under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing

B

L.N. 201 of 2016

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2016 in terms of the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008

for the Master in Gender, Society and Culture – M. GSC -

under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing

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 for Social Wellbeing 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 in Gender, Society and Culture – M. GSC - under the auspices of the Faculty

for Social Wellbeing.

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies as appointed by Senate, on

the recommendation of the Board;

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

of Gender, Society and Culture – M. GSC;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Gender, Society and Culture – M.

GSC;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Gender,

Society and Culture – P.G.Dip. GSC; 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 in possession of a Bachelor

degree from this University or any other institution recognized by Senate, obtained

with at least Second Class Honours or Category II.

(2) All applicants shall be required to demonstrate that they have the

necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the Course with profit which shall be

measured by means of a personal interview conducted by an interviewing board

appointed for the purpose.

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

of at least three members.

(4) When the number of places is limited and the number of eligible

applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants will 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 the interview.

(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

(1) The Course shall extend over three semesters of full-time study or

the equivalent in part-time study.

(2) Eligible applicants may register as visiting students for individual

study-units and obtain credit for them. Should they be accepted to join the Course

within seven years from following the first study-unit, the Board may allow the

transfer of these credits to the student’s academic record for the Course.

Programme of Study

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to which a total of 90

ECTS credits are assigned, of which 60 ECTS credits are assigned to taught study-

units and 30 ECTS credits assigned to a dissertation study-unit.

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 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, if following the full-time Course, or not more than 10

ECTS credits if following the part-time Course, shall be given the opportunity to re-

sit the failed assessments 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.

Dissertation

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

approximately 20,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board

of Studies.

(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.

(3) A provisional title for the dissertation and an initial research

proposal shall be submitted to the Board of Studies for approval not later than six

weeks before the end of the second semester of full-time study, or its equivalent in

part-time study.

(1) Students shall be required to have regular contact with their supervisor.

(2) Supervisors shall submit to the Board of Studies progress reports for

each student under their supervision at the end of each semester of study, 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

B

(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 course programme, 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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