under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

VER|JONI ELETTRONIKA

L.N. 306 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 Science in Biomedical Sciences

under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

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

Faculty of Medicine and Surgery 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 Science in Biomedical Sciences under the auspices of the Faculty of

Medicine and Surgery.

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery;

"the Course" means the programme of study leading to the degree of Master of

Science in Biomedical Sciences;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Biomedical

Sciences; 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

2009 or later.

Areas of Study

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The Course shall be offered in any one of the following areas of study

Blood Transfusion Science, Haematology, Molecular Biology and Genetics,

Microbiology, and Neuroscience, or in any other area of study which the Board

deems to be relevant, after approval by Senate.

The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of applicants that may

be allowed to register for each area of study offered in the Course, depending on the

availability of resources. The number of available places shall be announced at the

time of the call for applications.

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

applicants shall be selected after an interview by an interviewing board appointed by

the Board and which shall be composed of at least three members. The interviewing

board shall take into consideration the following criteria as indicated below

(a) degree type and class/category;

(b) experience in the area of the proposed study; and

(c) performance during the interview.

Requirements for Admission

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

(a) a degree in Medicine and Surgery; or

(b) the degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery; or

(c) any other degree in an area of study which the Board deems to be

relevant, with at least Second Class Honours, including the degrees of Bachelor of

Science of the Faculty of Science or the Institute of Health Care, the degree of

Bachelor of Pharmacy; the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Midwifery;

and the degree of Bachelor of Psychology.

(2) The Board may provide for the admission of applicants, who are in

possession of a degree, and do not satisfy the entry requirements as laid down in

paragraph (1) of this bye-law, provided that they have other qualifications and

relevant experience, and successfully complete a preparatory programme as

specified in bye-law 7.

Preparatory Programme

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

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

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

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

registration in the Course.

Course Duration

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

equivalent in part-time studies.

Programme of Study

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to which a total of 90

credits shall be assigned.

The programme of study for any area of study offered in the Course may

be either mainly taught or mainly by research.

(1) Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise taught study-units

to which a total of 60 credits are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 30

credits are assigned.

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

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

proceeded, do not successfully complete the dissertation, shall be eligible for the

award of a Postgraduate Diploma.

Mainly research programmes of study shall comprise taught study-units to

which a maximum of 30 credits are assigned and research study-units to which 60

credits or more are assigned.

The programmes of study shall be published 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) Study-units shall be examined by a Board of Examiners composed of

three academic members, including the co-ordinator of the study-unit.

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

than 20 credits, if following the full-time Course, or not more than 10 credits, if

following the part-time Course, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed

assessment during the September supplementary examination session.

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

paragraph (3) of this bye-law, or students who after re-assessment fail to obtain

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

Dissertations

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, students shall be required to

submit a dissertation in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) Each student shall be assigned a supervisor 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) In programmes of study mainly by research, students shall be

required to submit a dissertation in accordance with the guidelines issued by the

Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken after approval of the

proposal. Each student shall be assigned a supervisor who shall provide guidance

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

(1) In all cases, students shall be required to have regular contact with

their supervisor.

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

time student under their supervision at the end of each semester of studies, or at the

end of the academic year, if the student follows the Course on a part-time basis.

Such reports may include recommendations to either (a) extend the period of study

in order to enable the student to complete the dissertation; or (b) terminate studies

prematurely 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 terminate studies prematurely according to (b) until

it has first given the student a chance to be heard.

Classification of the Awards

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Postgraduate Diploma and of the Degree shall be based on the

results obtained in all the components of the programme of study, all credits being

weighted equally.

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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.

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