BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROBATION SERVICES UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING

DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROBATION SERVICES

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY

FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.160

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN

PROBATION SERVICES UNDER THE AUSPICES

OF THE FACULTY FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING

9th September, 2011

LEGAL NOTICE 362 of 2011, as amended by Legal Notices 98 and 376

of 2014, 291 of 2017 and 386 of 2018.

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

Degree of Master in Probation Services 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 in Probation Services - M. Prob. Serv.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master in Probation Services -

M. Prob. Serv.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Probation Services – P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Probation Services – P.G. Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2019 or later.

(1) The Course shall be open to applicants who are

proficient in the Maltese Language and are in possession of

(a)

a Bachelor degree with at least Second Class Honours

from this University in an area of study deemed

relevant by the Board; or

(b)

a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Category II

from this University in an area of study deemed

relevant by the Board; or

DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROBATION SERVICES

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY

FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING

(c) a Bachelor degree from another university recognized

by Senate comparable to the qualifications indicated in

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this bye-law.

(2) The admission of applicants under paragraph (1) shall be

made conditional on the result of an interview conducted by an

interviewing board appointed for the purpose.

(3) Applicants in possession of the Diploma in Probation

Services or the Postgraduate Diploma in Probation Services may be

allowed to join Part Two of the course, if they have completed

successfully the Diploma or Postgraduate Diploma programmes

w i t h a m i n i m u m a v e r a g e m a r k o f 5 0 % , p r o v i d e d t h a t su c h

applicants shall satisfy the Board of Studies that they have reached

the academic standard required to follow the course with profit.

The eligibility of such applicants shall be decided by the Board of

Studies following an interview conducted by an interviewing board

appointed for the purpose.

(4) The interviewing board appointed by the Board shall be

composed of at least three members.

(5) 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.

(6) When the number of places is so limited and the number of

eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available,

applicants will 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.

(7) For the purpose of selection, applicants whose

qualifications as stipulated in paragraphs (1) to (3) of this bye-law

were obtained by 31 August preceding the commencement of the

course shall be considered first.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study.

The programme of study shall consist of two parts, namely

(a) Part One which shall comprise a number of taught

study-units to which 60 credits are assigned; and

(b) Part Two consisting of research work and the writing

of a dissertation to which 30 credits are assigned.

Students who obtain a total of 30 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

com plete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Certificate.

DEGREE OF MASTER IN PROBATION SERVICES

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY

FOR SOCIAL WELLBEING

Students who obtain the 60 credits assigned to the taught

study-units covered in Part One of the course, 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 the Postgraduate Diploma.

The programme of study shall be published after approval

by Senate, normally not less than eight months prior to the

commencement of the course.

(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 in any academic year fail in the assessment

of not more than 20 credits for taught study-units 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) or students who after re-assessment

fail to obtain credits for any study-unit, shall be deemed to have

failed the course.

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of not more than 25,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board of Studies.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken 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.

(3) The provisional title of the dissertation and a research

proposal outlining the proposed project and the main questions to

be addressed shall be submitted to the Board of Studies for

approval.

(1) Students shall be required to have regular contact with

their supervisor.

(2) Supervisors shall submit to the Board of Studies progress

reports for each student under their supervision at the end of each

semester of studies. 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 Principal

Regulations; 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.

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 components of the programme

of study, all credits being weighted equally.