under the auspices of the School of Performing Arts

L.N. 38 of 2014

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2014 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008

for the Degree of Master of Arts – M.A. -

under the auspices of the School of Performing Arts

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5) and 75

(6) of the Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor the University of Malta has

promulgated the following bye-laws made by the Board of the School of Performing

Arts in virtue of the powers conferred upon it by article 7 (b) (v) of the Statute for the

School and which have been approved by the Senate of the University of Malta

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2014 in terms of

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

of Master of Arts – M.A. - offered under the auspices of the School of Performing

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

“the Board” means the Board of the School of Performing Arts;

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

of Arts – M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts – M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in the relevant

area of study; 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

2013 or later.

Areas of Study

(1) The Course shall be offered in areas of study that fall within the

academic responsibility of the Board and shall be announced together with the mode

of study before the beginning of each Course and after approval by Senate.

(2) Applicants shall be required to indicate their choice of area and

mode of study at the time of application.

(3) The Course may be offered either on a mainly taught or mainly

research basis in accordance with the provisions of the Principal Regulations. The

Board shall indicate which areas of study may be taken by research only and which

by taught and research study-units before the commencement of each Course. It shall

also indicate the areas of study offered in full-time and part-time courses.

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) a Bachelor’s degree obtained with Second Class Honours or better in the

same area or in a closely related area of study as the area of study applied for; or

(b) a Bachelor’s degree in the same area or in a closely related area of study

as that applied for, with an average mark of not less than 65% in that area of study;

or

(c) a degree from this or another university, which the Board considers as

comparable to any of the degrees indicated in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph

(1) of this bye-law; or

(d) a professional qualification/qualifications and/or experience deemed by

the Board, to satisfy in part, the admission requirements for a taught postgraduate

course, provided that applicants may be required to complete a preparatory programme

as specified in bye-law 6.

Applicants wishing to apply for the Degree mainly by research, shall

indicate the provisional title for the dissertation on their application for admission.

The application shall include a research proposal as well as a statement by the head of

department concerned that applicants possess the training, knowledge and capabilities

required for the proposed line of study and research.

Preparatory Programme

(1) Applicants applying in terms of sub-paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) of

bye-law 4 may be required to follow a preparatory programme as specified by the

Board. The preparatory programme shall include study-units in the area of study

concerned, and may include also study-units which are intended to train students in

the competencies required to conduct research work.

(2) During the preparatory programme students shall be required to

register for a number of study-units for which a total of not less than 30 ECTS credits

and not more than 60 ECTS credits are assigned.

(3) Students shall be required to successfully complete the preparatory

programme of study with an average mark of 55% or better prior to their registration

for the Course.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over three semesters of full-time study or its

equivalent in part-time study.

Programme of Study

(1) (a) Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise taught

study-units to which a total of 60 ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation study-

unit to which 30 ECTS credits are assigned.

(b) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS 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 a Postgraduate Diploma in the relevant area of study.

(2) Mainly research programmes of study shall comprise taught study-

units to which 10 ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 80

ECTS credits are assigned.

Programmes of study shall be published by the Board 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 following the mainly taught programme of study who in

any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than 20 ECTS credits, if following

the Course on a full-time basis, or not more than 10 ECTS credits if following the

Course on a part-time basis, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed study-

units during the September supplementary examination session.

(3) Students who fail in 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 deemed to have failed the Course.

(4) Students following the mainly research programme of study who

in any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than 10 credits, if following

the Course on a full-time basis or on a part-time basis, shall be given the opportunity

to re-sit the failed study-units during the September supplementary examination

session.

Dissertations in mainly Taught Programmes

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, students shall be required to

submit a dissertation of approximately 20,000 words in accordance with the guidelines

issued by the Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken primarily during

the third semester of the Course. Students shall be assigned a supervisor who shall

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

(3) Students following the mainly taught programme must submit a

provisional title for the dissertation and a detailed research proposal to the Board for

approval not later than six weeks before the end of the second semester.

Research Programmes of Study

(1) In programmes of study mainly by research, students shall be

required to

(a) submit a dissertation of up to a maximum of 50,000 words in accordance

with the guidelines issued by the Board; or

(b) submit a presentation of artistic practice supported by a dissertation of a

maximum of 30,000 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 proposal. Students shall be assigned a supervisor who

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

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

proposal shall be re-submitted to the Board for approval after completing the

compulsory study-units.

Supervision of Dissertations

(1) In all cases, students shall be required to have regular contact with

their supervisor.

(2) For students following the mainly taught programme, supervisors

shall submit to the Board progress reports for each student under their supervision

as applicable.

(3) For students following the programme by research, supervisors shall

submit to the Board progress reports about the students 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.

(4) The reports required in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this bye-law 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 Awards

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the classification of

the Postgraduate Diploma and 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.

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