Master of Science in Conservation Science - M.Sc. - Degree Course Regulations,

L.N. 184 of 2003

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Master of Science in Conservation Science - M.Sc. - Degree Course Regulations,

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 Master of Science in

Conservation Science - M.Sc. - Degree Course Regulations, 2003.

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

“the Academic Board” means the Academic Board of the Institute for

Conservation and Restoration Studies of the Malta Centre for Restoration;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies for the Course

appointed by Senate, on the recommendation of the Academic Board;

“the Course” means the course of studies leading to the Degree of

Master of Science in Conservation Science - M.Sc.;

“the Degree” means the Degree of Master of Science in Conservation

Science - M.Sc.;

“the Institute” means the Institute for Conservation and Restoration

Studies of the Malta Centre for Restoration; and

“the Senate” means the Senate of the University of Malta.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses starting in October 2003 or

later.

Eligibility for the Degree

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

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

Regulations of the University and satisfy the qualifications for admission laid

down in regulation 4;

(b) complete the course of studies, obtain 120 credits, including the

credits for the compulsory study-units and for the dissertation, and satisfy any

other requirements prescribed in these regulations; and

(c) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any relevant statutes,

regulations and bye-laws of the University.

Qualifications for Admission

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) the degree of Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science (Honours)

with at least Second Class of this University with a natural science as one of

the areas of study; or

(b) a degree with at least Second Class acceptable to the Board of

Studies that ensures that applicants can follow the Course with profit;

and who are able to satisfy the Board of Studies that they have the necessary

aptitude to join the Course, normally through an interview.

B

Registration for the Course

The Board of Studies may limit the number of students that may be

admitted to the Course depending on the availability of resources. The

number of students, established by Senate on the recommendation of the

Board of Studies, shall be announced before the beginning of each Course.

Should there be more eligible applicants than the maximum number of

students, applicants shall be selected by a board appointed for the purpose.

The board shall take into consideration the applicants’ qualifications and their

aptitude.

Applicants wishing to register for the Course shall apply on the

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

Students shall be required to register before the beginning of each

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

Course Duration

(1) The Course shall extend over a period of two academic years of

full-time study.

(2) The Board of Studies may allow students to extend their studies to

complete their dissertation by not more than six months.

In special

circumstances, Senate may allow students a further extension of six months

on the recommendation of the Board of Studies.

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

allow students, for good and sufficient reason, to suspend their studies for a

maximum period of twelve months or until such time that the remaining study-

units of the Course are on offer.

B

Course of Studies

Students must register for a number of study-units (including the

dissertation) to which a total of at least 60 credits per academic year are

assigned.

The course of studies comprises

(a) a taught component, consisting of study-units to which 100 credits

are assigned; and

(b) a research component, consisting of the writing of a dissertation to

which 20 credits are assigned.

Catalogue of Study-Units

The Board of Studies shall draw up a programme of studies for the

Course and shall publish a catalogue of study-units. The catalogue shall

indicate the 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, and the methods of teaching and

assessment. The catalogue shall include also guidelines on the conduct of

seminars, the production of the dissertation and its oral defence. The Board of

Studies shall publish the catalogue for the Course prior to its commencement,

following the approval of Senate.

Progress and Assessment

Results for the assessment of the study-units and the dissertation

shall be published as a percentage mark and grade as indicated in the table

below

Mark Range

Grade

80% -100%

A

70% - 79%

B

55% - 69%

C

45% - 54%

D

0 - 44%

F

Both the percentage mark and the grade shall be recorded in the students’

academic record. However, only the percentage mark shall be used for the

purpose of calculating the students' progression from year 1 to year 2 and for

the final classification of the Degree.

Students shall be allowed to proceed from the first year to the second

year of the Course if they obtain at least 60 credits.

Students must obtain a pass grade for all practical study-units.

Students who fail in any study-unit (other than practicals) pertaining to the

taught component shall be allowed a supplementary assessment. Such a

supplementary assessment shall 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. In the

case of assignments that require re-submission, the supplementary

assessment shall be made by arrangement with the lecturer concerned. In the

supplementary assessment, the maximum mark and grade that may be

awarded shall be 45 or D. In the case of failure in a supplementary

assessment, students shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

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

they have already been awarded credit/s for it.

The Board of Studies may allow students to transfer credits obtained

for study-units in a course of studies at this University or at an educational

institution recognized for the purpose by the Senate, provided such study-units

are comparable in content and level to the ones offered in the Course. Not

more than one-third of the number of credits required for the award of the

Degree may be transferred.

Dissertation

By the end of November of the second academic year, students must

submit a 300-word proposal for their dissertation and a supporting statement

by a member of the Institute who has agreed to supervise the work.

The Board of Studies shall be responsible for the approval of the title

and research proposal.

Dissertations presented for the Degree shall

(a) be work of an advanced or original nature in the students’ area of

study;

(b) satisfy the Board of Examiners as regards content and presentation;

(c) be between 20,000 and 25,000 words long;

(d) fulfill the requirements stipulated in the relevant guidelines as regards

format; and

(e) be graded according to the scheme outlined in regulation 12.

Students shall present four bound copies of the dissertation to the

Institute, one of which shall be retained in the University Library and another in

the Library of the Malta Centre for Restoration.

The dissertation must be presented by the last Friday in June of the

final year of the Course.

No dissertation shall be accepted which is identical in substance to a

document already submitted for a degree in this or any other university or to

any other published material. Students shall, however, not be precluded from

incorporating such previous work as may be necessary to the presentation and

B

a fuller understanding of their exposition, provided that the nature and extent of

such incorporation are clearly indicated in the dissertation itself.

Supervision of Dissertation

(1) The Board of Studies shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for

each student, normally composed of three members as follows: the Head of

Department/Coordinator as chairman, and two other members, one of whom

being the research supervisor, provided that when the Head of

Department/Coordinator is the supervisor, he shall not chair the Panel.

(2) The Panel of Supervision shall follow the students’ work on their

dissertation, provided that it meets at least once to review such progress.

(3) Students shall be required to report to their supervisor at least

once every month and in addition as often as the supervisor deems necessary.

(4) Supervisors shall be required to submit regular reports on students

to the Panel of Supervision. Students shall seek approval from the Board of

Studies for any substantial modification in the title or content of the

dissertation. The dissertation may not normally be submitted to a Board of

Examiners without the approval of the supervisor.

(5) The Panel of Supervision may advise the Board of Studies in

writing on the performance of a student. Such advice may recommend an

extension of the study period in order to enable the student to complete the

dissertation provided that the extension of the study period referred to shall be

according to paragraph (2) of regulation 8.

Examination of Study-Units and Dissertation

(1) A Board of Examiners shall be appointed for each study-unit and

shall normally be composed of three members as follows: the Head of

Department/Coordinator as chairman, the lecturer concerned and one other

member.

B

(2) The Board of Examiners appointed for the dissertation shall

normally be composed of three members as follows: the Head of

Department/Coordinator as chairman, and two other members, one of whom

being the research supervisor, provided that when the Head of

Department/Coordinator is the supervisor, he shall not chair the Board. The

other member of the Board of Examiners shall be an external examiner.

(3) The Board of Examiners for the dissertation shall require students

to defend the dissertation orally before them. The external examiner need not

be present for the oral defence provided that three members shall conduct the

viva.

Students whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may either fail or

be required by the Board of Examiners to rewrite the document in whole or in

part and re-submit it for examination. Students may re-submit the dissertation

not earlier than two months and not later than six months from the notification

of the decision by the Board of Examiners for the dissertation.

Final Result

(1) The final result shall take into account all components of the

Course which shall be weighted according to the number of credits assigned to

each component.

(2) The names of students who qualify for the award of the Degree

shall be published in a list in alphabetical order and classified as follows

Passed with Distinction

Passed.

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