BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.100

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

EDUCATION UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION

20th March, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 75 of 2009, as amended by Legal Notices 297 of 2009,

292 of 2013, 317 of 2015, 83 of 2016, 323 of 2017, 236 of 2019, 142 of

2022 and 118 of 2025.

(1) The title of these bye-laws is the Bye-Laws for the

Degree of Master of Education under the auspices of the Faculty of

Education.

(2)

In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires -

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Education;

"the course" means the programme of study leading to the degree

of Master of Education - M.Ed

"the Degree" means the degree or Master or Education - M.Ed.;

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Education - P.G.Dip. Ed.;

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards.

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in

October 2019 or later.

The course shall be offered in any area of study that falls

within the academic responsibility of the Board, after approval by

Senate.

(1) Subject to the conditions laid down in bye-law 5, the

course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the

following qualifications

(a) a degree in Education with at least second class

honours from the University of Malta or a degree from

another university recognised as equivalent for the

purpose together with a minimum of one year’s

teaching experience; or

(b) any other degree with at least second class honours

together with a recognised teaching or education

qualification and a minimum of one year’s teaching

experience; or

(c) a degree in Education or a Teacher’s Certificate together

with at least two years’ teaching experience and other

suitable qualifications obtained following the degree or

after the Teacher’s Certificate; or

(d) any first cycle degree with either a recognised teaching

qualification or a Diploma in Education together with two

years’ experience in an education setting; or

(e) a permanent teaching warrant together with a minimum of

three years’ teaching experience.”

(2) Depending on the availability of resources, the Board shall

determine the number of applicants that may be allowed to register.

The Board shall announce the areas of study, the number of

available places, and the criteria for selection of applicants at the

time of the call for applications.

(1) Applicants for registration under bye-law 4(1)(e) or (d)

shall be required to attend an interview during which they shall be

requested to provide evidence of prior experiential learning and to

demonstrate that they are capable of completing the course and may

be required to complete a preparatory programme.

(2) The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units to

which not less than 30 credits and not more than 60 credits are

assigned as directed by the Board, obtained with an average mark

or 55% or better prior to their registration to the course.

(3) Preparatory programmes shall also be governed by the

Principal Regulations.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

studies or the equivalent in part-time.

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 90 credits shall be assigned.

The programme of study for any area of study offered in

the course may be either mainly taught or mainly by research.

(1) Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise

taught study-units to which a total of 60 credits are assigned and a

dissertation study-unit to which 30 credits are assigned.

(2) Students who obtain the 60 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 in the relevant area of study.

(1) Programmes of study mainly by research shall be of

two types and shall comprise

(a) taught study-units to which 30 credits are assigned and

a dissertation study-unit to which 60 credits are

assigned; or

(b) taught study-units to which 10 credits are assigned and

a dissertation study-unit to which 80 credits are

assigned.

(2)

Only one of the above two types can be offered in a

particular study area in any one intake.

(3) Students who are accepted to follow the Teaching of Ethics in

Schools area of study in the Course and who are in possession of the

Postgraduate Certificate in the Teaching of Ethics in Schools shall

follow the programme of study as specified in sub-paragraph (a) of

paragraph (1) of this bye-law but shall be exempted from the taught

study-units to which 30 credits are assigned.

(4) In cases where the Board concludes that students lack essential

knowledge in the area of research methodology, the Board may require

students admitted to the Course to follow and pass additional study-unit/

s in the said area, to which 10 credits are assigned in addition to the

programme of study specified in paragraph (1) of this bye-law.

(1) Programmes of study for the Degree as detailed in bye-

law 9(1) and in bye-law 10(1)(a) shall be published by the Board

after approval by Senate normally not less than eight months prior

to the commencement of the course and shall indicate clearly the

bye-law in terms of which they are being offered.

(2) Programmes of study for the Degree as detailed in bye-law

10(1)(b) shall be drawn up by the Board for each individual study

area.

(1) The assessment of each taught study-unit shall be

completed by the end of the semester in which the teaching or the

study unit is held.

(2) Students who fail in the assessment of not more than 20

credits, if following the full-time course, or not more than 10

credits if following the part-time course, shall be given the

opportunity to re-sit the failed assessment during the September

supplementary examination session.

(3) Students who fail more than the number of study-units

permitted under paragraph 2 or this bye-law, or students who after

re-assessment fail to obtain credit for any study-unit, shall be

required to withdraw from the course.

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

be required to submit an individual dissertation (30 credits) of not

more than 25,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued

by the Board. The dissertation must also satisfy the Board as

regards content and presentation.

(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.

(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) In programmes of study mainly by research, structured as

detailed in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of bye-law 10, students

shall be required to submit an individual dissertation (60 credits) of not

less than 20,000 but not more than 30,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board. The dissertation must also satisfy the

Board as regards content and presentation.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken throughout the

course after approval of a detailed proposal which will also include

a provisional title for the dissertation. This detailed research

proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval by the

beginning of the second semester. Each student shall be assigned a

supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular

basis during the period of study.

15.(1)(a) In programmes of study mainly by research, structured as

detailed in sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph (1) of bye-law

10, students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation (80 credits) of not less than 30,000 but not

more than 35,000 words in accordance with the guidelines

issued by the Board. The dissertation must also satisfy the

Board as regards content and presentation.

(b) In the case of a dissertation in Art Education, the

Board shall accept proposals for dissertations that

incorporate artistic practice within the conceptual

framework of a written dissertation, in such cases, the

Board shall consider proposals for dissertations that

are less than 50,000 words, to a minimum of 35,000

words.

(2) Applications for this type of research Master shall be

approved by the Board and shall include the following details

(a) a provisional title; and

(b) a provisional research proposal, of approximately 300

words.

(3) 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.

(4) A title for the dissertation and a detailed research proposal

shall be submitted to the Board for approval by not later than the

e nd o f t h e f ir s t se m e s t e r. Wo r k o n t h e d is s e r t a t i on m a y be

undertaken throughout the course after the Board’s approval of the

proposal.

In all cases students shall be required to have regular

contact with their supervisor, who shall submit to the Board

progress reports for the students under their supervision at the end

of each semester of studies, whether the student is following the

course full-time or part-time. Such reports may include

recommendations 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.

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Postgraduate Diploma and the Degree shall be

ba s e d o n t h e r e s u lt s o bt a i n e d i n a l l t h e c o m p o ne n t s o f t h e

programme of study, all credits being weighted equally, provided

that the dissertation for mainly by research programmes shall be

weighted by a factor of 1.5.

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

relevant Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the

course.