of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology

L.t . 73 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 Information and

Communication Technology - M.Se. ICT - 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 bye-laws made by

the Board of the raculty of Information and Communication

Technology in vinue of the powers conferred upon it by section 81 (I)

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

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

Citation and Interpretation

I. (I) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of2009 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the degree 01'

Master 01' Science in Information and Communication Technology - M.Se. ICT -

under the auspices of the raculty 01' Information and Communication Tcchnology.

(2) [n these bye-laws. unless the context othcrwise requires-

.. the 80ard" means the

Roard

of the

Faculty

of lnlormation

Communication Technology

··the Coursc" means thc prugrammc of study leading to thc degree of ~Iastcr of

Scicnec in InllH"mation and C"'l1ll1un;eation Tcchnology - M.Sc. ICT;

"the Dcgree" means thc degree of "'laster of Seicnce in Inllml1ation and

Communication Technology - \ I.Sc. leT

"the I'ostgraduate Dip!om,," mean, the I'llstgraduatc D;ploma in Inlonl1ation

and C'lil1ll1unieat;on lcchnolog\: and

··the Principal Regulations" means the Gencral Rcgulations Il)r Uniyersity

Postgraduate ..\\\ards. 200S.

B

Applicability

(I) Dawn I-ordinamenti jistghu jissejhu bhala I-Ordinamenti ta' 1-2009

skond ir-Regolamenti Generali ta' 1-2008 ghar-Rikonoxximcnti Unive'rsitarji ta'

wara I-Ewwel Grad ghall-grad ta' Master of Science in Information and

Communication Technology - M.Sc. ICT - taht il-patrocinju tal-Fakulta ta' 1-

Information and Communication Technology.

(2) F'dawn I-ordinamenti, kemm-il darba r-rabta tal-kliem ma tehtiegx

mod iehor-

"il-Bord" tfisser il-Bord tal-Fakulta ta' I-Information and Communication

Technology;

"ii-Grad" tfisser ii-grad ta' Master of Science

Information

and

Communication Technology - M.Sc. ICT;

"il-Kors" tfisser il-programm ta' studju Ii jwassal ghall-grad ta' Master of

Science in Information and Communication Technology - M.Sc. ICT;

"iI-Postgraduate Diploma" tfisser iI-Postgraduate Diploma in Information and

Communication Technology; u

B

"ir-Regolamenti Principali" tfisser ir-Regolamenti Generali ta 1-2008 ghar-

Rikonoxximenti Universitarji taO wara I-Evvv'el Grad.

L-Applikabilitit

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

2008 or later.

Areas of Study

The Course shall be offered in any area of study that falls within the

academic responsibility of the Board, after approval by Senate.

Requirements for Admission

Subject to the conditions laid down in bye-law 5, the Course shall be open

to applicants in possession of one of the following qualifications

(a) the degree of Bachelor of Science (IJonours) in Information and

Communication Technology; or

(b)

the degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

(Honours); or

(c) the dcgree of Bachclor of Science (Honours) in two areas of

study, one of which is an area rclated to ICT; or

(d)

the degree of Bachelor of Engineering

(Honours) in a suitable

area ofsludy; or

(e) the degrec of Bachclor of Science 111 two arcas of study. one of

which is an area related to ICT; or

a dcgrcc with a strong lCT component comparable 10 the degrees

(I)

listed in (a) and (c).

Preparalory Programme

(I) ,\pplicants registering under paragraphs (c) and (I) of bye-law -l shall

be required to complete a preparatory programme comprising not less than 30

credits and nN more than 60 credits as din:etcd b,' the Hoard. obtained with an

,n'crage mark of 55°'0 or belter. prior to thcir registration as regular studcnts on the

Ctlurse.

(2) Preparator\, programmcs or study shall also be gO"crncd by the

Principal Regulations.

Coursc Duration

6, The Course shall extend over lour scmcstcrs of full-time study or thc

equivalent in part-time study,

I'ro"ramme

of Study

b

_

7, Thc programme ai' study shall comprise study-units to which a total of

120 credits shall be assigned,

8, The programmc of study shall comprise taught study-units to which a

total of 60 crcdits are assigncd and a dissertation study-unit to which (,0 credits are

assigned.

9, Stude11ls who obtain the 60 crcdits for the taught study-units with an

average mark ai' at least 50% and do not proeecd with the Coursc, or having

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

award of the Postgraduatc Diploma,

10, The programmc of study shall be published after approval by Senate,

normally not less than eight months prior to the commenecment of the Course,

Assessmcnt and Progrcss

II, (1) The assessment 01' each taught study-unit shall be completed by thc

cnd of the semester in which the teaching of the study-unit is held,

(2) Students who in any academic year lilil in the assessmcnt of not

more than 20 credits, if 1(,IIowing the Course full-time, or not more than 10 credits if

1(11Io,,'ing the Course part-time, shall be given the opportunity to IT-sit the (ililed

assessments during the September sLlpplclllellt~lry c\:~II11itlalion session.

(3) Students who lOril in nwre Ihan the number of credits permitted

under paragraph (2) ol'this Iwe-LI'" or studcnts ,,'ho alkr rC-'lsscssment L1il to obtain

the credits lor al1\ stuch-unir. shall be deemed to ha,'e I,tiled the Course,

12, Students shall be allo"ed to proceed to the disscrl<ition study-unit

sllb,iL'ct to obtaining thl' 60 credits assiglll'd lu the taught study-units with a

minimum a\\~ragc mark or 55~;;).

Dissertation

13, (I) Students shall be required tll submit an inui,idual dissert'ltion of

appro\irll<1tcl,' -to,()()() ,,'orels ill accl1rd<1ncc \lith the guidelincs issucd by the Ilonrcl,

G

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

fourth semesters of the Course. Each student shall be assigned a supen'isor \\"ho

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

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

proposal shall be submitted to thc Board for approval not later than six weeks bclore

the end 0 I' the second semester.

II-Kors gtlandu jinfirex fuq crba' semcslri ta' sludju fuq bazijitll-lime jew

I-ckwivalcnli fi studju fuq bazi pari-lime.

II-P,'ogramlll ta' Studju

II-programm la' studju ghandu jikkonsisli mlnn taqsimict studju Ii

ghalihom hemm asscnjali tOlalla' 120 krcdtu.

II-programm ta' studju ghandu jikkonsisti minn taqsimict studju mghallma

Ii ghalihom hcmm assenjati Iota I ta' 60 kr~dlu u taqsima sludju tad-disscrtazzjoni Ii

ghaliha hcmm asscnjati 60 kredtu.

L-istudcnli Ii jiksbu s-60 krcdtu ghal-taqsimict studju mghallma b'marka

mcdja ta' mill-anqas 50% u ma jkomplux il-Kors, jew wara Ii komplc\\' ma jkunux

spiccaw id-dissertazzjoni b'succcss, jkunu cligibbli gllall-ghoti tal-['ostgraduatc

Diploma.

lI-programm ta' studju ghandu jkun ippubblikat wara I-approvazzjoni

las-Sena!. normalmcnt mhux anqas minn tmicn xhur qabcl i I-hidu lal-Kors.

II-Valutazzjoni u I-Progress

(I) II-valutaz~joni la' kull taqsima sludju mghallma ghandha tkun

komplula sa I-ahhar tas-scmCSlru Ii lih ikun sal' il-laghlim tat-taqsima studju.

(2) Da\\'k I-islucknti Ii rxi scna akkadcmika jchlu til-\'alutazzjoni ta'

mhux aktar minn 20 krcdlu, jckk ikunu qcghdin iSCg\\'l1 I-Kors jllll-lillle jcw mhux

aktar minn 10 kredti jekk ikunu qcghdin iscg\\'ll I-Kors porl-lilllc, jinghata\\' 1-

Oppllrlunitil Ii joqoghdu ghall-\'~llulazzjoni mill-gdid lil-laqsimicl studju Ii \\chlu

minnhom lis-scssjoni ta' I-czamijicl supplimcntari ta' SCllcmbru.

(3) I.-isludcnli Ii jchlu raktar mill-ghadd la' kredti pcrmcss skond il-

par:lgrafu (2) la' dan l-ordin~lIl1Cnl jC\\' I-istudcnti Ii \\-afa valutanjoni mill-gdid ma

jiksbux il-kredli ghal xi laqsima sludju, jkunu meqjusa Ii \\'chlu mill-Kors,

L-istudcnli jilhallc\\ ikomplu ghal-laqsima sludju lad-dissertazzjoni

suggc:ll Ii jiksbu s-60 krcdti assenjali ghat-taqsimicl studju mghallma b'marka mcdja

.

.

.

--0

) ) /0.

1llJJ1IJl1a W

I d-Disscrlazzjoni

(1) I,-isludenli huma mchlicga jipprezcnta\\· disscrlazzjoni indi\'id\\'ali

la' mathar -10,000 kelma skond il-linji gwida mahrugin mill-13ord.

B

(2) Ix-xoghol fuq id-dissertazzjoni ghandju jsir matul il-tielet u r-raba'

semcstri tal-Kors, Kull studcnt ikun assenjal supervizur ii ghandu jipprovdi gwida u

pariri fuq bazi regolari waqt il-perijodu la' studju,

(3) It-tillu provvizorju tad-dissertazzjoni u I-proposla ta' rieerka

deltaljata ghandhom ikunu mressqa gt1all-approvazzjoni tal-Bord mhux izjed tard

minn sitl gimghat qabel it-tmiem lat-lieni semeslru.

i4. (i) II-Bord ghandu jahlar Panil ta' Supervizjoni ghal kull student,

normalment maghmul minn tlict mcmbri kif gej: il-kap tad-dipartimcnt jew id-

delegat tieghu jew taghha bhala Chairman, u zcwg membri ohra, Ii wichcd minnhom

ikun is-supervizur lar-rieerka, sakemm Ii mela I-kap tad-dipartimenl ikun is-

supervizur, huwajew hija ma tkunx ie-chair tai-Pani!.

(2) II-Panils ta' Supcrvizjoni gliandhom isegwu, skond kif jidhrilhom

xreraq, il-progrcss ta' I-isludenti matul il-Kors, sakemm Ii jiltaqgtm ghall-anqas

darbtejn fis-scna biex jirrcveclu I-progress.

(3) L-isludcnti huma mchtiega .I iltaqghu mas-supervizuri tagh hom mill-

anqas c1arba kull xahrejn, u barra minn hekk aktar spiss jekk is-supervizur jidhiriu Ii

mehtieg.

(4) Fi-ahhar ta' kull semeSlru ta' studji s-supervizuri huma mchtiega Ii

jaghtu lill-Panils ta' Supervizjoni rapporti c1war I-istuclenti taht is-supervizjoni

taghhom. L-istudenti ghandhom jitolbu I-approvazzjoni tal-Panil ta' Supervizjoni

ghal xi tibdil soslanzjali fit-lillu jcw fii-kontenul lad-dissertazzjoni. Id-disscrlazzjoni

m'ghandhiex normalment tkun sotlomessa ghall-ezami minghajr I-<ipprovazzjoni

las-supervizur.

(5) II-Panils la' Sllpervizjoni ghandhom pCljoclikamentjinformaw iill-

Bord, bil-ll1iktub, e1war ii-progress gcnerali la' klill student. Dawn iI-pariri jiSlghu

jinkluelu rakkomanelazzjoni Ii jew (a) jitlawwal il-perijoelu ta' sluelju biex I-isluelcnt

ikun jisw' jlCIl1111 iel-e1issertazzjoni: jcw (b) jinlem11111 I-isludji qabcl il-waql jckk is-

supervizur jielhirlu Ii dan hllwa "icraq Ile-eirkostanzi, sakemm Ii

(i) I-cslensjoni tal-perijoelll taO studju 111scIl1mija I'(a) lkun skonel il-

provvcelimcnti lar-Rcgola111enti Principali; u

(ii) il-Bord 111a jisla.\ itcmll1 I-istuelji qabel il-lVaqt skonel (b) jckk qabcl 111a

jkunx la opportunil,i lill-istlldcnl Ii jieldefcndi I-kaz lieghu.

II-Klassifikazzjon i tal'-Rikonoxxi menti

(I) The Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for caeh student,

normally composed of three members as tollo\\"s: the hcad of department, or his or

her delegate as Chairman, and two other members. onc of whom being the research

supervisor, provided that when the head of dcpartment is the supervisor. he or she

shall not chair the Panel.

(2) Pands of Supervision shall lollo\\", as they deem fit. the progress

of students throughout the Coursc. proyided that they meet at least twice a year to

review such progress.

(3) Students shall be required to report to their supervisors at least

onec cvery two months, and in addition as often as the supervisor deems necessary.

(4) At the end of each semester of studies supervisors shall be

required to submit to the Panels of Supervision reports regarding the students under

their supervision. Students shall seck approval li'om the Panel of Supervision for any

substantial modification in the titlc or content of the dissertation. The dissertation

may not normally be submittcd lor examination without the approval of the

supervIsor.

(5) Panels of Supcryision shall periodically inlonn the Board, in

\\Titing. on the gencral performancc of each studcnt. Such advice may include a

recommcndation to either (a) extcnd the pcriod of study in ordcr to cnablc the

student to complcte the dissertation: or (b) tcrminate studies prematurely if the

supcrvisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances. pro\'idcd that

(i)

the extension of thc study period reICrred to in (a) shall be In

aeeordanec \\ ith the provisions of the Principal Regulations: and

(ii)

the Hoard ma\ not tcrminate studies prcmaturelv according to

(b) until it h'lS lirst gi\'en the student a chance to bc heard.

Classification of the ,\lI'ards

I 5. Thc Fi nal \\ 'eighted ..\ luage \ lark for the purpose of the classi tication

of the Postgraduate Diploma and of the Degrce shall be based on the results obtaincd

in all the components of the programme of stlld~. all credits being \\'cighled equally.

B

10-12

Special Provisions for Part-Time Courses

II-Marla Media Finali Mwieina ghall-iskop tal-klassilikanjoni tal-

Postgraduatc Diploma II tal-CJrad ghanelha lkun ibbaiata fuq ir-rizultati ll1iksuba M-

kOll1poncnti kollha tal-program111 la' slueljll. bil-k:'cchi kollhajinghataw piz inelaqs.

B

II-Provvedimcnti Specjali grlall-Korsijict fuq Bazi Part-Time

The provisions of the foregoing bye-laws shall apply mu/a/is lI1u/andis

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.

Ippubblikal mi~.Dipartimel1t lal.I.~rorm:lzzjoni (doi.go\.ml)

Published by lite IJepartmefll ollnfanna/ion (doi.gol'JIIl) - \'alleUa

Valletta

Mltbugh f1.ISlampcnJ3 lal·G'"crn fuq kart., ric.'iktala - 1'rin/ctl at Ille GOl'unl1lcnl I'rinling ('ress on rJ!C)y:ledpafHr .

PrezzlPrice

€OA7