under the auspices of the European Documentation and Research Centre

L.N. 283 of 2009

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2009 in terms of the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the

Degree of Master of Arts in European Studies

under the auspices of the European Documentation and Research Centre

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5)

and 75 (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 European Documentation and Research Centre in virtue of

the powers conferred upon it by article 81 (1) of the said Act and which

have been approved by the Senate of the University of Malta as required

by article 81 (2) of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2009 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the degree of

Master of Arts in European Studies under the auspices of the European

Documentation and Research Centre.

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

“the Board” means the Board of the European Documentation and Research

Centre;

“the Centre” means the European Documentation and Research Centre;

“the Course” means the programme of study leading to the degree of Master of

Arts in European Studies;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in European Studies;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in European

Studies; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in October

2008 or later.

Requirements for Admission

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the

following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor degree obtained with at least a Second Class Honours in

European Studies or in any other area of studies deemed relevant by the Board or

equivalent; or

(b) a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Category II in European Studies

or in any other area deemed relevant by the Board

provided that in appropriate cases, the Board may, after an interview, require

students admitted to the Course to follow related study-units to which a maximum of

8 credits are assigned in addition to the programme of study specified in bye-law 6.

(2) Applicants in possession of a Bachelor degree with Third Class Honours

or Category III in any area deemed relevant by the Board and who have work

experience that is related to the Course, may, after an interview, be admitted to a

preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 4 of these bye-laws which

programme, if successfully completed, provides access to the Degree.

Preparatory Programme

(1) The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units to which 30

credits are assigned and shall also be governed by the Principal Regulations.

(2) Applicants shall be required to successfully complete the preparatory

programme of study with an average mark of 55% or better prior to their registration

on the Course.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over three semesters of full-time study or the

equivalent in part-time study.

Programme of Study

(1) The Course shall comprise study-units to which a total of 90 credits

shall be assigned, of which 60 credits are assigned to taught study-units and 30

credits are assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

(2) Students who obtain the 60 credits assigned to the taught study-units

with an average mark of at least 50% but who do not proceed with the Course, or do

not successfully complete the dissertation, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Diploma.

The programme of study shall be published by the Board after approval by

Senate normally not less than eight months prior to the commencement of the

Course.

Assessment and Progress

(1) The assessment of each taught study-unit shall be completed by the

end of the semester in which the teaching of the study-unit is held.

(2) Students who in any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than

20 credits for taught study-units, if following the Course full-time, or not more than

10 credits if following the Course part-time, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit

the failed assessments during the September supplementary examination session.

(3) Students who fail in more than the number of credits permitted under

paragraph (2) of this bye-law or students who after re-assessment fail to obtain the

credits for any study-units, shall be deemed to have failed the Course.

Dissertation

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of

between 20,000 and 25,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the

Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the third semester

of the Course. Each student shall be assigned a supervisor by the Board who shall

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

(3) A provisional title for the dissertation and a detailed research proposal

shall be submitted to the Board for approval by the beginning of the second

semester.

(1) Students shall be required to have regular contact with their

supervisor.

(2) Supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports for each

student under their supervision at the end of each semester, whether the student is

following the Course full-time or part-time. Such reports may include a

recommendation to either (a) extend the period of study in order to enable the

student to complete the dissertation; or (b) a premature termination of studies if the

supervisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances, provided that

(i) the extension of the study period referred to in (a) shall be in accordance

with the provisions of the Principal Regulations; and

(ii) the Board may not recommend to Senate the premature termination of

studies according to (b) until it has first given the student the right to be heard.

Classification of Awards

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the classification of

the Postgraduate Diploma and the Degree shall be based on the results obtained in

all the components of the programme of study, all credits being weighted equally.

Special Provisions for Part-Time Courses

The provisions of the foregoing bye-laws shall apply mutatis mutandis to

courses followed on a part-time basis, and subject to such changes as may

reasonably be deemed by the Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the

Course.

Repeal

The Regulations of 1998 for the Degree of Master of Arts in European

Studies, published as Legal Notice 54 of 1998, shall be deemed to cease to be in

force as from 1 st October 2008, provided that students registered for this course

before 1 st October 2008 shall continue to be governed by the regulations that were in

force at the time of their joining the course.

€0.37