under the auspices of the Faculty of Information and Communication

L.N. 119 of 2008

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

European Master of Science in Human Language Science and Technology –

M.Sc. (HLST) – Degree Course Regulations, 2008

under the auspices of the Faculty of Information and Communication

Technology

IN exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 74 (5)

and 75 (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 75 and 79 of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These regulations may be cited as the European Master of Science in

Human Language Science and Technology – M.Sc. (HLST) – Degree Course

Regulations, 2008.

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

“the Board” means the Board of Studies, which should include a member of

each Partner University, appointed by Senate, on the recommendation of the Board,

responsible for the academic administration and organisation of the Course;

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

Science in Human Language Science and Technology - M.Sc. (HLST);

“the Degree” means the Degree of Master of Science in Human Language

Science and Technology - M.Sc. (HLST);

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Information and Communication

Technology;

“the Partner Universities” means the following institutions

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

University of Nancy 2, France

Institute of Formal and Applied Linguistics, Charles University, Prague,

Czech Republic

Centre for Language and Cognition Groningen, University of Groningen,

The Netherlands

Saarland University, Germany (Coordinating University)

University of Malta, Malta;

“the University” means the University of Malta.

(3) This Degree is a European Master degree of this University and this

shall be taken to mean that the Course is taught at the University in collaboration

with a Partner University within the framework of a double degree programme.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses starting in October 2007 or later.

Qualifications for Admission

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of a first cycle

degree in an area of study which the Board considers as appropriate, provided that

the first cycle degree is obtained with a second class honours or better classification,

or an equivalent classification.

(2) Applicants are required to demonstrate that their standard of English

is satisfactory. The offer of a place on the Course may be made subject to the

applicants obtaining such proficiency qualifications prior to the commencement of

their studies.

Course Duration

(1) The Course shall extend over a period of twenty-four calendar months

of full-time study.

(2) The Board may allow students to extend their studies by not more

than six months.

Registration for the Course

Applicants wishing to register for the Course shall apply on the prescribed

form within the time specified by the Office of the Registrar. They must indicate

one of the Partner Universities at which they wish to undertake studies, besides the

University.

Course Structure

(1) The programme of studies shall consist of study-units to which a

total of 120 ECTS credits shall be assigned, comprising taught study-units assigned

90 ECTS credits and the writing of a dissertation to which 30 ECTS credits are

assigned.

(2) The Board, in agreement with the Partner Universities, shall draw up

a programme of studies for the Course which shall include all the study-units, 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 programme shall also include guidelines on the production of the dissertation

and its assessment. The Board shall publish the programme of studies for the

Course prior to its commencement, following the approval of Senate.

(3) Students shall be required to spend one year of study at the

University and another year at the chosen Partner University. Work on the

dissertation shall be carried out at the university where the student is following the

second year of studies, under the supervision of an academic appointed by the

Board.

Progress and Assessment

(1) 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

(2) Students who fail in any taught study-unit shall be allowed a

supplementary assessment once only. A supplementary assessment of a study-unit

shall be held at the next scheduled examination session (May or September) as the

case may be. In supplementary assessments, the maximum mark and grade that may

be awarded shall be 45% – grade D. If unsuccessful, students shall be required to

withdraw from the Course.

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

have already been awarded credit for it.

The Dissertation

(1) When the dissertation is to be undertaken at the University,

applicants must provide a provisional title for the dissertation, a 300-word research

proposal and a supporting statement by a member of the Department who has agreed

to supervise the work within the first 12 months of the Course, as directed by the

Board.

(2) Work for the dissertation shall be undertaken during the second year

of the Course. Each student shall be assigned a Principal Supervisor who shall

provide guidance and advice on a continuous basis during the period of study. An

adviser may also be appointed.

(3) The dissertation may not normally be submitted to a Board of

Examiners without the approval of the Principal Supervisor.

(1) Dissertations presented for the Degree shall

(a) be work of an advanced or original nature in the student’s approved area

of study;

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

(c) consist of 15,000 - 20,000 words and fulfill other requirements related to

format and presentation as stipulated in the relevant guidelines.

(2) 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 fuller

understanding of their exposition, provided that the nature and extent of such

incorporation are clearly indicated in the dissertation itself.

(3) Students shall seek approval from the Board of Studies for any

substantial modification in the title or content of the dissertation.

(4) Students shall present three bound copies of the dissertation to the

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

the library of the Partner University.

Supervision

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

student who undertakes the research dissertation at the University. The Panel shall

consist of three members as follows: the chairman of the Board of Studies as

chairman of the Panel, and two other members, one of whom being the Principal

Supervisor of the dissertation, provided that when the chairman is the Principal

Supervisor he shall not chair the Panel.

(2) The Panel of Supervision shall follow the progress of students as it

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

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

the Panel of Supervision.

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

writing, on the performance of a student; such advice may recommend either (a) an

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

dissertation; or (b) a premature termination of studies if the Panel deems this to be

proper in the circumstances; provided that the extension of the study period referred

to in (a) shall be according to paragraph (2) of regulation 4.

Examination of the Study-Units and the Dissertation

(1) Senate shall appoint a Board of Examiners for each study-unit

undertaken at the University, in accordance with the provisions of the University

Examination Regulations.

(2) For the examination of the dissertation, the Board of Examiners

shall be composed of at least four members, including an external examiner who

shall be appointed from an institution other than this University or the Partner

Universities. The Board of Examiners may include examiners from the Partner

Universities.

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

to defend the dissertation orally before them, provided that the external examiner

need not be present at the oral defence.

(4) Students whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may either fail

or be required by the Board of Examiners for the dissertation to rewrite the

document in whole or in part and to re-submit it for examination. Students may re-

submit the dissertation not earlier than two months and not later than six months

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

Award of the Degree

(1) Students shall be eligible for the award of the Degree if they obtain

the 120 credits associated with the study-units comprising the programme of studies,

as indicated in regulation 6.

(2) The Board shall compute the global final result taking into account

all components of the Course and shall also establish the Degree classification.

(3) 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 with Merit

Passed.

Testimonial of the Award

The testimonial given by the University shall include a statement to

indicate that the Partner University has separately awarded a degree for successful

completion of the same Course.

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