Course Regulations, 2006

L.N. 87 of 2006

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP 327)

Postgraduate Diploma and Degree of Master in Contemporary Diplomacy

Course Regulations, 2006 – under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts

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 Postgraduate Diploma and

Degree of Master in Contemporary Diplomacy Course Regulations, 2006 – under

the auspices of the Faculty of Arts.

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Arts;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies, appointed by

Senate on the recommendation of the Board;

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

Diploma and the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy, as appropriate;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master in Contemporary

Diplomacy; and

“the Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary

Diplomacy.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses commencing in 2006 or later.

Board of Studies

(1) The general administration of the Course shall be entrusted to a Board

of Studies.

B

(2) The Course Co-ordinator shall be appointed by the Board and shall

be responsible for drawing up the programme of studies and the catalogue of study-

units, as well as for the preparation of teaching material, with the co-operation and

approval of the Board of Studies.

Qualifications for Admission

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of the following

qualifications

(a) a degree from a university recognised by the Senate for the purpose; or

(b) appropriate professional qualifications together with sufficient related

professional experience that are acceptable to the Board of Studies.

Course Duration

(1) The Course leading to the Diploma shall extend over a period of one

academic year of full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study.

(2) The Course leading to the Degree shall extend over a further period

of one semester of full-time study, which may include a summer session, or its

equivalent in part-time study. The Board may, before the presentation of the

dissertation, extend such period by one further period not exceeding six months on a

full-time basis and twelve months on a part-time basis.

Diploma Course Programme

(1) The Board, following approval by the Senate, shall publish the

catalogue of study-units prior to the commencement of each Course.

(2) The programme of studies shall consist of study-units, to which 60

credits shall be assigned as follows

(a) an Introductory Workshop, to which 15 credits are assigned; and

(b) taught study-units, to which 45 credits are assigned.

(3) The Course shall be conducted in two phases

(a) first phase – Introductory Workshop, which shall be organised at the

University of Malta or at a venue assigned by the University of Malta. The

workshop shall focus on intensive research and study skills for diplomacy and

international relations; and

(b) second phase – Online Learning, which shall be conducted via the

Internet.

Programme of Studies and Catalogue of Study-Units

(1) The Board shall draw up the programme of studies for the Course

which shall indicate the study-units to be followed in each semester and which

study-units are compulsory, concurrent or pre-requisites for other study-units. The

Board shall publish the programme of studies for the Course prior to its

commencement, following the approval of Senate.

(2) The level, code, title, description and type of each study-unit, the

credits assigned to each study-unit, the methods of teaching and assessment, and the

lecturer giving the study-unit shall be published in a catalogue of study-units, which

shall be published by the Board, following approval by Senate.

Assessment

(1) Students shall be assessed in the study-units during the Course in

accordance with the criteria established by the Board of Studies.

(2) Results for the assessment of 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 final classification of the awards.

(3) Students who fail in the assessment of a study-unit shall be allowed a

re-assessment once only. If unsuccessful, students shall be required to withdraw

from the Course. If successful, the maximum marks and grade that may be awarded

shall be 45% - grade D.

(4) Students shall satisfy the requirements for the award of the Diploma if

they obtain the sixty credits as specified in regulation 6 (2).

Award of Diploma

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the Diploma shall take into account

all the results obtained in the assessments of all the study-units of the Course, which

shall be weighted according to the number of credits assigned to each.

B

The names of students who qualify for the award of the Diploma shall be

published in a list in alphabetical order classified as follows

Passed with Distinction

Passed.

Degree Course Programme

Students who successfully complete the programme of studies for the

Diploma and who renounce to the award of the Diploma may proceed to the

Master’s course. Students who, either opt not to proceed with the Course leading to

the Degree, or, having proceeded do not successfully complete the Course shall be

entitled to the award of the Diploma in accordance with regulations 9 and 10.

Dissertation

(1) Students shall be required to present a dissertation on an approved

subject, normally of between 20,000 and 25,000 words, to which 30 credits shall be

assigned. The dissertation must be either a record of original work or an ordered and

critical expression of existing data with regard to a particular subject. It must satisfy

the Board of Examiners as regards language and literary presentation.

(2) Students must present their proposal for the dissertation by not later

than two months prior to the end of the Diploma course or as directed by the Board

of Studies.

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

dissertation already submitted for a degree at this or any other university. Students,

however, shall not be precluded from incorporating such previous dissertation work

as may be necessary to the presentation and fuller understanding of their exposition,

provided that the nature and extent of such incorporation are clearly indicated in the

dissertation itself.

Supervision and Examination of the Dissertation

12. The Board shall appoint a supervisor for every student. The supervisor

may refer to the Board of Studies a student whose work is considered unsatisfactory

and shall refer any substantial modification in the title or content of the dissertation

for the approval of the Board. No dissertation may be submitted to the examiners

without a certificate, signed by the supervisor, of its conformity with these

regulations.

Each dissertation shall be examined by a Board of Examiners appointed

in terms of the University Examinations Regulations. Students may be required to

attend for a viva voce examination. One of the examiners shall normally be an

external examiner from another university.

Re-submission of Dissertation

Students whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may be allowed by

the Board, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, to re-submit it in a

revised form within a period of not less than six and not more than eight months

from the day on which it is referred back to them.

Award of Degree

(1) The final result for the Degree shall take into account the merits of

their dissertation, and its oral defence, if this has been required.

(2) 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.

Repeal

The Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy - P.G. Dip. Diplomacy - Course

Regulations, 2005, published as Legal Notice 267 of 2005 shall be deemed to cease

to be in force as from the 31 st December 2005,

provided that students registered for this Course before 1 st January 2006 shall

continue to be governed by the regulations that were in force at the time of their

joining the Course.

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

Ir-Regolamenti tal-2005 tal-Kors għall-Postgraduate Diploma in

Diplomacy - P.G. Dip. Diplomacy - ippubblikati bħala Avviż Legali Nru. 267 ta' l-

2005 għandhom jitqiesu li spiċċaw mill-31 ta’ Diċembru 2005,

iżda l-istudenti rreġistrati għal dan il-Kors qabel l-1 ta’ Jannar 2006 għandhom

ikomplu jkunu regolati mir-regolamenti li kienu jgħoddu fiż-żmien meta bdew il-

Kors.