Degree Course Regulations, 2000

L.N. 57 of 2000

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bachelor of Arts - B.A. - and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - B.A. (Hons)-

Degree Course Regulations, 2000

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 Malta 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

(1) These regulations may be cited as the Bachelor of Arts - B.A. - and

the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - B.A. (Hons) - Degree Course Regulations, 2000.

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Arts;

"the Courses" means the courses of studies leading to the Degree of

Bachelor of Arts - B.A. - and to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - B.A.

(Hons) ;

"the Degree" means the Degree of Bachelor of Arts - B.A. - or the Degree

of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - B.A. (Hons) - as appropriate; and

"the Faculty" means the Faculty of Arts.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to Courses starting in October 1999 or

later.

Eligibility for the Degree

To be eligible for the award of either Degree, students must

(a) be registered as regular students in either course in terms of the

Admission Regulations of the University and satisfy the Special Course

Requirements stipulated in regulation 5;

(b) complete the appropriate course of studies, obtain all the credits

indicated in regulation 11, pass the Synoptic Examinations and satisfy any other

requirements prescribed in these regulations; and

(c) satisfy any other requirements prescribed

any other relevant

In

statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the University.

Admission and Special Course Requirements

(1) Applicants shall apply to register for either course on the

prescribed form and within the time specified by the Office of the Registrar.

Applicants shall be required to indicate their choice of either the B.A. course or

the B.A. (Hons) course.

(2) To be registered as regular students in either course, applicants

must, besides satisfying the General Entry Requirements specified in the

Admission Regulations of the University, satisfy the Special Course Requirements

stipulated in regulation 5 as well as the Special Course Requirements of the

faculty offering the area/s of study in terms of regulation 6.3.2 of the Admission

Regulations, where applicable.

(1) Applicants choosing to study any of the following areas of study

must be in possession of a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in the

Matriculation Certificate Examination or· equivalent in the subject

Economics, English, French, German Studies, History, Italian, Maltese, or Music

Studies.

(2) With effect from October 2000 applicants choosing to study

(a) International Relations must be in possession of a pass at Advanced

Level at Grade C or better in History; and

(b) Psychology must be in possession of a pass at Intermediate Level at

Grade C or better in Biology.

(3) Applicants choosing to study any of the following areas of study

must be in possession of the Special Course Requirements indicated by the

faculty offering these areas of study in terms of regulation 6.3.2 of the Admission

Regulations

Computer Science, Informatics or Mathematics.

Areas of Study

(1) The following areas of study may be offered in both Courses

Anthropology, Arabic, Archaeology, Art, Classics, Computer Science,

Contemporary Mediterranean Studies, English, French, Geography, History,

International Relations, Italian, Linguistics, Maltese, Music Studies, Philosophy,

Social Studies, Sociology, Theatre Studies, and any other area of study as

recommended by the Board and approved by Senate.

(2)

The following areas of study may be offered only in the B.A.

course

American Swdies*, Communication Studies, Comparative Religion, Economics,

German Studies, Greek*, Hispanic Studies*, Informatics, Latin*, Mathematics,

Mediterranean Studies, Near Eastern Studies, Psychology, and any other area of

studies as recommended by the Board and approved by Senate.

* offered only as a secondary area of study

(3) The following areas of study may not be chosen together

•

Anthropology and Contemporary Mediterranean Studies

•

Any two of Computer Science, Informatics and Mathematics

•

Geography and Contemporary Mediterranean Studies

•

Near Eastern Studies with either Arabic or Archaeology

•

Social Studies and Sociology

Before the commencement of either course, the Board may indicate other

combinations of areas of study which may not be chosen together.

(4) The Board may, with the approval of Senate, allow students to

choose areas of study not included in paragraphs (l) and (2) of this regulation.

(5) Students choosing areas of study offered by other faculties shall be

subject to the regulations relating to those areas of study in the relevant course as

far as Special Course Requirements, study-units and examinations are concerned.

(6) The areas of study listed in paragraphs (l) and (2) of this

regulation and combinations of areas of study shall be offered depending on the

availability of resources and the number of applicants who choose them.

Duration of the Courses

(1) The Courses shall extend over a period of three years of full-time

studies or five years of part-time studies. The Board may allow students to

complete a full-time course in not more than four years, and a part-time course

in not more than seven years from the date of first admission, under those

conditions it may impose. The part-time course shall lead to the Bachelor of Arts

and shall be offered only in the evening.

(2) In special circumstances, Senate may allow a further extension of

one year, on the recommendation of the Board.

(3) The Senate, acting on the advice of the Board, may allow students,

for a good and sufficient reason, to suspend their studies for a maximum of

twelve months.

Registration for Courses and for Study-Units

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

academic year and to register for study-units before the beginning of each

semester within the period stipulated by the Office of the Registrar.

(2) Students shall be awarded a grade for a study-unit only if they have

registered for it on the Study-Unit Registration Form. At the beginning of each

semester, students may add or drop a study-unit on the prescribed form and

within the period stipulated by the Office of the Registrar.

(3) Students are expected to inform the Registrar in writing if they

resign from the course, indicating the date of their resignation.

Courses of Studies

Each course shall consist of study-units to which at least 76 credits shall

be assigned and shall be structured as follows

(a) Year One shall be common for students admitted to either course and

shall consist of study-units at Levelland Level 2 in two principal areas of study;

(b) Years Two and Three of the B.A. course shall consist of study-units at

Level 2 and Level 3 in two principal areas of study;

(c) Years Two and Three of the B.A. (Hons) course shall consist of study-

units at Level 2 and Level 3 in one principal area of study;

(d) Compulsory study-units in History of Mediterranean Civilisation

which must be obtained during Years One and Two; and

(e) Optional study-units in any area of study approved by the University,

including the principal areas of study already chosen, which must be obtained

during Year Two and Year Three.

Catalogue of Study-Units

The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units for each area of

study. The catalogue shall indicate the level, code, title, description and type of

each study-unit, the credits assigned to each study-unit, which study-units are

compulsory, concurrent or pre-requisites for other study-units, the methods of

teaching and assessment, and which study-units are offered for full-time and/ or

part-time courses. The Board shall publish the catalogue prior to the

commencement of each course, following the approval of Senate.

Progress and Assessment

(1) In each year of both Courses students must obtain the following

credits

(a)

in Year One: 10 credits in each of the two principal areas of study.

and 6 credits in History of Mediterranean Civilisation;

(b) in Year Two of the

- B.A. course: 10 credits in each of the two principal areas of study, and 6 credits

in History of Mediterranean Civilisation;

- B.A. (Hons) course: 20 credits in the principal area of study, and 6 credits in

History of Mediterranean Civilisation;

(c) in Year Three of the

- B.A. course: 11 credits in each of the two principal areas of study (which may

include a dissertation to which 7 credits are assigned in one of the areas of

study) ;

- B.A. (Hons) course: 22 credits in the principal area of study (which may

include a dissertation to which 7 credits are assigned); and

(d) during Year Two and Year Three of both courses: optional study

units, to which at least 2 credits are assigned in any area of studies approved by

the University, including the principal areas already chosen.

(2) Students must obtain the following credits for study-units at Level

3 in the

(a) B.A. course: at least 8 credits in each of the principal areas of study;

and

(b) B.A. (Hons) course: at least 24 credits in the principal area of study.

(1) In each year students shall be required to register for study-units

for which not less than the number of credits indicated in regulation 11 and not

more than 30 credits are assigned.

(2) The Board may allow students to change one principal area of

study during Year One of the course, provided they satisfy all the requirements

laid down in these regulations.

(3) The Board may allow students admitted to the B.A. course to

choose two secondary areas of study instead of one of the principal areas of

study. In such cases, the requirements for each secondary area of study shall be

half the requirements for a principal area of study stipulated in these regulations.

(1) Students in Year One or Year Two of either course who do not

satisfy all the requirements stipulated in sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) of paragraph

(1) of regulation 11 may be allowed by the Board to proceed to the following

year, provided they have obtained not less than 22 credits. The missing credits

must be obtained during the successive year.

(2) Students in Year Three who do not satisfy all the requirements

stipulated in sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (1) of regulation 11 but obtain not

less than 14 credits may be allowed by the Board to extend their studies by one

year if permitted in terms of paragraph (1) of regulation 7, provided that during

this additional year such students shall be required to obtain not less than 16

credits (including the missing credits of Year Three).

(3) Students in Year Three who obtain less than 14 credits shall not be

allowed to continue the course, unless in special circumstances, on the

recommendation of the Board and with the permission of Senate.

Students may not register for a study-unit for which they do not have

the pre-requisites or without registering also for its concurrent study-unit/s,

except with the permission of the Board.

(l) Credits shall be assigned according to the following grades in

descending order of merit: A, B, C, and D. Failure shall be indicated by F.

Incomplete work due to justifiable reasons (illness, approved absence, etc.) shall

be indicated by I. In all other cases the results of uncompleted study-units shall

be indicated as F. The grades awarded shall take into account the students'

performance in one or more of the following elements, as deemed appropriate

by the Board: coursework, fieldwork, practical, written and/or oral assessments.

(2)

Students who fail in any study-unit shall be allowed a

supplementary assessment. Such a supplementary assessment should normally

have the same mode of assessment as the corresponding first assessment. A

supplementary assessment of a study-unit shall be held at the next scheduled

examination session (Mayor September) as the case may be. In the case of

assignments, the supplementary assessment shall be made by arrangement with

the lecturer concerned. In the supplementary assessment, the maximum grade

that may be awarded shall be grade D.

(3) If unsuccessful in the supplementary assessment, students may re-

take the study-unit again once only. When students fail a re-taken study-unit,

they shall be allowed a final supplementary assessment. In the case of study-

units which are re-taken, the maximum grade that may be awarded in the

assessment and the final supplementary assessment shall be grade D.

(4) Students shall not be allowed to be re-assessed for a study-unit if

they have already been awarded credit for it.

The Board may allow students to transfer credits obtained for study-

units in a course of studies at this University or at a university recognised for the

purpose by the Senate, provided such study-units are comparable in content and

level to the ones offered in the Courses. Not more than one-third of the

minimum number of credits required for the award of the Degree may be

transferred.

Transfer between Courses

Students who, at the end of Year One, have obtained the credits

required for that year, may be allowed by the Board to transfer their studies to

Year Two of either the B.A. course or the B.A. (Hons) course (choosing one

principal area of study from those already taken in Year One) as the case may be.

Synoptic Examinations

Students shall be eligible to sit for the Synoptic Examinations if, by

the end of Year Three, they have registered for, and completed, study-units to

which a minimum of 76 credits are assigned and have obtained at least 62 credits.

(l) Synoptic Examinations shall normally be held in June and shall

consist of the following

(a) two three-hour written papers in each principal area of study of the

B.A. course; and

(b) four three-hour written papers in the principal area of study of the

B.A. (Hons) course.

(2) A VJ'va voce examination may also be held.

Supplementary Session of the Synoptic Examinations

(l) Students who fail in any paper of the Synoptic Examinations in

any area of study shall be required to sit for the failed paper/s in the September

Supplementary Session of the Synoptic Examinations.

If successful, the

maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D.

(2) In the case of failure in the Supplementary Session of the Synoptic

Examinations, students shall be required to re-sit all the papers in the failed

area/s in June of the following year, with the possibility of re-sitting any failed

paper/s in the September Supplementary Session of the Synoptic Examinations.

If successful, the maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D. If

unsuccessful, such students shall be considered to have failed the course.

Final Result

(1) The final result shall take into consideration the students'

performance in the study-units and in the Synoptic Examinations according to

the following weighting

Study-Units

50%

Synoptic Examinations

50%.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1) of this regulation the weighting

for the study-units shall be calculated on the basis of an overall average of the

credits obtained. If more than 76 credits are obtained, the best 76 credits

(including the credits for all the compulsory study-units) shall be taken into

account.

(3) The names of students who have qualified for the award of the

Degree shall be published in a list in alphabetical order as follows

(a) for the B.A. Degree: Category I, IIA, lIB and III; and

(b) for the B.A. (Hons) Degree

First Class Honours

Second Class Honours (Upper Division)

Second Class Honours (Lower Division)

Third Class Honours

Pass.

Special Provisions for Part-Time Courses

Registration

(l) The Board may, from time to time, offer the course leading to

the Bachelor of Arts on a part-time basis in the evening in areas of study which

shall be indicated before the commencement of each course.

(2) The provisions of the foregoing regulations shall apply mutatis

mutandis to courses offered on a part-time basis.