Faculty of Information and Communication Technology

L.N. 25 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 Science – M.Sc. –

under the auspices of the

Faculty of Information and Communication Technology

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 Information and

Communication Technology 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 Science - M.Sc. – under the auspices of the Faculty of Information and

Communication Technology.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Information and

Communication Technology;

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

the Course/area of study, on the recommendation of the Board;

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

of Science – M.Sc.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Science - M.Sc.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Information

and Communication Technology – P.G. Dip.; 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

2015 or later.

Areas of Study

The Course shall be offered in any area of study that falls within the

academic responsibility of the Board, after approval by Senate.

Requirements for Admission

(1) For programmes of study structured as detailed in paragraph (1) of

bye-law 7 and in paragraph (a) of bye-law 8, applicants shall be in possession of one

of the following qualifications

(a) the degree of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Honours)

– B.Sc. I.T. (Hons) - with at least Second Class Honours; or

(b) the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Information and

Communication Technology – B.Sc. (Hons) I.C.T. - with at least Second Class

Honours; or

(c) the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing Science –

B.Sc. (Hons) - with at least Second Class Honours; or

(d) the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – B.Eng.(Hons) - with

at least Second Class Honours in an ICT related area of study; or

(e) any other Honours degree with a strong ICT component which the Board

deems comparable to the qualifications indicated in (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this bye-law;

or

(f) a Third Class Honours degree in an ICT related area of study together with

a professional qualification/s or experience as evidenced by a substantial portfolio of

recent works, deemed by the University Admissions Board, on the recommendation

of the Faculty Admissions Committee, to satisfy in full the admission requirements of

the Course.

(2) For programmes of study structured as detailed in paragraph (b) of

bye-law 8, applicants shall be in possession of one of the following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor degree with a strong ICT component obtained with at least

Second Class Honours and comprising 240 ECTS credits; or

(b) a Bachelor degree with a strong ICT component obtained with at least

Second Class Honours and comprising 180 ECTS credits, together with a Postgraduate

Diploma in an ICT related discipline; or

(c) the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – B.Eng.(Hons) - with

at least Second Class Honours in an ICT related area of study.

(3) The admission of applicants under sub-paragraph (f) of paragraph

(1) of this bye-law and of applicants under paragraph (2) of this bye-law may be made

conditional on the results of an interview conducted for the purpose.

(4) Interviews, when necessary, shall be conducted by a board composed

of at least three members.

Course Duration

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

the equivalent in part-time study.

(2) The Course may include a summer period as specified in the

programme of study.

Programme of Study

The programme of study for any area of study offered in the Course may

be either mainly taught or mainly by research, and shall comprise study-units to

which as total of 90 ECTS credits shall be assigned.

(1) 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.

(2) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits for 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.

Programmes of study mainly by research shall be of two types and shall

comprise either

(a) taught study-units to which 30 ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation

study-unit to which 60 ECTS credits are assigned; or

(b) taught study-unit/s to which 6 ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation

study-unit to which 84 ECTS credits are assigned.

In cases where an applicant lacks essential knowledge in particular areas

not covered in his/her first degree, the Board, on the recommendation of the Board of

Studies or the applicant’s Panel of Supervision, may require the applicant to follow

and pass supplementary study-units at level 4 or lower to which not more than 12

ECTS credits are assigned.

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 held 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 Course full-time, or not more than 10

ECTS credits if following the Course part-time, 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.

Dissertations in Mainly Taught Programmes of Study

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, structured as detailed

in paragraph (1) of bye-law 7, students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation (30 ECTS credits) of not more than 20,000 words in accordance with

the guidelines issued by the Board of Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy the

Board as regards content and presentation.

(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 a detailed research

proposal shall be submitted to the Board of Studies for approval before the end of the

second semester.

(4) Students shall seek approval from the Board of Studies through their

supervisor for any substantial modifications in the title or content of the dissertation.

(5) Students shall be required to have regular contact with their

supervisor, who shall submit to the Board of Studies progress reports for the student/s

under their supervision at the end of each semester of studies, whether the student is

following the Course on a full-time or part-time basis.

(6) Reports submitted by supervisors may include recommendations to

(a) either 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.

Dissertations in Programmes of Study by Research

(1) In programmes of study mainly by research, structured as detailed

in paragraph (a) of bye-law 8, students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation (60 ECTS credits) of approximately 32,000 words in accordance with

the guidelines issued by the Board of Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy the

Board as regards content and presentation.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken throughout the Course

after approval of a detailed proposal which will also include a provisional title for

the dissertation. This detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the Board of

Studies for approval before the end of the first semester. Each student will be assigned

a supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the

period of study.

(1) In programmes of study mainly by research, structured as detailed

in paragraph (b) of bye-law 8, students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation (84 ECTS credits) of a maximum 45,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board of Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy the

Board as regards content and presentation.

(2) Applications for this type of research Master shall be approved by

the Board and shall include the following details

(a) a provisional title; and

(b) a provisional research proposal.

(1) Each student shall be assigned a supervisor by the Board who shall

provide guidance and advice during the period of study, starting from the formulation

of a detailed written proposal.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken at any time during the

Course after approval of the proposal.

(1) For programmes of study by research as defined in bye-law 8, the

Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for each student, normally composed of

three members as follows: the Head of Department, or his or her delegate as Chairman,

and two other members, one of whom being the research supervisor, provided that

when the head of department is the supervisor, he or she shall not chair the Panel.

Panels of Supervision shall follow, as they deem fit, the progress of students through

the Course, provided that they meet at least once a year to review such progress.

(2) Students shall be required to report to their supervisor at least once

every two months, and in addition as often as the supervisor deems necessary.

(3) At the end of each semester of studies supervisors shall be required

to submit to the Panels of Supervision or Boards of Studies reports regarding the

students under their supervision. Students shall seek approval from the Panel of

Supervision for any substantial modification in the title or content of the dissertation.

(4) Panels of Supervision or Boards of Studies as appropriate shall

periodically inform the Board, in writing, on the general performance of each student.

Such advice 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 the conditions specified in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (6) of bye-law

12 shall also apply in these cases.

Classification of the 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.

Repeal

The Bye-Laws of 2009 in terms of the General Regulations for University

Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the degree of Master of Science – M.Sc. – under the

auspices of the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, published as

Legal Notice 81 of 2009, shall be deemed to cease to be in force as from 1 st October

2015, provided that students registered for this course before 1 st October 2015 shall

continue to be governed by the bye-laws that were in force at the time of their joining

the course.

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