under the auspices of the Faculty of Information and Communication

L.N. 282 of 2022

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2022 in terms of the General Regulations for

University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 for the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Honours) - B.Sc. IT (Hons)

- 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 2022 in terms of

the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 for the degree

of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Honours) - B.Sc. IT (Hons) -

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 Certificate” means the Certificate in Information Technology;

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

of Science in Information Technology (Honours) - B.Sc. IT (Hons);

“the Degree” means the degree of Bachelor of Science in Information

Technology (Honours) - B.Sc. IT (Hons);

“the Diploma” means the Diploma in Information Technology;

“the Higher Diploma” means the Higher Diploma in Information Technology;

and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University

Undergraduate Awards, 2019.

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in October

2022 or later.

Areas of Study

(1)

The Degree shall be awarded in any one of the following areas of

study

(a) Artificial Intelligence;

(b) Computing and Business;

(c) Software Development.

(2) The areas of study offered in any particular year shall be published

by the Board at the time of the call for applications.

Special Course Requirements for Admission

(1)

To be registered as regular students in the Course applicants shall

either

(a) satisfy the special course requirements listed in paragraphs (2)

to (4) of this bye-law;

or (b) as from October 2023 onwards, be in possession of the Certificate

in ICT Foundation Studies from this University.

(2) Applicants for the Artificial Intelligence area of study applying in terms

of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this bye-law shall

either

(a) satisfy the general entry requirements as specified in the

Admissions Regulations of the University and be in possession of two passes at

Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics and Computing provided that one of these

passes is at Advanced Matriculation Level and the other pass is at least at Intermediate

Matriculation Level;

or

(b) be in possession of

(i) a pass at Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in Pure

Mathematics, or at a corresponding level of other examinations recognised by Senate

for the purpose of the Admissions Regulations of the University; and

(ii) any one of the following

(1) the Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute Course

No. 7235 in Applied Information Technology; or

(2) the MCAST-BTEC Extended Diploma in IT; or

(3) the MCAST Advanced Diploma in IT; or

(4) the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in

Computing.

Applicants for the Computing and Business area of study

(3)

applying in terms of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this bye-law shall

either

(a) satisfy the general entry requirements as specified in the

Admissions Regulations of the University and be in possession of

(i)

passes at Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in

two of the following: Applied Mathematics, Computing, Information Technology,

Economics, Accounting, Marketing, Pure Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, English,

Philosophy, and Physics; and

(ii)

a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Pure Mathematics at

Grade C or better (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level); and

(iii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Computing or

Information Technology (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level)

or

(b) be in possession of

(i)

five passes in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination,

including English Language and Maltese; and

(ii)

a pass in Systems of Knowledge at Intermediate Matriculation

Level; and

(iii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in

Pure Mathematics, or at a corresponding level of other examinations recognised by

Senate for the purpose of the Admissions Regulations; and

(iv)

any one of the following

(1) the Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute Course

No.7235 in Applied Information Technology; or

(2) the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in

Computing; or

(3) any other qualification from a recognised institution considered

by the Board to be equivalent to (1) or (2) above.

Applicants for the Software Development area of study applying

(4)

in terms of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this bye-law shall

either

(a) satisfy the general entry requirements as specified in the

Admissions Regulations of the University and be in possession of

(i)

passes at Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in

two of the following: Applied Mathematics, Computing, Information Technology,

Economics, Pure Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, English, Philosophy, and

Physics; and

(ii)

a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Pure Mathematics at

Grade C or better (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level); and

(iii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level in Computing or

Information Technology (if not offered at Advanced Matriculation Level)

or (b) be in possession of

(i)

five passes in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination,

including English Language and Maltese; and

(ii)

a pass in Systems of Knowledge at Intermediate Matriculation

Level; and

(iii) a pass at Intermediate Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in

Pure Mathematics, or at a corresponding level of other examinations recognised by

Senate for the purpose of the Admission Regulations; and

(iv)

any one of the following

(1) the Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute Course

No.7235 in Applied Information Technology; or

(2) the MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in

Computing; or

(3) any other qualification from a recognised institution considered

by the Board to be equivalent to (1) or (2) above.

Course Duration

The Course shall extend over a period of three years of full-time study

or the equivalent in part-time study.

Course Programme

(1) Applicants shall be required to indicate their choice of area of

study at the time of application for admission.

(2) The Course shall consist of study-units to which 180 ECTS credits

shall be assigned.

(3) The Board shall publish the programme of study for each area of

study before the commencement of the Course, following the approval of Senate.

Subject to changes that the Board may, with the approval of Senate, be constrained to

make, students are bound to follow the study-units and obtain the credits as indicated

in the programme of study of the areas of study they are following for the Degree.

Students who successfully complete study-units to which 30 ECTS

credits are assigned and opt not to proceed with the Course or, having proceeded, do

not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the Certificate.

Students who successfully complete study-units to which 60 ECTS

credits are assigned and opt not to proceed with the Course or, having proceeded, do

not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the Diploma.

Students who successfully complete study-units to which 120 ECTS

credits are assigned and opt not to proceed with the Course or, having proceeded, do

not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the Higher Diploma.

Classification of the Award

(1)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the

Degree shall be based on the results obtained in each year of the Course, which shall

be weighted as follows

First Year Average Mark

20%

Second Year Average Mark

40%

Third Year Average Mark

40%

(2)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the

Diploma and Higher Diploma shall be based on the results obtained in all the study-

units, with all credits awarded 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.

The Course may be offered on a flexible part-time basis with the following

special provisions in terms of the provisions outlined in the General Regulations

for University Undergraduate Awards, applicable with the necessary changes needed

(mutatis mutandis) owing to the part-time nature of the course

(a) During each academic year, students shall be allowed to register for a

number of study-units as agreed with the Course Coordinator, to which not less than

12 ECTS credits are assigned, provided that registration for the study-units included

in the programme of study for each course year (60 ECTS credits) is spread over not

more than 3 academic years.

(b) In order to progress regularly from one course year to the next, the 60

ECTS credits of each course year must be completed in not more than 3 academic

years.

(c) Students who are absent for the assessment of a study-unit, or fail in the

assessment of a study-unit, shall, if eligible, be required to take the assessment of any

number of such incomplete study-units at the September assessment session or at the

next available opportunity.

(d) If necessary, students may be allowed to refer the assessment of the study-

unit to the next academic year, provided that not more than 12 ECTS credits may be

referred from one course year to the next.

(e) The assessment of study-units that may be referred to the next academic

year shall be considered as additional to the minimum number of credits (12 ECTS)

that students are obliged to register for during any academic year.

(f) Students who, after having registered for all the study-units comprising

the programme of a course year, and after the September session lack more than 12

ECTS credits to complete the programme for the course year, may be allowed, if

eligible and after academic advice, to refer them to the next academic year during

which they shall not be allowed to register for any other study-units. If such an

academic year is needed in addition to the maximum period of three years referred to

in (b), it shall be considered as an additional year.

(g) Students who, after having registered for all the study-units comprising

the programme of the final year, may, if necessary and if eligible, refer any incomplete

study-units to an additional academic year.

(h) An additional year, whether required in terms of paragraphs (f) or (g) may

be granted once only throughout the Course, unless in special circumstances and with

the approval of Senate.

(i) Students registered on the Flexible Part-time programme must obtain the

approval of the Course Coordinator before they are registered on the study-units they

wish to follow in any academic year.

(j) Subject to approval by the Board, students registered on the Course

may be allowed to change the mode of attendance from full-time to flexible part-

time or vice-versa at the beginning of the second year of the regular programme of

study. Changes in mode of attendance in any subsequent year of the Course may be

considered by the Board, if the course programme permits.

(k) Notwithstanding the provisions in the General Regulations for

Undergraduate Courses, owing to the nature of the course when offered on a flexible

part-time basis that allows for a longer duration than normal, students registered on

such a flexible part-time course programme shall not be entitled to ever repeat a

course year in its entirety, nor to an extension year after each course year.

Repeal

The Bye-Laws of 2013 in terms of the General Regulations for University

Undergraduate Awards, 2019 for the Degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in

Information Technology – B.Sc. (Hons) IT – under the auspices of the Faculty of

Information and Communication Technology, published as Legal Notice 192 of

2013, shall be deemed to cease to be in force as from 1 st October 2022, provided

that students registered for this course before 1 st October 2022 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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