under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts

B

L.N. 155 of 2016

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2016 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008

for the Degree of Master of Arts in Archaeological Practice - M.A. -

under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts

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 Arts 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 2016 in terms of

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

Master of Arts in Archaeological Practice - M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty

of Arts.

(2)

In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires -

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

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

of Arts in Archaeological Practice - M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Archaeological Practice

- M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeological

Practice - P.G.Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

B

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in October

2016 or later.

Requirements for Admission

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants who are in possession of

the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology classified with at least Third Class

Honours or Category III, or a degree from this or from another university which the

Board considers as comparable.

(2) The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of applicants that

may be allowed to register for the Course, depending on the availability of resources.

The Board shall announce the number of available places at the time of the call for

applications.

(3) When the number of places is so limited and the number of eligible

applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants shall be selected using

the following criteria, the weighting of which shall be published at the time of the call

for applications

(a) degree type and class;

(b) experience in the area of the proposed study; and

(c) performance during an interview.

(4) The interviewing board appointed by the Board shall be composed

of at least three members.

(5) For the purpose of selection, applicants whose qualifications as

stipulated in paragraph (1) of this bye-law were obtained by 31 August preceding the

commencement of the Course shall be considered first.

Course Duration

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

equivalent in part-time study, and shall also include a professional practice placement

to be undertaken during the summer period.

Programme of Study

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

90 ECTS credits shall be assigned, of which 55 ECTS credits are assigned to taught

study-units, 5 ECTS credits are assigned to a professional practice placement study-

unit and 30 ECTS credits are assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

B

All students shall be required to undertake a compulsory professional

practice placement at an institution approved by the Board, as indicated in the

programme of study.

Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the taught and the

professional practice study-units, with an average mark of at least 50% for those

study-units for which a mark/grade is awarded, 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.

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 ECTS credits for taught study-units, if following the full-time Course,

or not more than 10 ECTS credits for taught study-units if following the part-time

Course, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed assessment during the

September supplementary examination session.

(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.

(4) The professional practice placement study-unit shall be assessed

on a Pass/Fail basis. Students who do not complete, or fail in the assessment of, the

professional practice placement study-unit shall not have the right to a supplementary

assessment and shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

(5) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the taught

study-units and the professional practice placement with an average mark of at least

65% for those study-units for which a mark/grade is awarded, shall be allowed to

proceed to the dissertation study-unit.

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 who shall provide

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

B

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

proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval not later than six weeks before

the end 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 graded 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 relevant Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the

Course.

€0.36