,\Ior t hat the topic of research i~ acceptable.

The Commiflce shall submit to Senate all applications which

(!J)

salisf\' the reCluirnnents undn paragraphs (1) to (4) of this regulation.

Sen,ltc may accept .such <lpplications and may impose such conditions as it

rlCCll1S fil.

Duration of Studies

6_

(1)

Studies Cor the Ph.D. degree shall extend o\cr the following

periods

(<l) llot less than three veal's <lnd nOI more than [j\-e veal's in the case

or Iu ll-t ill1e studies;

(11) not less than four years and not more than eight years (,,-hich

should nonn<llly include one year of full-time study) in the case of pan-time

studies_

(2) A Ph.D. thesis shall not be considered if submitted later t.han

the maximum period allowed in paragraph (l) of this regulation, unless in

special circumstances, on the recommendation of the Board and the

Committee, and with the approval of Senate.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) of para-

graph (l) of this regulation, in exceptional circumstances, the Senate, on the

recommendation of the Board and the Committee, may give permission for

the submission of a Ph.D. thesis after the equivalent of two years of full-time

3tudy have expired from the date of first registration.

(I) L-istudji ghall-grad ta' Ph.D. ghandhom jestendu fuq dawn il-

perijodi

(a) mhux anqas minn tliet snin u mhux aktar minn hames snin fil-kaz

ta' srudji fuq bazi full-o'me;

(b) mhux angas minn erba' snin u mhux aktar minn tmien snin (Ii

normalment ghandhom jinkludu sena ta' studju fug bazi full-time) fil-kaz ta'

studji fug bazi part-time.

(2) Tezi ghall-Ph.D. m'ghandhiex tkun ikkunsidrata jekk tigi

sottomessa aktar tard mill-perijodu massimu permess fil-paragrafu (1) ta' dan

ir-regolament, jekk mhux ftircostanzi specjali, fug ir-rakkomandazzjoni tal-

Bord u tal-Kumitat, u bl-approvazzjoni tas-Senat.

(3) Minkejja d-dispozizzjonijiet tas-sotto-paragrafu (a) tal-paragrafu

(l) ta' dan ir-regolament, ftirkostanzi eccezzjonali, is-Senat, fug ir-

rakkomandazzjoni tal-Bord u tal-Kumitat, jista' jaghti permess ghas-

sottomissjoni ta' teti ghall-Ph.D. wara Ii jkunu ghaddew l-ekwivalenti ta'

sentejn ta' studju fug bah full-time mid-data tar-registrazzjoni.

(1) Studies for the M.Phi!. degree shall extend over the followmg

periods

(a) not less than 15 months and not more than 2 year in the case of

full-time study;

(b) not less than 30 months and not more than 4 years in the case of

part-time studies.

(2) An M.Phi!. dissertation shall not be considered if submitted

latn than the maximum period allowed in paragraph (1) of this regulation,

unless in special circumstances, on the recommendation of the Board and the

Committee, and with the approval of Senate.

Annual Registration

(1)

Students are required to register at the Faculty or Institute

concerned at the beginning of each academic year throughout their penod of

study.

(2) Such registration shall be allowed only on the submission of a

satisfactory progress report from the student's supervisor.

Transfer of Registration

(1) Senate may allow a transfer of registration from the M.Phil

oegree to the Ph.D. degree with the same research proposal if the following

coudit ions have heen sat isiieo

(a)

tlfteen months of full-time study or thirty months of part-time

study have elapsed;

(b) (t s<ltisfactory progress report from the student's supervIsor has

heen received;

(c) a board appointed by the Board for the purpose, composed of a

chairman, the student's supervisor and another member, has assessed the

studenl's work ano has certified that it has reached the standard of at least a

~1aslcr's degree; ano

(d) the Board and the Committee have recommended the transfer.

(2) llthc transler is allowed by Senate, the work already done for

the ~1.Phil. degree will count towards the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

Submission of Theses / Dissertations

(1)

Not less than three months before the intended date of

submission, students shall apply to the Board for permission to present the

\hesis / dissertat ion stating its exact title. Before giving permission. the- Board

shall consult the students' supervisor and shall ascertain that the period of

study conforms with that stipulated in Regulations 6 and 7.

(2) When submitting a thesis / dissertation, students shall

(a) submit a signed declaration that the thesis / dissertation is their

own personal work, and that tilt' greater ponion of the work has been done

afler their registration for the dl'grcc

(b) if a part of the thesis / dissertation has alreaov been submitted for

,mot her degree or qualification or the thesis / dissertation has been

independently published, a statement to this effect shall be included with it,

and the Board of Examiners set up under paragraph (1) of Regulation 11

shall recommend to Senate whether the thesis / dissertation should he

accepted for examination or not.

Examination of Theses / Dissertations

( 1) Theses / dissertations for these Degrees shall be examined by

a Board of Examiners appointed for the purpose by Senate on the

recommendation of the Board.

(2) The Board of Examiners shall consist of at least three examiners

including a Chairman, an external examiner and another member.

(3) Students shall be required to defend their thesis / dissertation

orally before the Board of Examiners. The Board of Examiners shall wbmit a

final report to Senate stating whether the student should be admit ted to the

degree.

Provided that, in the case of an M.Phil. dissertation, if the external

examiner is unable to take pan in the final deliberations of the Board of

Examiners because of his being abroad, it shall be lawful for the other

members of the Board of Examiners to take decisions in his absence so long

as any views he may have expressed in writing are taken into consideration

and the final decision is acceptable to him.

After examining the thesis / dissertation, the Board of

(l)

Examiners may refer it back to the student for revision prior 10 his ddending

the thesis / dissertation orally.

(2) In cases indicated m paragraph (1) of this regulation, the

student shall apply to the Board for permission to submit the revised thesis /

dissertation for examination. The Board shall be guided in its decision by the

recommendations of the Board of Examiners but in all cases the revised thesis

/ dissertation shall be submitted for examination within six months of the

original thesis / dissertation being referred back to the student.

Such

permission shall be granted once only.

(3) A student who fails to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the

or,1! examinat.ion may, at the discret.ion of the Board of Examiners and with

I he permission or the Board, be re-examined orally within a pf'riod of six

mont hs. Such permission shall be granted once only.

(4) If a student for the Ph.D. degree does not satisfy the Board of

Examiners that his thesis has reacheo the standard required for the award of a

Ph.D. degree, the Boaro of Examiners may recommend to Senate t.he aw:trd

o( an ~1.Phil. degree.

Bye-Laws

1;).

The Senate may, on the recommendation of each Board. draw

lip hye-law.,; governing the Degrees to regulate matters not covered by these

regu I,ll ions.

Is-Senat jista', fuq ir-rakkomandazzjoni ta' kull Bord, jfassal

ordinamenti dwar dawn il-Gradi biexjirregolaw materji mhux koperti h'dawn

ir-regolamenti.