under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

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L.N. 398 of 2018

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Master of Science in Surgical Skills - M.Sc. -

Degree Course Regulations, 2018

under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

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 regulations made by the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of

the powers conferred upon it by articles 75 (3) and 79 (b) of the said Act

Citation and Interpretation

(1) These regulations may be cited as the Master of Science in Surgical

Skills - M.Sc. - Degree Course Regulations, 2018.

(2)

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies responsible for the academic

administration and organisation of the Course, which shall include members from

each Partner Institution;

“the Course” means the programme of study developed by the Partner

Institutions leading to the degree of Master of Science in Surgical Skills - M.Sc.;

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

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate Certificate in Surgical

Skills - P.G.Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Surgical

Skills - P.G.Dip.;

“the Partner Institutions” means the institutions taking part in the teaching of

the Master of Science in Surgical Skills, namely

University of Malta; and

Barts Cancer Institute (BCI), Queen Mary University of London;

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“the Senate” means the Senate of the University of Malta; and

“the University” means the University of Malta.

(3) This Degree is a joint degree of the University and this shall be

taken to mean that the Course is taught by both the Partner Institutions within the

framework of a joint degree programme. The award shall only be awarded if the

Partner Institutions declare the student to be eligible for the award.

Applicability

These regulations shall apply to courses commencing in October 2018 or

later.

Entry Requirements

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the

following qualifications

(a) the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery; or

(b) a qualification deemed by Senate, on the recommendation of the Board,

to be equivalent to the qualification listed in sub-paragraph (a); or

(c) an Allied Health Science degree with a classification of Second Class

Honours or better.

(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, if deemed necessary.

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

of at least three members appointed by the Board for the purpose.

(5) For the purpose of selection, applicants who fully satisfy the entry

requirements by 31st August preceding the commencement of the Course shall be

considered first.

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(6) All applicants must present a Police Conduct Certificate, which

must not be issued earlier than six months from the date of application.

Course Duration

(1) The Course shall extend over two years of part-time study, which

shall include the summer periods.

(2) The Board of Studies may allow students to extend their studies

by not more than six months, provided that in special circumstances, Senate, on the

recommendation of the Board of Studies, may grant students a further extension of

up to two years in order to enable them to complete their studies.

Programme of Study

(1) The programme of study shall consist of study-units to which a

total of 90 ECTS credits shall be assigned, and shall comprise 60 ECTS credits for

taught study-units and 30 ECTS for the dissertation study-unit.

(2) Students shall be eligible for the award of the Degree if they obtain

the 90 ECTS credits as outlined in the programme of study for the Course with an

average mark of at least 50%.

(3) 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 Course, shall be eligible for the

award of the Postgraduate Diploma.

(4) Students who obtain 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.

(5) The Board shall publish the programme prior to the commencement

of the Course, following the approval of Senate.

(6) All students shall be required to attend for lectures and clinical

placements as indicated in the programme of study for the Course, at the venues

indicated by the Board of Studies.

The Board of Studies shall draw up a catalogue of all study-units. The

catalogue shall indicate the level, code, title, description and type of each study-unit,

the ECTS credits assigned to each study-unit, the methods of teaching and assessment,

as well as the re-assessment opportunities for each study-unit.

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Assessment and Progress

(1)

The assessment of each study-unit shall be held on completion of

the study-unit.

(2) Results for the assessment of the study-units and the dissertation

shall be published as a percentage mark and grade as indicated below

Mark Range

Grade

80% - 100%

A

70% - 79%

B

55% - 69%

C

50% - 54%

D

0% - 49%

FAIL

(3) Students who fail in any of the taught study-units shall be allowed

one re-assessment. The re-assessment shall be held at the supplementary examination

session. If successful on re-assessment, the grade to be awarded shall be Grade D.

(4) Senate shall appoint a Board of Examiners for each study-unit in

accordance with the provisions of the University Assessment Regulations.

Dissertation

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

of between 20,000 and 25,000 words, excluding references and appendices, in

accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board of Studies.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the first and

second year of the Course. Students shall submit for approval a title and a detailed

research proposal by the deadline and in the format specified by the Board of Studies.

(3) Students shall seek approval from the Board of Studies for any

substantial modification in the title or content of the dissertation.

(4) Each dissertation shall include a declaration signed by the students

that it is their own original work.

(5) Before graduating, students shall present an electronic version

of the dissertation to each of the Partner Institutions, which shall include a signed

declaration of authenticity. The electronic version must conform to the standards set

by each of the Partner Institutions.

(1) The Board of Studies shall appoint a supervisor for each student.

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

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(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. 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 paragraph (2) of regulation 4; and

(ii) the Board of Studies may not terminate studies prematurely according to

(b) until it has first given the student a chance to be heard.

(3) The role of the supervisor shall cease when the dissertation is

submitted for examination but may be re-assumed, on the advice of the Board of

Examiners, in order to provide guidance to students whose dissertation is referred

back for significant correction pending final acceptance.

(1) Each dissertation shall be examined by a Board of Examiners,

composed of at least three members, one of whom shall normally be a local examiner

from one of the Partner Institutions. The Board of Examiners may additionally also

include an external examiner appointed from an institution external to the Partner

Institutions.

(2) Students shall be required to take a viva voce examination to

defend their dissertation and this may also be conducted using electronic means of

communication, if so approved by the Board of Studies.

(1) Students whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may be allowed

by the Board of Studies, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, to

resubmit it in a revised form, within a period of up to six months from the day on

which it is referred back to them.

(2) If a student fails in a dissertation, the maximum grade that can be

awarded after re-assessment shall be Grade D.

Classification of the Awards

(1) 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.

(2) The names of students who qualify for the award of the Postgraduate

Diploma and the Degree shall be published in a list in alphabetical order classified as

follows

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Pass with Distinction

Pass with Merit

Pass

(3)

The Postgraduate Certificate shall be awarded unclassified.

(4) The Award Classification Board shall consult the following

guidelines when deciding upon the final classification of the Postgraduate Diploma

and the Degree

Final Weighted Average Mark

Classification

70 – 100%

Pass with Distinction

60 – 69%

Pass with Merit

50 – 59%

Pass

The three awards shall be awarded jointly by both Partner Institutions

following agreement between both Partner Institutions.

€0.54