BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS,

MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.193

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

ARTS IN ECONOMICS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT

AND ACCOUNTANCY

20th March, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 76 of 2009, as amended by Legal Notice 28 of 2012.

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

Degree of Master of Arts in Economics under the auspices of the

Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Economics,

Management and Accountancy;

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

of Master of Arts in Economics;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Arts in Economics;

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Economics; and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2011 or later.

(1)

The course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Second Class

Honours in Economics or in related areas of study

which are deemed suitable by the Board; or

(b) a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Category II in

Economics or in related areas of study which are

deemed suitable by the Board; or

(c) a Bachelor degree classified with Third Class Honours

in Economics, provided that they have obtained other

qualifications,

including

relevant

experience,

following their first cycle degree.

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

made conditional on the result of an interview and in such cases

they shall be required to complete a preparatory programme as

specified in bye-law 4.

(1) The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units

to which not less than 30 credits are assigned.

(2) Students shall be required to successfully complete the

preparatory programme of study with an average mark of 55% or

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS,

MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

better prior to their registration for the course.

(3) The Board may grant students full or partial exemption

from the requirement of the Preparatory Programme if it is satisfied

that the students possess post-first cycle qualification work

experience that is relevant to 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. of which 60 credits are

assigned to taught study-units and 30 credits are assigned to a

dissertation study-unit.

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.

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 course shall have two modes, namely "On Campus

Tuition" and "Distance Tuition".

(2) The "On Campus Tuition" mode shall consist of lectures,

seminars, tutorials and supervision sessions.

(3) The "Distance Tuition" mode shall consist of tuition and

supervision by means or electronic communication and other means

or communication. The taught component shall be replaced by a

tutored component, with the same number or credits.

(4) A mentor shall be assigned for every student following the

course by the "Distance Tuition" mode and the student concerned is

expected to keep regular contact with his/her mentor. The role or

the mentor shall be to assist the lecturers or the individual study-

unit in delivering tuition, to guide the student under his/her charge

and to monitor the student’s progress.

(5) Students following the course by "Distance Tuition" mode

may be granted the possibility or sitting for the examinations at a

recognized educational institution, outside Maltese territory, if

ad eq uat e ar ra ng em ent s can b e ma de wi t h th e Off ice o f t he

Registrar.

(6) Students who intend to follow the course by "Distance

Tuition" are to indicate this in the application form.

(1) The assessment or 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 25 credits for taught study-units, if following the

full-time course, or not more than 16 credits if following the part-

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS,

MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

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) or students who after re-assessment

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

failed the course.

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of approximately 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

supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular

basis during the period of study.

(3) 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.

(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 full-time or

part-time. Such repol1s 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 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 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-lime nature of the course.