under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built Environment

B

L.N. 350 of 2010

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2010 in terms of the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the Degree of Master of Science - M.Sc. –

under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built Environment

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 for the Built Environment 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 2010 in terms of the

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

Master of Science - M.Sc. - under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built

Environment.

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty for the Built Environment;

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

Science – M.Sc.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Science – M.Sc.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in

February 2010 or later.

B

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

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

following qualifications

(a) a first cycle second class honours degree, or higher, in a discipline related

to Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Construction and any other area as

deemed relevant by the Board, with a minimum of 240 credits, obtained in the 10

years previous to registration for the Course; or

(b) a qualification deemed by Senate, on the recommendation of the Board,

to be equivalent to the qualifications listed in sub-paragraph (a).

(2) Applicants may be asked to demonstrate competence in those skills

required by the nature of the proposed research via an extended interview and the

submission of appropriate documentation, provided that where deficiencies are

identified applicants shall be required to take specific study-units intended to

compensate for the deficit.

(3) Applicants whose first degree was obtained more than 10 years

previous to their application for the Course may also be admitted, provided that they

provide sufficient proof of their competence to follow the Course with profit. The

Board may, at its discretion, require such applicants to follow a preparatory

programme as specified in bye-law 5.

Preparatory Programme

(1) Applicants may be required to complete a preparatory programme,

comprising not less than 30 and not more than 60 credits as directed by the Board,

depending on the number of credits already obtained in their course of study, with an

overall average mark of 55% or better, prior to their registration as regular students

on the Course.

(2) Preparatory programmes of study shall also be governed by the Principal

Regulations.

Course Duration

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

equivalent in part-time studies.

B

Programme of Study

The programme of study shall consist of study-units to which a total of

90 credits shall be assigned. The programme shall comprise a taught study-unit to

which 5 credits are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 85 credits are

assigned.

The programme 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

The assessment of the taught study-unit shall be held by the end of the

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

Dissertation

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

approximately 45,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken at any time during

the Course after approval of the research proposal. Each student shall be assigned a

supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the

period of study.

(3) The provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed research

proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval at the time of application.

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

normally composed of three members as follows: Head of Department as Chairman,

or his or her delegate, and two other members, one of whom being the research

supervisor, provided that when the Head of Department is the supervisor, he or she

shall not chair the Panel.

(2) The Panel of Supervision shall follow, as it deems fit, the

progress of students through the Course, provided that it meets at least twice a year

to review such progress.

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

once every 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 Panel of Supervision reports for the students under their

supervision. Students shall seek approval from the Panel for any substantial

modification in the title or content of the dissertation. The dissertation may not

normally be submitted for examination without the approval of the supervisor.

B

(5) The Panel of Supervision shall periodically inform the Board, in

writing, on the general performance of each student. Such advice 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 Award

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the classification

of 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.

€0.37