under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

B

L.N. 308 of 2015

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2015 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008

for the Degree of Master in Teaching and Learning – MTL -

under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

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 Education in virtue of

the powers conferred upon it by article 81 (1) (c) 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 2015 in terms of

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

of Master in Teaching and Learning – MTL - under the auspices of the Faculty of

Education.

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Education;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies appointed by Senate for

the Course, on the recommendation of the Board;

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

in Teaching and Learning - MTL;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master in Teaching and Learning – MTL -

in the relevant area;

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Education;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational

Studies (P.G. Dip. Ed. St.); 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

2016 or later.

B

Areas of Study

The Degree shall be awarded under the auspices of the Faculty in the

following areas

(a) Early Childhood and Primary Education; or

(b) Secondary Education, which shall be offered either in a main teaching

area and an education related area; or in one teaching area; or in one main teaching

area and a subsidiary teaching area; or

(c) Primary and Secondary Education, which shall be offered in one

teaching area.

The Board shall announce the teaching areas offered within the

Secondary Education area as well as within the Primary and Secondary Education

area as approved by Senate, at the time of the call for applications.

Requirements for Admission

Apart from being in possession of a first cycle degree obtained with at

least Second Class Honours or Category II as indicated for each area in bye-law 6,

applicants shall

(a) be in possession of a pass in the Written and Spoken Proficiency Tests in

English and the Written and Spoken Proficiency Tests in Maltese of the Faculty, or a

qualification recognised by the Board as comparable, suitable for prospective teachers,

and which has been obtained not more than three years prior to the commencement

of the Course;

provided that holders of a first cycle degree with a main area in Maltese or English

shall be exempted from the Proficiency Test in the language. Furthermore, applicants

in possession of a first cycle degree in Early Childhood Education and Care of the

University of Malta shall be exempt from this requirement;

(b) present reflections on an Educational Encounter conducted not more than

three years prior to the commencement of the Course. The Educational Encounter

shall include a minimum of forty hours of experience in an approved educational

setting as well as non-assessed reflections on their educational responsibilities. The

Board shall publish a list of educational settings and educational responsibilities that

are considered acceptable for this purpose;

(c) submit a Police Good Conduct Certificate issued by the Commissioner of

Police in terms of the Conduct Certificates Ordinance; and

(d) not be included in the Register established under the Protection of Minors

(Registration) Act.

In addition to the requirements for admission s specified in bye-law 5

(a) applicants choosing the area of Early Childhood and Primary Education

shall be in possession of one of the following qualifications

B

(i)

a first cycle degree in Early Childhood Education and

1. Care; or

(ii)

a first cycle degree with a main area of study that is a

1. subject directly related to at least one subject taught as part of

the Primary Education Curriculum; or

(iii)

a first cycle degree with a main area of study in an area

1. related to human/child development or childhood;

(b) applicants choosing the area of Secondary Education in the following

teaching area/s shall be in possession of the following

for Business Studies: a first cycle degree with at least 20 ECTS

(i)

credits in Accountancy, 20 ECTS credits in Economics and 30

ECTS credits in any combination of the following areas: Banking

and Finance, Management, Marketing, or Public Policy;

for Computing and Information Technology: a first cycle

(ii)

degree with a main area of study (70 ECTS credits) in Computer

Science, Information Systems or Computer/Communications

Engineering, which must include study-units in the following

areas to ensure a sufficiently broad knowledge base in the

subject: Programming beyond an introductory level in any high-

level programming language, Computer Logic and Organisation,

Database Management Systems, Systems Analysis and Design,

Data Structures and Algorithms, and Operating Systems,

provided that applicants who have not completed study-units in

all of these areas but who have successfully completed study-

units in at least four of these areas may also be admitted to the

Course but shall be required to follow supplementary study-units

as indicated in bye-law 7 in areas not covered in their previous

degree;

for Design and Technology: a first cycle degree in an area

(iii)

approved by the Board;

for Drama: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(iv)

ECTS credits) in Theatre Studies;

for English: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(v)

ECTS credits) in English, which must include a minimum of

25 ECTS credits in taught study-units in English language and

linguistics, and 25 ECTS credits in English literature,

provided that for courses commencing in October 2016 only, the

main area of study must include a minimum of 20 ECTS credits

in taught study-units in English language and linguistics, and 20

ECTS credits in English literature;

for French: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(vi)

ECTS credits) in French;

for German: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(vii)

ECTS credits) in German;

(viii) for Geography: a first cycle degree with a main area of study

(70 ECTS credits) in Geography;

for Italian: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(ix)

ECTS credits) in Italian;

for History: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(x)

ECTS credits) in History;

for Home Economics and Textile Studies: a first cycle degree

(xi)

in an area approved by the Board;

for Maltese: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(xii)

ECTS credits) in Maltese, which must include a minimum of

25 ECTS credits in taught study-units in Maltese language and

linguistics, and 25 ECTS credits in Maltese literature,

provided that for courses commencing in October 2016 only, the

main area of study must include a minimum of 20 ECTS credits

in taught study-units in Maltese language and linguistics, and 20

ECTS credits in Maltese literature;

(xiii) for Mathematics: a first cycle degree with a main area of study

(70 ECTS credits) in Mathematics;

for Music: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(xiv)

ECTS credits) in Music Studies;

for Religious Education: a first cycle degree with a main area

(xv)

of study (70 ECTS credits) in Theology or in an area considered

relevant by the Board of Studies, which must include at least 15

ECTS credits in Biblical Studies, 15 ECTS credits in Christian

Fundamental Beliefs and 15 ECTS credits in Christian Morality;

for Science: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

(xvi)

ECTS credits) in the Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry or

Physics);

(xvii) for Social Studies: a first cycle degree with a main area of study

(70 ECTS credits) in Sociology or Social Studies; and

(xviii) for Spanish: a first cycle degree with a main area of study (70

ECTS credits) in Spanish and Latin American Studies;

B

(c) applicants choosing the area of Primary and Secondary Education in the

following teaching area/s shall be in possession of the following

for Art Education: a first cycle degree with a main area of

(i)

study (70 ECTS credits) in Fine Art or in another related area

of study; all such applicants are also required to present a

detailed portfolio showing a diversity of recent artistic practice

in different media. Applicants may be requested to sit for an

interview and to provide more information about their artistic

background and interest in the teaching profession;

for Ethics Education: a first cycle degree with a main area of

(ii)

study (70 ECTS credits) in Philosophy;

for Personal and Social Development: (a) a first cycle degree

(iii)

with a main area of study (70 ECTS credits) in Psychology or

Youth Studies or Social Work;or (b) a first cycle degree with

a minimum of 35 ECTS credits in Psychology together with a

minimum of 35 ECTS credits in either Anthropology, Philosophy

or Sociology; and

for Physical Education: a first cycle degree with a main area

(iv)

of study (70 ECTS credits) in sport or physical education; and

a pass in a Proficiency Test in Physical Education organised for

the purpose by the University and which has been obtained not

more than four years prior to application.

Supplementary Study-Units

In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge, in particular areas

not covered in their first degree, they may be required to follow supplementary study-

units as directed by the Board up to a maximum of 12 ECTS credits.

Selection of Applicants

(1) The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of students that

may be allowed to register for the Course depending on the availability of human

resources and the number of suitable classes available for the practicum component.

The Board shall announce the number of available places in each area at the time of

the call for applications.

(2) If there are more eligible applicants than the number of places

available, applicants shall be selected according to the following criteria

1 st Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the subject area indicated

in bye-law 6, together with a Doctoral degree and a Master

degree in the same or a closely related subject area

B

2 nd Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the relevant subject area

indicated in bye-law 6 together with a Doctoral degree in the

same or a closely related subject area

3 Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the relevant subject area

rd

indicated in bye-law 6 together with a Master degree in the

same or a closely related subject area

4 th Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the relevant subject area

indicated in bye-law 6 and a Postgraduate Diploma in the same

or a closely related subject area

5 Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the relevant subject area

th

indicated in bye-law 6 obtained with First Class Honours or

Category I

6 th Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the relevant subject area

indicated in bye-law 6 obtained with Second Class Honours

(Upper Division) or Category IIA

7 Category: Holders of a first cycle degree in the subject area indicated

th

in bye-law 6 obtained with Second Class Honours (Lower

Division) or with Category IIB,

provided that for the purpose of selection, applicants who fully satisfy the requirements

for admission by 31st August preceding the commencement of the Course shall be

considered first.

(3) If, after the rank order is established as indicated above, there is a

tie for any one or more places: (a) the final average mark obtained by the student in

his/her Master or Bachelor degree shall be considered, and (b) if there is a further tie,

the applicants shall be interviewed.

(4) The Board may also require applicants to sit for an interview

during which their ability to successfully complete the Course shall be assessed.

(5)

The Interviewing Board shall be composed of at least three

members.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over four semesters of full-time study.

Transitory Provision

For courses commencing in October 2016 only, (a) applicants who

present a first cycle degree with a Third Class Honours, and (bi) applicants who present

a first cycle degree with 60 ECTS credits instead of 70 ECTS credits in the main area/s

of study as specified in bye-law 6, may be considered for admission by the Board.

€0.54