Health Medicine under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

B

L.N. 8 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 in Public

Health Medicine 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 2010 in terms of the

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

Master of Science in Public Health Medicine 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 Public Health Medicine;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Science in Public Health

Medicine;

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health

Medicine; 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.

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Requirements for Admission

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery; or

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

(c) the degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) with at least Second Class

(Honours); or

(d) at least a Second Class (Honours) degree in a discipline related to health

science; or

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

be equivalent to the qualifications listed in paragraphs (a) to (d).

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

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

credits assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

(2) Students who obtain 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 the Postgraduate Diploma.

(3) 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

(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, 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

study-units during the September supplementary examination session.

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

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

credit for any study-unit, shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

Dissertation

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

approximately 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. Any

substantial modification in the title or content must be approved by the Board.

(3) A provisional title of 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 of studies, whether the student is

following the Course on a full-time or a part-time basis. 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) 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.

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.

MScPublicHlth-BL-2009