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

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.344

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

19th January, 2016

LEGAL NOTICE 25 of 2016, as amended by Legal Notices 160 and 334

of 2016, 112 of 2018, 281 of 2018 53 of 2019, 274 of 2020, 46, 157 and 278

of 2022.

(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 Information and Communication Technology.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Information and

Communication Technology;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies appointed by

Senate for the Course/area of study, on the recommendation of the

Board;

“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 Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Information and Communication Technology - P.G.

Cert.; and

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Information and Communication Technology - 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 2020 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) For programmes of study structured as detailed in bye-

law 7 and in paragraph (a) of bye-law 8, applicants shall be in

possession of

(a) a Bachelor degree pegged at Level 6 on the Malta

Qualifications Framework and obtained with at least

Second Class (Honours) or Category II in ICT or an

area with a strong ICT component, or in Engineering;

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

provided that for the areas of Signal Processing and

Machine Learning, or Data Science, applicants may be

allowed to present a degree in an area of study deemed

suitable by the Board; or

(b) a Bachelor degree pegged at Level 6 on the Malta

Qualifications Framework classified with Third Class

Honours or Category III in the areas outlined in

paragraph (a) above, provided that such applicants

shall satisfy the Board of Studies that they are in

possession of other qualifications, or relevant work

experience, obtained following their first cycle degree.

The Board of Studies may recommend to the Faculty

Admissions Committee that the admission of such

applicants may be made conditional on the results of

an interview conducted for the purpose; or

(c) any other Honours degree obtained with at least Second

Class Honours, provided that applicants would have

successfully completed at least three individual study-units

as directed by the Board, prior to being admitted to the

Course.

(2) For programmes of study structured as detailed in

paragraph (b) of bye-law 8, applicants shall be in possession of one

of the following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor degree with a strong ICT component

obtained with at least Second Class Honours and

comprising 240 ECTS credits; or

(b) a Bachelor degree with a strong ICT component

obtained with at least Second Class Honours and

comprising 180 ECTS credits, together with a

Postgraduate Diploma in an ICT related discipline; or

(c) the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) -

B.Eng.(Hons) - with at least Second Class Honours in

an ICT related area of study.

(3) The admission of applicants under sub-paragraph (f) of

paragraph (1) of this bye-law and of applicants under paragraph (2)

of this bye-law may be made conditional on the results of an

interview conducted for the purpose.

(4) Interviews, when necessary, shall be conducted by a board

composed of at least three members.

(5) Eligible applicants may register as visiting students for

individual study-units and obtain credit for them. Subject to approval by

the Board, credits awarded for any such study-units may be transferred

to the Course, provided that not more than seven years have elapsed

from the successful completion of the study-unit. When credit for more

than one study-unit is being transferred to the Course, then the seven

years shall commence from the date of the last credit awarded.

(1)

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

time study or the equivalent in part-time study.

(2) The course may include a summer period as specified in

the programme of study.

(1) The programme of study for any area of study offered

in the course may be either mainly taught or mainly by research,

and shall comprise study-units to which as total of 90 ECTS credits

shall be assigned.

(2) Students who obtain 30 ECTS credits for 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.

(3) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits for 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.

Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise taught

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

dissertation study-unit to which 30 ECTS credits are assigned.

Programmes of study mainly by research shall be of two

types and shall comprise either

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

assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 60

ECTS credits are assigned; or

(b) taught study-unit/s to which 10 ECTS credits are assigned

and a dissertation study-unit to which 80 ECTS credits are

assigned.

In cases where an applicant lacks essential knowledge in

particular areas not covered in his/her first degree, the Board, on

the recommendation of the Board of Studies, may require the

applicant to follow and pass supplementary study-units at level 4 or

lower to which not more than 12 ECTS credits are assigned.

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 held

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 ECTS credits, if following the course full-time,

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

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) 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.

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, structured as

detailed in paragraph (1) of bye-law 7, students shall be required to

submit an individual dissertation (30 ECTS credits) of not more

than 20,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the

Board of Studies. 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 of Studies for

approval before the end of the second semester.

(4) Students shall seek approval from the Board of Studies

through their supervisor for any substantial modifications in the

title or content of the dissertation.

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

their supervisor, who shall submit to the Board of Studies progress

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

semester of studies, whether the student is following the course on

a full-time or part-time basis.

(6) Reports submitted by supervisors may include

recommendations to (a) either 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.

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

as detailed in paragraph (a) of bye-law 8, students shall be required

to submit an individual dissertation (60 ECTS credits) of

approximately 32,000 words in accordance with the guidelines

issued by the Board of Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy

the Board as regards content and presentation.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall 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 of Studies for

approval before the end of the first semester. Each student will be

assigned a supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a

regular basis during the period of study.

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

detailed in paragraph (b) of bye-law 8, students shall be required to

submit an individual dissertation (80 ECTS credits) of a maximum of

AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

35,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

The dissertation must also satisfy the Board as regards content and

presentation.

(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.

(1) 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.

(2) Work on the dissertation may be undertaken at any time

during the course after approval of the proposal.

(1) For programmes of study by research as defined in bye-

law 8, students shall be required to report to their supervisor at

least once every two months, and in addition as often as the

supervisor deems necessary.

(2) At the end of each semester of studies, supervisors shall be

required to submit to the Board of Studies reports regarding the

students under their supervision. Students shall seek approval from

the Board of Studies for any substantial modification in the title or

content of the dissertation.

(3) The Board of Studies shall periodically inform the Board, in

writing, on the general performance of each student. Such advice

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 the conditions specified

in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (6) of bye-law 12 shall

also apply in these cases.

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.

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.