under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing

B

L.N. 11 of 2018

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2018 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2008

for the Degree of Master of Arts in Community Action and Development - M.A.

-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 2018 in terms of

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

Master of Arts in Community Action and Development - M.A. - 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 Course” means the programme of study leading to the degree of Master of

Arts in Community Action and Development - M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Community Action and

Development - M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate Certificate in Community

Action and Development - P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Community

Action and Development – 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

2017 or later.

Requirements for Admission

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of a Bachelor

degree from this University or from any other higher education institution recognized

by Senate, in an area of study deemed relevant by the Board with at least Second Class

Honours or Category II, together with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working in a

community setting.

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

necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the Course with profit. Professional

aptitude and disposition 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) Depending on the availability of resources, the Board shall

recommend to Senate the number of applicants that may be allowed to register for

the Course. The Board shall announce the number of available places at the time of

the call for applications.

(5) When the number 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 working in a community setting; and

(c)

performance during the interview.

(6) Applicants shall apply by the deadline announced by the University

of Malta. For the purpose of selection, applicants whose qualifications as stipulated

in paragraph (1) of this bye-law were obtained by 31 st 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.

B

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 are assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

Students who obtain at least 30 ECTS credits assigned to 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 Course, shall be eligible for the

award of the Postgraduate Certificate.

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 the taught study-units shall be completed by the

end of the semester in which the teaching of the study-units 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 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

the credits for any study-unit, shall be deemed to have failed the Course.

Students shall be allowed to proceed to the dissertation study-unit subject

to obtaining the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the taught study-units with a minimum

average mark of 65%.

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.

(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 by the beginning 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 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.

€0.36