under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences

L.N. 129 of 2020

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2020 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards 2008

for the Degree of Master of Arts in Media and Communications - M.A. -

under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5) and 75 (6) of the Education

Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor the University of Malta has promulgated the following bye-

laws made by the Board of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences 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 2020 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards 2008 for the Degree of Master of

Arts in Media and Communications - M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and

Knowledge Sciences.

(2)

In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences;

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

in Media and Communications - M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Media and Communications -

M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Media and

Communications - 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 2020

or later.

Requirements for Admissions

(1) Subject to the conditions laid down in bye-law 4, the Course shall be

open to applicants in possession of one of the following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor’s degree obtained with Second Class Honours or better in

Communications or in a closely related area of study deemed appropriate by the Board; or

(b) a Bachelor’s degree in Communications or in a closely related area of study

deemed appropriate by the Board, with an average mark of not less than 65% in that area of

study; or

(c) a degree from this or another university, which the Board considers as

comparable to the degrees indicated in paragraphs (a) and (b).

(2) The Board may consider applicants in possession of other qualifications

if they also present a compendium of recent works confirmed to have been carried out by

them and which is related to the area of study applied for to the satisfaction of the Board.

(3) The admission of applicants may be made conditional on the result of an

interview conducted by an interviewing board composed of at least three members, appointed

by the Board for the purpose.

(4) 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.

(5) 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.

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

stipulated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this bye-law were obtained by 31 August

preceding the commencement of the Course shall be considered first.

Preparatory Programme

(1) Applicants applying in terms of sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) of paragraph

(1) and in terms of paragraph (2) of bye-law 3 may be required to complete a preparatory

programme, comprising not less than 30 and not more than 60 ECTS credits as directed by

the Board, with an average mark of 55% or better prior to their registration as regular students

on the Course.

(2) The Board may grant applicants full or partial exemption from the

requirement of the preparatory programme if it is satisfied that they possess post first cycle

degree work experience that adequately prepares them for the Course.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over six semesters of part-time study.

Programme of Study

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

of 120 ECTS credits are assigned, of which 55 ECTS credits are assigned to taught study-

units, 5 ECTS credits to a placement study-unit, 10 ECTS credits to two mentored practice

sessions, and 50 ECTS credits assigned to the dissertation study-unit or practical project.

(2) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the taught study-

units and the placement with an average mark of at least 50% and do not proceed with the

Course, or having proceeded do not successfully complete the mentored practice sessions,

the dissertation or the project, shall be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma.

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

120 ECTS credits as outlined in the programme of study for the Course with an average mark

of at least 50%.

(4) The programme of study shall be published by the Board 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 fail in the assessment of not more than 10 ECTS

credits for study-units shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed assessments.

Students shall be allowed to re-sit the taught study-units during the September

supplementary examination session and to re-sit the placement study-unit and/

or resubmit the independent study / project work by not later than the end of 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.

Placement

(1) During the second year of the Course, students shall be required

to undertake a placement in the area in which they choose to specialize during the

second and third years of the Course. Students shall be supervised by an approved

mentor who shall submit to the Board a report at the end of the placement period.

(2) Before undertaking the placement, students shall be required to submit

to the Board for approval, a proposal written by them and endorsed by the placement mentor,

by the deadline indicated by the Board.

(3) At the end of the placement, students shall be required to submit a task-

analytical essay in accordance with guidelines issued by the Board.

Mentored Practice

(1) In each of the two semesters of the third year of the Course,

students shall be required to take part in a mentored practice project targetting their

chosen area of specialisation, doing independent study and/or project work under the

guidance of an approved mentor, who shall submit to the Board a report at the end the

mentored practice period.

(2) Students shall be required to submit a final report on the experience and

skills gained during the mentored practice.

Dissertation/Project

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of 25,000

or a practical project together with a written component of between 12,000 and 15,000 words,

in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation or project shall commence during the

fourth 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 or the theme of the project,

and a detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval by the

end of the third 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. 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 project; 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 the Degree shall be based on the results obtained in all the

components of the programme of study, all credits being weighted equally.

Repeal

The Bye-Laws of 2018 in terms of the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008 for the Degree of Master of Arts in Media and

Communications - M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge

Sciences, published as Legal Notice 370 of 2018, shall be deemed to cease to be in

force as from the 1st October 2020, provided that students registered for this course

before the 1st October 2020 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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