Regulations, 2005

L.N. 150 of 2005

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies – M.A. (Dip. St.) – Degree Course

Regulations, 2005

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 Arts in Diplomatic

Studies – M.A. (Dip. St.) – Degree Course Regulations, 2005.

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic

Studies;

"the Course" means the course of studies leading to the degree of Master of

Arts in Diplomatic Studies - M.A. (Dip. St.); and

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies - M.A.

(Dip. St.).

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses starting in October 2003 or later.

Qualifications for Admission

(1) Applicants for admission to the Course must be in possession of a

Bachelor's degree with at least second class honours of the University of Malta or of

a degree recognized by Senate as equivalent.

(2) The admission of applicants whose degree is not in law, economics,

history or international relations may be made conditional on the result of an

interview during which the applicants’ ability to complete the proposed studies

successfully is tested.

(3) Applicants whose mother tongue is not English must be in possession

of a certificate of proficiency in English at the level required by the University.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over twelve months of full-time study.

Course Structure

The programme of studies for the Course comprises the following

components, to which 70 credits shall be assigned

(a) taught study-units in

International Relations (10 credits)

International History (10 credits)

International Economics (10 credits)

International Law (10 credits)

Methodology (4 credits)

Dissertation Seminar (4 credits); and

(b) a dissertation, to which 22 credits are assigned, to be written in the field of

International Law, International Economics, International Relations or International

History.

Catalogue of Study-Units

The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units. 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, and the methods of teaching and assessment. The

Board shall publish the catalogue prior to the commencement of each Course,

following the approval of Senate.

Assessment

Results for the assessment of the study-units and of 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 final classification of the Degree. The marks and grades awarded

shall take into account the students’ performance in one or more of the following

elements, as deemed appropriate by the Board: assignments (to which a percentage

of the final marks and grade for the study-unit may be assigned) and written and/or

oral examinations.

Students who fail to obtain a pass grade in a written and/or oral

examination or in an assignment or in both may be allowed to sit for a

supplementary examination, or to resubmit the assignment, or both. Students may

be allowed to repeat an examination and to resubmit an assignment for a particular

study-unit only once.

Supplementary assessments are limited to no more than two of the

following study-units in

International Law, International Economics,

International

Relations

and

International

History.

Supplementary

assessments take place in September.

Dissertation

(1) The dissertation is a compulsory component of the Course. It may not

exceed 40,000 words and shall deal with a subject falling within one of the

following fields

International Law, International Economics, International

Relations and International History.

(2) Students shall present a dissertation proposal by not later than the

beginning of the second semester. The dissertation topic must be approved by the

Board which shall assign a supervisor. The dissertation must be submitted for

examination by the end of August.

(3) In special circumstances, the Board may grant students an extension of

not more than three months to the submission deadline referred to in paragraph (2)

of this regulation.

(4) Students shall submit three copies of the dissertation which must be

countersigned by the supervisor, who thereby confirms that the dissertation is the

students’ own work and conforms to the requirements laid down under paragraph

(1) of this regulation.

(5) The Board of Examiners shall be convened by its Chairman to discuss

the dissertation. It may also hear, if it deems necessary, the student in defence of the

dissertation.

(6) The Board of Examiners may approve the dissertation and recommend

the award of the Degree. It may require the student to make corrections or to

completely re-write the dissertation within a stated time limit. It may reject the

dissertation altogether.

(7) Students whose dissertation is rejected or whose corrections or re-

writing are considered inadequate or have not been submitted within the required

time limit shall not be awarded the Degree.

Award of the Degree

(1) Students who obtain the 70 credits indicated under regulation 5 shall

be awarded the Degree.

(2) The final classification of each student shall take into account the

results obtained in the assessments of all components of the Course, which shall be

weighted according to the number of credits assigned to each.

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

be published in a list in alphabetical order classified as follows

Passed with Distinction

Passed.

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