Master of Dental Surgery - M.D.S. - Degree Course Regulations, 2014

L.N. 101 of 2014

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Master of Dental Surgery - M.D.S. - Degree Course Regulations, 2014

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 regulations made by the Senate of the University of

Malta by virtue of the powers conferred upon it by sections 75(3) and 79(b) of the

said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These regulations may be cited as the Master of Dental Surgery -

M.D.S. - Degree Course Regulations, 2014.

(2)

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery;

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

of Dental Surgery - M.D.S.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Dental Surgery - M.D.S.; and

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Dental Surgery.

Applicability

These regulations shall be applicable for courses commencing in October

2013 or later.

Eligibility for Degree

To be eligible for the award of the Degree, students must

(a) be registered as regular students in the Course in terms of the Admission

Regulations of the University;

(b) satisfy the Special Course Requirements in accordance with regulation

(c) complete the programme of study, qualify in the examinations and satisfy

any other requirements as prescribed in these regulations; and

(d) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other relevant statutes,

regulations and bye-laws of the University.

Admission and Special Course Requirements

(1) Senate, on the advice of the Board, may limit the number of

students that may be admitted to the Course. In such circumstances, Senate shall

make regulations for the selection of applicants for admission.

(2) To apply for admission to the Course applicants must, besides

satisfying the requirements for admission as regular students in terms of the Admission

Regulations, satisfy the following Special Course Requirements

(a) passes in the Matriculation Examination at Advanced Level at Grade C

or better in Biology and Chemistry; and

(b) a pass in the Matriculation Examination at Intermediate Level at Grade C

or better in Physics,

provided that all passes in these Special Course Requirements have been obtained

together in one session of examinations (i.e. one sitting) and are from recognized

examining boards from the same country.

(3) For the purpose of paragraph (2) of this regulation, a pass obtained

in a session of examinations which is held after the results of a previous session

were published shall be deemed to be a pass obtained in a session that is distinct

from the previous one. This regulation shall also apply to the second session of the

Matriculation Examination offered by the MATSEC Board of the University of

Malta according to the provisions of the Matriculation Examination Regulations and

this notwithstanding any other regulation governing the award of the Matriculation

Certificate.

(4) For courses commencing in October 2014 or later, prior to enrolling

for the Course, accepted applicants are also required to undergo an occupational health

assessment as detailed in the Occupational Health Protocol approved by the Board,

so as to ascertain that they are fit for the duties related to their proposed studies.

Students who do not fulfil this requirement shall be barred from attending the clinical

placements.

Course Duration

(1) The Course shall extend over a period of five years and shall be

divided into two parts: the Pre-Clinical Part, of two years’ duration, that is, Years 1

and 2, and the Clinical Part, of three years’ duration, that is, Years 3, 4 and 5.

(2) Except with the permission of the Board, students must follow the

Course without suspension or repetition. The Board may allow students to suspend

or to repeat a year once in each of the two parts of the Course.

(3) The Board may allow students an additional year of study in the

final year only, if eligible in terms of these regulations.

Programme of Study

The Board shall publish the programme of study, comprising all the study-

units taught in each year of the Course, their syllabus and method of assessment

following the approval of Senate, normally not less than eight months prior to the

commencement of the Course. Subject to the approval of Senate, the Board may

make any necessary changes to the programme of study as required.

(1) The programme of study for each year of the Course shall comprise

study-units to which 60 ECTS credits are assigned and may include practical,

laboratory and clinical placements as detailed in the description for each study-unit

on offer during the year.

(2) Practical, laboratory and clinical placements shall be carried out

throughout the Course, including during the periods when the University is in recess

and may take place in the teaching clinics of the Faculty and/or in community or

hospital settings as indicated by the Board before each placement.

Mark Scheme for the Course

(1) During the Course, the result of each study-unit shall be published

according to the following marks and grades in descending order of merit

Mark Range

Grade

95% - 100%

A+

80% - 94%

A

75% - 79%

B+

70% - 74%

B

65% - 69%

C+

55% - 64%

C

50% - 54%

D+

45% - 49%

D

0% - 44%

F

(2) Students who fail in a study-unit declared to be compensatable in

the programme of study with a mark of not less than 35% shall be awarded the grade

CP (Compensated Pass) if their Year Average Mark is at least 50%. Study-units passed

by compensation shall not be re-assessed.

(3) In any academic year, students may not be awarded more than 8

ECTS credits through compensated passes.

Assessment and Progression in the Course

(1) The method of assessment for each study-unit shall be indicated in

the study-unit description and published in the catalogue of study-units. The result

of each study-unit shall take into account all components of the assessment of that

study-unit.

(2) In any academic year, students who fail study-units to which not

more than 16 ECTS credits are assigned, or two study-units which between them are

assigned not more than 20 ECTS credits, and who are not eligible to a compensated

pass, shall be allowed a supplementary assessment in September of the same year.

(3) Students who after the supplementary session fail in study-units to

which 10 or less ECTS credits are assigned, after academic counselling by the Dean

and/or the Head of Department concerned, may be given the option by the Board, to

either

(a) refer the failed study-unit/s to the following year to be done over and

above the study-units indicated for that year; or

(b) repeat the year, if eligible in terms of these regulations; or

(c) refer the failed study-unit/s to an additional year of study, if the student is

in Year 5 of the Course and if eligible in terms of these regulations.

(4) Students referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (3) of this

regulation who take up the option to refer failed study-units to the following year

of the Course shall be considered to have progressed conditionally and shall not be

allowed to continue with the Course if, after the supplementary session of that year,

they fail again to obtain a pass in the referred study-unit/s.

(5) Study-units which students may be allowed to refer to the following

year will be indicated in the programme of study.

(6) If a student is prevented for a reason considered valid by Senate

from being assessed in referred study-units, the student shall be required to complete

the previous year’s requirements in an additional year of study, if eligible in terms of

these regulations. Under no circumstances shall a student be allowed to progress to

the following year if the requirements of the year previous to the current one have not

been satisfied.

(7) Nothwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3) of regulation 9,

in the case of assessments that can only be held once during an academic year and

hence no supplementary session is possible, students who fail these assessments or

are prevented for a reason considered valid by Senate from being assessed in these

study-units shall be allowed to proceed to the following year of the Course, provided

that they pass such assessments in that year, or in an additional year of study, if

eligible in terms of these regulations.

(8) Students who after the supplementary session fail in study-units

to which more than 10 ECTS credits are assigned shall not be allowed to proceed to

the following year of the Course, but shall be required to repeat the year if eligible in

terms of these regulations.

(9) In a repeat year, students are required to follow and be assessed

in all study-units of the programme of study for the year, even those they may have

previously passed. Any mark/grade may be obtained in the repeat year and will

replace the marks/grades obtained in the preceding year.

(10) The maximum mark/grade that may be awarded in a referred study-

unit, irrespective of whether the subject is assessed in a normal or a supplementary

session of examinations, is 45%, grade D.

Attendance

(1) Unless otherwise specified in the description of a study-unit,

attendance for lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical, laboratory and clinical

placements, and any other teaching session in whatever mode is obligatory. Following

consultation with the Head of Department, lecturers may bar a student whose

attendance in a study-unit is not satisfactory from being assessed in that study-unit.

(2) Before being allowed to sit for any of the assessments specified in

the programme of study, students must present to the Dean a certificate, signed by the

heads of department concerned, showing that they have completed satisfactorily the

schedule of clinical placements prescribed for the year.

(3) Students shall not be allowed to re-sit any study-unit unless they

have satisfactorily followed such courses of studies and/or practical and/or clinical

work as the Board may in each case determine.

Classification of the Award

(1) The classification of the Degree shall be determined by the Degree

Classification Board composed of the Dean as Chairman, the Heads of Department

and the course coordinators involved in the teaching of the programme.

(2) The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the

Degree shall be based on the results obtained during the five years of the Course,

which shall be weighted as follows

First Year Weighted Average Mark

10%

Second Year Weighted Average Mark

10%

Third Year Weighted Average Mark

15%

Fourth Year Weighted Average Mark

25%

Fifth Year Weighted Average Mark

40%.

(3) The Degree Classification Board shall consult the following

guidelines when deciding upon the final classification of the Degree

Final Weighted Average Mark

Classification

80 – 100%

Pass with Distinction

70 – 79%

Pass with Merit

45 – 69%

Pass.

(4) The Degree Classification Board, at its own discretion, may award

the Degree with a higher classification than that indicated in paragraph (3) of this

regulation to students whose Final Weighted Average Mark is up to three marks less

than the minimum for the classification, provided that all students who obtain the

same or a higher Final Weighted Average Mark within that classification shall be

awarded the higher classification. In such cases, the Degree Classification Board is

required to minute the decision and the justification for it.

(5) The Degree Classification Board, at its own discretion, may also

award a Degree with a lower classification than that indicated in paragraph (3) of this

regulation, provided that all students who obtain the same or a lower Final Weighted

Average mark within that classification shall be awarded the lower classification. In

such cases, the Degree Classification Board is required to obtain the authorization

of the Board that shall minute the decision and the justification for it. The students

concerned may appeal to Senate against the decision within 15 days of the publication

of the classification.

Consequences of Withdrawal from the Course

When a student withdraws from the Course either by choice or because

ineligible to proceed further in terms of these regulations, but has obtained at least

180 ECTS credits, the student may request to be awarded the Bachelor in General

Studies degree (B.Gen.St.).

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the degree of Bachelor in General

Studies (B.Gen.St.) shall be based on the results obtained, all study-units being

weighted equally and shall be classified as follows

Average Mark

Classification

80 – 100%

Category I

70 – 79%

Category IIA

55 – 69%

Category IIB

45 – 54%

Category III.

General Provision

In matters not provided for by these regulations, the Board shall be guided

by the provisions of the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards,

2004, published as Legal Notice 127 of 2004, as applicable.

€0.54