BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN COUNSELLING - M. Couns. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.330

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN

COUNSELLING - M. Couns. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR

SOCIAL WELLBEING

12th November, 2010

LEGAL NOTICE 482 of 2010, as amended by Legal Notices 394 of 2012,

377 of 2014, 187 of 2016 54 of 2017, 10 of 2020 and 288 of 2024.

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

Degree of Master in Counselling - M.Couns. - 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 on the recommendation of the Board;

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

of Master in Counselling - M.Couns.;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master in Counselling -

M.Couns.;

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Counselling Studies - P.G.Dip. (Couns. Stud.); and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards;

These bye-laws shall apply to for courses commencing in

October 2020 or later.

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

a Bachelor ’s degree with at least Second Class Honours or

Category II in one of the human and, or social sciences, or an area

of study deemed relevant by the Board, together with a minimum of

one year ’s experience working directly in a formal human or

psychosocial setting.

(2) Applicants in possession of a Bachelor’s degree classified

at Third Class Honours or Category III may be admitted to the

Course if they are in possession of other qualifications deemed

relevant by the Board and a minimum of one year’s experience

working directly in a formal human or psycho-social setting. The

admission of such applicants may be made subject to those

conditions that the Board may impose to address any lacunae in the

applicants’ academic preparation.

(3)

All applicants shall be required to demonstrate that they

have the necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the course

with profit.

(4)

(a) Professional aptitude and disposition shall be

measured by means of exercises involving an extended

personal interview and personality test.

(b) Applicants who obtain less than 60% for the

professional aptitude and the disposition criterion shall

automatically not be admitted into the course.

(5) Senate, on the recommendation of the Board, shall

determine the number of applicants that may be allowed to register

for the course, depending on the availability of resources. The

number of available places shall be announced at the time of the

call for applications.

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

applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants shall

be selected according to the following criteria, which shall be

weighted as follows

(a) degree type and classification – 30%;

(b) experience in areas related to counselling – 15%;

(c) postgraduate qualifications in a relevant area – 5% and

(d) professional aptitude and disposition – 50%.

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

composed of at least three members.

(8) For the purpose of selection, applicants whose

qualifications as stipulated in paragraph (1) of this bye-law were

obtained by 31 August preceding the commencement of the course

shall be considered first.

The course shall extend over four semesters of full-time

studies or the equivalent in part-time studies.

(1) The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 120 credits are assigned, of which 90 credits are

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

dissertation study-unit.

(2) Students who obtain 60 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 Diploma.

(3) Throughout the Course, students are required to complete 50

hours of personal counselling with a counsellor of their choice from an

approved list.

(4) The programme of study 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 four taught study-units in the case of the full-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 study-units

permitted under paragraph (2), or students who after re-assessment

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

failed the course.

(4) Students must maintain a good level of performance in the

study-unit/s involving the supervised practicum for which the

minimum pass mark shall be grade C - 55%.

(5) Students who fail to pass in the supervised practicum shall

not have the right to a supplementary assessment in the same

academic year but shall be required to re-do the practicum during

an additional year of studies. Such an additional year shall not be

counted for the purpose of course duration.

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of between a minimum of 18,000 and a maximum of 20,000

words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board of Studies.

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

third and fourth semesters 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 of Studies for

approval by not later than the end of the third semester.

(4) Students are required to familarise themseleves with, and

adhere to the instructions and guidelines as set out in the Dissertation

Handbook provided by the Department of Counselling and approved by

the Board.

(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, whether the student is following the Course on

a full-time or a part-time basis. 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 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 or Principal

Regulations; and

(ii) the Board may not terminate the studies prematurely

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

second 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-time nature of the course.