under the auspices of the Faculty for the Built Environment

B

L.N. 400 of 2010

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2010 in terms of the

Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D. – Degree Regulations, 2008

for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

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 (2) 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

Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D. – Degree Regulations, 2008 for the Degree of Doctor of

Philosophy 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 Degree” means Degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D.; and

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

“the Principal Regulations” means the Doctor of Philosophy – Ph.D. – Degree

Regulations, 2008.

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable from October 2009 onwards.

Requirements for Admission

(1) Applicants for the Degree offered by the Faculty shall be in possession of

one of the following degrees, obtained in the last 10 years prior to registration for the

Course, normally from this University or from a foreign university recognized by this

University

(a) a Bachelor Honours degree in Architecture, Engineering, Planning,

Construction Management, or any other related discipline, comprising at least 240

ECTS credits, obtained with First Class Honours or with Second Class Honours

(Upper Division) in an area of study related to the proposed area of research; in both

cases the degree must include a substantial dissertation or research project to which not

less than 15 ECTS credits are assigned; or

(b) a Master’s degree, in Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Construction

Management, or any other related discipline; or

(c) qualifications which the Board deems comparable to the degrees indicated in

sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (1) of this bye-law.

(2) persons in possession of one of the degrees indicated in paragraph (1) of

this bye-law obtained more than 10 years prior to their application may apply and are

required to produce sufficient proof of their competence to carry out research at the

required level.

(1) Applicants may submit their application form, together with a

comprehensive research proposal outlining the proposed project, including research

sources and a bibliography, at any time of the year.

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

required by the nature of the proposed research.

Faculty Doctoral Committee

(1) The Board shall recommend to Senate the appointment of a Faculty

Doctoral Committee, composed as follows

The Dean of the Faculty (Chairman) or his delegate

3 - 4 members of the Faculty, providing that each member shall be

qualified up to Ph.D. level.

(2) The research proposal shall be subject to the approval of the Board, on the

recommendation of the Faculty Doctoral Committee; any substantial modification in the

title or content must be approved by the Senate, on recommendation of the Board.

Supervision and Students’ Progress

Principal Supervisors shall be required to submit a progress report to the

Board, through the Faculty Doctoral Committee, every June for all students under their

supervision.

Students shall only be allowed to proceed with their studies subject to

satisfactory progress reports from their Principal Supervisor. If the report is negative,

the Board shall make recommendations to Senate concerning the continuation of the

student’s doctoral programme.

(1) After 12 months of full-time study or 24 months of part-time study,

students are required to submit a report on their research work, preferably in the form of

a technical report, for consideration by an ad hoc board appointed by the Board on the

advice of the Faculty Doctoral Committee. The board will give favourable consideration

to work published or accepted for publication in refereed professional journals or

conferences. The ad hoc board shall be composed of a chairman, who shall be the head

of the department concerned or his delegate, and two examiners, one of whom shall be

the Principal Supervisor and the other a member of the Faculty or any other person

qualified in the particular area of research.

(2) The ad hoc board shall examine the student orally and shall submit a

written report for consideration by the Faculty Doctoral Committee in the first instance.

The report shall contain recommendations according to the provisions of the Principal

Regulations.

Students registered at the Faculty may be required to participate in the

Faculty’s research and teaching programmes. They may be required to attend

postgraduate research seminars organized by the Faculty. They may also be required to

deliver presentation/s during the seminars throughout their registration for the Degree.

Thesis Presentation and Format

Students are required to inform the Faculty that they will be submitting their

thesis for examination not less than three months before the submission deadline.

The Board shall recommend to Senate the appointment of the Board of

Examiners in accordance with the Principal Regulations.

Students shall be required to defend their thesis orally. They are expected to

present a synopsis of the thesis of about 20 minutes and then to answer questions posed

by members of the Board of Examiners.

(1) Ph.D. theses shall not normally exceed 60,000 words, exclusive of

appendices, bibliographies and footnotes and shall not exceed 350 pages in total.

(2) The Board shall approve and publish guidelines on the format and

presentation of the thesis for the Degree.

(1) Students shall be required to submit a soft-bound copy of their thesis for

each member of the Board of Examiners, together with a copy in digital format. The

officer in charge of the Faculty shall issue a dated receipt.

(2) Students may publish part of their thesis before submitting it for

examination. Such published work may later be included in the thesis submitted for

examination, provided that a statement to this effect is included.

(3) On successful completion of their studies, students shall be required to

submit to the Faculty three hard bound copies of the thesis and one copy in digital

format within six weeks from the publication of their result. One copy of the thesis shall

be kept in the Library of the department and another at the University Library. Students

who do not comply with this bye-law shall not be awarded the Degree.

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