under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

L.N. 24 of 2006

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2006 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2004

for the Degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B.Ed. (Hons) -

under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

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 bye-laws made by the Board of the

Faculty of Education in virtue of the powers conferred upon it by section 37 (1)

of the said Act and which have been approved by the Senate of the University of

Malta as required by section 37 (2) of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2006 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2004 for the degree of

Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B. Ed. (Hons.) - under the auspices of the Faculty of

Education.

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

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

"the Course" means the programme of studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of

Education (Honours) - B.Ed. (Hons);

"the Degree" means the degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B.Ed.

(Hons);

"the Faculty" means the Faculty of Education; and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for University

Undergraduate Awards, 2004.

B

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable to courses commencing in October 2004 or

later.

Areas of Study

The Degree may be awarded under the auspices of the Faculty either Primary

Education or Secondary Education as an area of specialisation.

(1) Applicants who choose Secondary Education as their area of specialisation

shall also be required to choose one or two teaching areas.

(2) The teaching areas for the Secondary Education area of specialisation shall

be chosen as follows: two teaching areas from Group A, or one teaching area from

Group B, or one teaching area from Group C, or any teaching area or combination of

teaching areas as approved by the Senate on the recommendation of the Board. In any

year, teaching areas shall be offered depending on the availability of resources and the

number of applicants who choose them.

(1) The teaching areas in Group A shall be the following: Art, English,

French, Geography, German, History, Italian, Maltese, Music Studies, Religious

Education, Spanish.

(2) The following combinations of teaching areas from Group A are not

normally offered

•

Art and French

•

English and Music Studies

•

Geography and either Maltese or Religious Education

•

German and History

•

Maltese and either English, or Italian, or Religious Education

•

Spanish and English

•

Spanish and Music Studies.

The teaching area in Group B shall be Science, with specialisation in either

Biology, or Chemistry, or Physics.

The teaching areas in Group C shall be the following: Computing, Home

Economics, Mathematics, Personal and Social Development, Physical Education, and

Technical Design and Technology.

(1) The Board shall announce the teaching areas offered within the Secondary

Education area of specialisation as approved by Senate, before the beginning of each

Course.

(2) In teaching areas where the number of school placements is limited, the

Board shall recommend to Senate the number of applicants that may be allowed to

register in these teaching areas, depending on the number of school placements

available. The number of available places shall be announced at the time of the call for

applications.

(3) If there are more eligible applicants than the number of places available,

applicants shall be selected by means of an interview.

Special Course Requirements for Admission

(1) To be registered as regular students in the Course, applicants shall, apart

from satisfying the general requirements for admission as specified in the Admission

Regulations, be in possession of the special course requirements listed in this bye-law.

(2)

If Primary Education is chosen as the area of specialisation, applicants

shall have

(a) For admission in October 2004 and October 2005

(i) a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in any subject; and

(ii) passes at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in: English, Maltese,

and one of: Applied Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science,

Physics, or Pure Mathematics; and

(iii) passes in tests in English, Maltese and Basic Computer proficiency

approved by the Faculty. Students are expected to obtain passes in all three tests before

the end of the second year of the Course. If this requirement is not satisfied, students

shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

B

(b) For admission from October 2006 onwards

(i) one pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in one of the

following: English, Maltese, Applied Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or

Pure Mathematics; and

(ii) passes at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in two of the

following (excluding the subject presented at Advanced Level): English, Maltese,

Applied Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics or Pure

Mathematics; and

(iii) passes in proficiency tests in English and Maltese, approved by the

Faculty, and shall be in possession of the European Computer Driving License (ECDL)

prior to the commencement of the Course. Applicants who do not pass the proficiency

tests and are not in possession of the ECDL before the commencement of the Course

shall not be admitted to the Course.

(3) If Secondary Education is chosen as the area of specialisation, applicants shall

have

(a) for two teaching areas from Group A: passes at Advanced Level at

Grade C or better in each of the two subjects chosen as teaching areas;

(b) for a teaching area from Group B

(i) for Science with specialisation in Biology: two passes at

Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Biology and in any other subject, together with

a pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Chemistry;

(ii) for Science with specialisation in Chemistry: two passes at

Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Chemistry and in any other subject, together

with a pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Physics; and

(iii) for Science with specialisation in Physics: two passes at

Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Physics and in any other subject, together with a

pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Applied Mathematics or Pure

Mathematics;

(c) for a teaching area from Group C

(i) for Home Economics: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C

or better in Home Economics and Human Ecology and in any other subject;

(ii) for Mathematics: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or

better in Pure Mathematics and in any other subject;

(iii) for Computing: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or

better in Computing and in any other subject, together with a pass at Intermediate Level

at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics (a pass at Advanced Level in Information

Technology or in Pure Mathematics may not be offered instead of Computing);

(iv) for Personal and Social Development: a pass at Advanced Level

at Grade C or better in either Philosophy or Sociology and a pass at Advanced Level at

Grade C or better in any other subject;

(v) for Physical Education: a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or

better in any two subjects, a pass in a physical education proficiency test, a medical

certificate as per prescribed form provided by the Institute of Physical Education and

Sport, and a portfolio demonstrating interest in and commitment to Physical Education

and Sport;

(vi) for Technical Design and Technology

(1) a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Engineering

Drawing or in Graphical Communication and a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or

better in any other subject; or

(2) five passes at grade 5 or better in the Secondary Education

Certificate Examination, including English Language and Maltese, together with a pass

in Systems of Knowledge in the Matriculation Certificate Examination at Intermediate

Level, and obtained the Advanced Technicians Diploma of the City and Guilds of

London Institute, or a qualification considered equivalent by the University Admissions

Board on the recommendation of the Board.

(4) All applicants choosing Secondary Education as their area of specialisation

shall be required to pass tests in English and Basic Computer proficiency approved by

the Faculty. Students are expected to obtain passes in these two tests before the end of

the second year of the Course. If this requirement is not satisfied, students shall be

required to withdraw from the Course.

(5) As from October 2006, applicants who do not pass the English proficiency

test and are not in possession of the ECDL before the commencement of the Course

shall not be admitted to the Course.

B

Applicants with other qualifications considered to be sufficient may be

exempted by the University Admissions Board, on the advice of the Faculty Admissions

Committee, from the whole or part of these special course requirements.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over a period of four years of full-time study.

Course Programme

Students are required to obtain 60 credits per year, as detailed in the

programme of studies (including four field placements and a dissertation) approved by

Senate, on the recommendation of the Board, and according to the provisions of the

Principal Regulations.

Special Provision for Field Placement

(1) There shall be a Field Placement in each of the four years of the

Course, comprising a period of observation and/or teaching in schools under

supervision as determined by the Board.

(2) Field Placements shall be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.

(3) Students shall be required to pass all the Field Placements. Students can

only do one Field Placement in any year of the Course and shall be allowed to repeat

only one failed Field Placement during the following year, so that the final Field

Placement is held during an additional year of studies, if allowed in terms of the

Principal Regulations.

(4) Students whose Field Placement includes the teaching of two teaching

areas and who fail to satisfy the examiners in the teaching of one of the teaching areas

shall be considered to have failed the Field Placement. Such students shall be required

to repeat the Field Placement in terms of paragraph (3) of this bye-law and as provided

for in the Principal Regulations. Students may be allowed to repeat the Field Placement

in the teaching of the failed teaching area only under those conditions established by the

Board.

(5) Students shall be required to abide by the Field Placement Code of

Ethics as published by the Board. Any breach of this Code of Ethics shall be referred to

an ad hoc Disciplinary Board appointed by the Board and may result in a

recommendation to Senate for dismissal from the Course.

(6) Students who, for valid reasons, fail to attend for up to five days shall

have that particular Field Placement extended by the same number of days. Those who

fail to attend for six or more days shall have to undergo a full Field Placement during an

additional year of studies.

(7) The Board shall assign at least two additional examiners to each

student. The main additional examiner is requested to present the assessment reports

for the consideration of the Field Placement Board of Examiners. The Board of

Examiners shall, in terms of the University Examinations Regulations, determine the

procedure to be adopted for the conduct of the Field Placement assessment and may

themselves conduct assessment visits to particular students as they deem fit.

Classification of the Award

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the Degree shall

be based on the results obtained in each year of the Course, each of which shall receive

equal weighting.

In the case of assigning the classification of First Class Honours, the Degree

Classification Board shall take into consideration the students’ record of performance

during the Field Placements.

The Degree classification shall be published according to the provisions of the

Principal Regulations for Honours degrees.

Mitbug] fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern - Printed at the Government Printing Press