under the auspices of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing

L.N. 304 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 Social Work - M.A. -

or Master of Arts in Social Policy - 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 section 81 (1) (c) of the said Act and which

have been approved by the Senate of the University of Malta as required by section

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 Social Work - M.A. - or Master of Arts in Social Policy - 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 Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies appointed by Senate for

the Course, on the recommendation of the Board;

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

of Arts in Social Work - M.A. - or Master of Arts in Social Policy - M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Social Work - M.A. - or

Master of Arts in Social Policy - M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate Certificate in Social

Work – P.G.Cert. - or the Postgraduate Certificate in Social Policy - P.G. Cert., as

appropriate;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work

– P.G.Dip. - or the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Policy - P.G. Dip., as appropriate;

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 Admission

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of the following

qualifications

(1) For the degree of Master of Arts in Social Work (mainly

taught or mainly by research)

(a) a Bachelor degree in Social Work with at least Second Class Honours or

equivalent and a minimum of two years of social work practice; or

(b) the Diploma in Social Work or the Diploma in Applied Social Studies

(Social Work) from this University and a minimum of five years of social work

practice,

provided that such applicants shall have successfully sat for an interview, during which

they shall be required to provide written and employer-corroborated evidence of social

work practice and other relevant qualifications obtained following completion of the

diploma course. Such applicants shall further be required to complete a preparatory

programme as specified in bye-law 6.

(2) For the degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy (mainly taught): a

Bachelor degree with at least Second Class Honours in Social Policy or in any other

area of study which the Board deems to be relevant.

For the degree of Master of Arts in Social Policy (mainly by research)

(3)

(a)

a Bachelor degree in Social Policy with at least Second Class Honours

or equivalent; or

(b)

a Bachelor degree in a related area with at least Second Class Honours

or equivalent and a minimum of two years of practice in the area in which the student

wishes to conduct research.

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

number of available places shall be announced at the time of the call for applications.

If there are more eligible applicants than the number of places available,

applicants shall be selected after an interview by a board appointed for the purpose

composed of at least three members. The board shall select applicants using the

following criteria

(a) degree type and class - 30%;

(b) experience in the area of the proposed study - 35%; and

(c) performance during an interview - 35%.

Preparatory Programme

Applicants admitted under sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (1) of

bye-law 3 shall be required to complete a preparatory programme, comprising

45 ECTS credits as directed by the Board, and to obtain an overall average of

65% or better, prior to their registration as regular students on the Course.

Course Duration

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

the equivalent in part-time study.

Programmes of Study

The programmes of study shall comprise study-units to which a

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 a total of 30 ECTS credits for 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 taught study-

units, shall be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate.

(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 dissertation,

shall be eligible for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma.

Programmes of study mainly by research shall be of two types

and shall comprise

(a) in the case of the Social Work, taught study-units to which 30

ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 60 ECTS

credits are assigned; or

(b) in the case of the Social Policy, taught study-unit/s to which 10

ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 80 ECTS

credits are assigned.

The programmes 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 registered on the mainly taught programmes 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.

(4) Students registered on the mainly taught programmes shall be

allowed to proceed to the dissertation study-unit subject to obtaining the 60

ECTS credits assigned to the taught study-units with an average mark of at

least 60%.

(5) Students registered on the mainly by research programmes

referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of bye-law 10 shall be allowed resits of

not more than 10 ECTS credits and 5 ECTS credits respectively.

Dissertations in Mainly Taught Programmes of Study

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, students shall be required to

submit an individual dissertation (30 ECTS credits) of approximately 15,000 to 20,000 words

in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) 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.

(3) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the third semester

of the Course after approval of the proposal. Each student shall be assigned a supervisor who

shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the period of study.

(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.

Dissertations in Mainly by Research Programmes of Study

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

paragraph (a) of bye-law 10, students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation

(60 ECTS credits) of approximately 20,000 to 30,000 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) A provisional title for the dissertation and a detailed research proposal

shall be submitted to the Board of Studies before the end of the first semester.

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

paragraph (b) of bye-law 10, students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation

(80 ECTS credits) of approximately 30,000 to 35,000 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) A provisional title for the dissertation and a research proposal of at least

300 words shall be submitted to the Board for approval at the time of applications.

(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 10), the

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

members as follows: the Head of Department, or delegate as Chair, and two other members,

one of whom being the research supervisor, provided that when the Head of Department is

the supervisor, the Head shall not chair the Panel.

(2) Panels of Supervision shall follow, as they deem fit, the progress of

students throughout the Course, provided that they meet at least once a year to review such

progress.

(3) 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.

(4) 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 Board of Studies for any substantial

modification in the title or content of the dissertation.

(5) 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 (2) of bye-law 14 shall also apply in these cases.

Classification of the Awards

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the classification of

the Postgraduate Diplomas and of the Degrees shall be based on the results obtained

in all components of the programmes 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 for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Work or Master

of Arts in Social Policy published as Legal Notice 285 of 2009 shall be deemed to

cease to be in force as from 1 October 2020, provided that students registered for

these courses before 1 October 2020 shall continue to be governed by the bye-laws

that were in force at the time of their joining the course.Repeal

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