BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.174

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE

17th April, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 123 of 2009, as amended by Legal Notice 484 of 2021.

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

Degree of Master of Science - M.Sc. - under the auspices of the

Faculty of Science.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Science;

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

degree of Master of Science – M.Sc.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Science - M.Sc.;

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Science – M.Sc.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in the relevant area of study – P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

the relevant area of study – P.G. Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2021.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2021 or later.

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

within the academic responsibility of the Board in which the

Faculty can offer advanced tuition, expert guidance and

supervision, subject to the availability of resources, after approval

by Senate.

(1) The course shall be open to applicants in possession of

one of the following qualifications

(a) the degree of Bachelor of Science with at least Second

Class Honours in an area of study deemed by the

Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and

obtained in the ten years previous to registration for

the course; or

(b) the Bachelor of Science with Third Class Honours in

an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to

the proposed area of study and obtained in the ten

years previous to registration for the course, provided

that the applicants have obtained other qualifications,

including relevant experience, following their first

cycle degree. The Board may, at its discretion, require

such applicants to follow a preparatory programme as

specified in bye-law 5.

(2) The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the

admission of applicants in possession of a Bachelor of Science with

at least Category II in an area of study deemed by the Board to be

relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years

previous to registration for the course, provided that the admission

of such applicants shall be made conditional on the result of an

interview and in such cases they shall be required to follow a

preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(3) The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the

admission of applicants with a first cycle degree deemed by the

Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in

the ten years previous to registration for the course, provided that

the admission of such applicants may be conditional on the result

of an interview and in such cases they may be required to follow a

preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(4) Applicants whose first degree was obtained more than ten

years previous to registration for the course may also be admitted

following an interview to ascertain their capability to follow the

course. The Board may, at its discretion, require such applicants to

follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(1) The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units

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

assigned and shall also be governed by the Principal Regulations.

(2) Students shall be required to successfully complete the

preparatory programme with an average mark of 55% or better

prior to their registration for the course.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study or the equivalent in part-time study.

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 90 credits are assigned.

The programme of study for any area of study offered in

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

Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise taught

study-units to which a total of 60 credits are assigned and 30

credits are assigned to a dissertation study-unit.

(1) Students who obtain a minimum 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

complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate

Certificate in the relevant area of study.

(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 the

Postgraduate Diploma in the relevant area of study.

Programmes of study mainly by research shall comprise

study-units to which 90 credits are assigned, of which not more

than 30 credits are assigned to taught study-units and not less than

60 credits are assigned to a dissertation study-unit.

(1) The programme of study for the Degree by research

shall be drawn up by the Board for each individual student on the

advice of the department concerned.

(2) The programme of study for the taught Degree shall be

published by the Board 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 two study-units, for taught study-units if following

the full-time course, or not more than one study-unit, if following

the part-time course, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the

failed study-units.

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

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

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

deemed to have failed the course.

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, 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.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the

third semester of the course. Each student shall be assigned a

principal supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a

regular basis during the period of study.

(3) Students shall be required to have regular contact with their

supervisor.

(4) A provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed

research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval by

the beginning of the second semester.

In mainly research programmes of study, students shall be

required to submit an individual dissertation of not more than

50,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the

Board.

A provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed

research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval at

the time of application.

Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken at any time

during the course after approval of the proposal. Each student shall

be assigned a principal supervisor who shall provide guidance and

advice on a regular basis during the period of study.

(1) The Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for

each student, normally composed of three members as follows: the

head of department as chairman, and two other members, one of

whom being the principal supervisor, provided that when the head

of department is the principal supervisor, he shall not be appointed

chairman.

(2) The Panel of Supervision shall follow, as it deems fit, the

progress of students through the course, provided that it meets at

least once every six months to review such progress.

(3) Students shall be required to report to their principal

supervisor at least once every two months, and in addition as often

as the principal supervisor deems necessary.

(4) Principal supervisors shall submit to the Panel of

Supervision progress reports for each student under their

supervision at the end of each semester of studies, whether the

students are following the course on a full-time or a part-time

basis. Such reports may include recommendations to either (a)

modify the title and/or content of the dissertation; (b) extend the

period of study in order to enable the student to complete the

dissertation; or (c) terminate studies prematurely if the principal

supervisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances, provided

that

(i)

the extension of the study period referred to in (b)

shall be in accordance with the provisions of the

Principal Regulations; and

(ii) the Board may not terminate studies prematurely

according to (c) until it has first given the student a

chance to be heard.

Following approval by the Board of Examiners, students

shall present three bound copies of the dissertation to the

department, one of which shall be retained in the University

Library, and one copy in digital form as an electronic file.

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Postgraduate Diploma and of the Degree shall

be based on the results obtained in all the components of the

programme of study, all credits being weighted equally.

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.