BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY

OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.353

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER

OF SCIENCE IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY

OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY

30th October, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 306 of 2009, as amended by Legal Notices 488 of 2012

and 120 of 2014.

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

Degree of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences under the

auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Medicine and

Surgery;

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

of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Science in

Biomedical Sciences;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Biomedical Sciences; and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards.

These bye-laws shall be applicable from 24th January

onwards.

The course shall be offered in any one of the following

areas of study

Blood Transfusion Science, Haematology, Molecular

Biology

and

Genetics,

Microbiology,

and

Neuroscience, or in any other area of study which the

Board deems to be relevant, after approval by Senate.

The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of

applicants that may be allowed to register for each area of study

offered in the course, depending on the availability of resources.

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

the call for applications.

If there are more eligible applicants than the number of

places available, applicants shall be selected after an interview by

an interviewing board appointed by the Board and which shall be

composed of at least three members. The interviewing board shall

take into consideration the following criteria as indicated below

(a) degree type and class/category;

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(b) experience in the area of the proposed study; and

(c) performance during the interview.

(1)

The course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) a degree in Medicine and Surgery; or

(b) the degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery; or

(c) the degree of Master of Dental Surgery awarded from

July 2018 onwards; or

(d) any other degree in an area of study which the Board

deems to be relevant, with at least second Class

Honours, including the degrees of Bachelor of Science

of the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Health

Sciences; the degree of Bachelor of Pharmacy; the

degree of Bachelor of Science (Pharmaceutical

Science); and the degree of Bachelor of Psychology.

(2) The Board may provide for the admission of applicants,

who are in possession of a degree, and do not satisfy the entry

requirements as laid down in paragraph (1), provided that they have

other qualifications and relevant experience, and successfully

complete a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 7.

(1) The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units

to which 30 credits shall be assigned, and shall also be governed by

the Principal Regulations.

(2) Students shall be required to successfully complete the

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

better, prior to their registration in the course.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

studies or the equivalent in part-time studies.

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 90 credits shall be assigned.

The programme of study for any area of study offered in

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

(1) Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise

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

dissertation study-unit to which 30 credits are assigned.

(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 a

Postgraduate Diploma.

Mainly research programmes of study shall comprise

taught study-units to which a maximum of 30 credits are assigned

and research study-units to which 60 credits or more are assigned.

The programmes of study shall be published after approval

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

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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) Study-units shall be examined by a Board of Examiners

composed of three academic members, including the co-ordinator

of the study-unit.

(3) Students who in any academic year fail in the assessment

of not more than 20 credits, if following the full-time course, or not

more than 10 credits, if following the part-time course, shall be

given the opportunity to re-sit the failed assessment during the

September supplementary examination session.

(4) Students who fail more than the number of credits

permitted under paragraph (3), or students who after re-assessment

fail to obtain credits 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 a dissertation in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) 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 for approval, by

the beginning of the second semester.

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

shall be required to submit a dissertation in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board.

(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.

(1) In all cases, students shall be required to have regular

contact with their supervisor.

(2) Supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports for

each full-time student under their supervision at the end of each

semester of studies, or at the end of the academic year, if the

student follows the course on 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

this to be proper in the circumstances, provided that

(i)

the extension of the study period referred to in

paragraph (a) shall be in accordance with the

provisions of the Principal Regulations; and

(ii) the Board may not terminate studies prematurely

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according to paragraph (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-time nature of the course.