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

DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.378

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

16th July, 2010

LEGAL NOTICE 350 of 2010, as amended by Legal Notices 38 of 2016,

291 of 2022 and 291 of 2024.

(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 for the Built Environment.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty for the Built

Environment;

"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.; and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards.

These bye-laws shall apply to courses commencing in

October 2015 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) The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of

a first cycle degree awarded by this University, or any other higher

education institution recognized for this purpose, in an area of

study deemed relevant by the Board and approved by Senate. The

degree which must be pegged at Level 6 on the Malta

Qualifications Framework, should comprise not less than 180

ECTS credits and should be classified at least at Second Class

Honours or Category II.

(2) Applicants in possession of a first cycle degree classified

with Third Class Honours or Category III may also be allowed to

join the Course,

provided that they are first admitted into a Preparatory

Programme and they shall become eligible to join the Master ’s

course on successful completion of the Preparatory Programme, if

an average mark of at least 55% is obtained.

(3) Applicants may be asked to demonstrate competence in

those skills required by the nature of the proposed research via an

extended interview and the submission of appropriate

documentation, provided that where deficiencies are identified

applicants shall be required to take specific study-units intended to

compensate for the deficit.

DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

(4) Applicants whose first degree was obtained more than 10 years

previous to their application for the Course may also be admitted,

provided that they provide sufficient proof of their competence to follow

the Course with profit. The Board may, at its discretion, require such

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

(1) Applicants may be required to complete a preparatory

programme, comprising not less than 30 and not more than 60

credits as directed by the Board, depending on the number of

credits already obtained in their course of study, with an overall

average mark of 55% or better, prior to their registration as regular

students on the course.

(2) Preparatory programmes of study shall also be governed by

the Principal Regulations.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

studies or the equivalent in part-time studies.

The programme of study shall consist of study-units to which a

total of 90 credits shall be assigned, of which not more than 10 credits

shall be assigned to taught study-units and not less than 80 credits are

assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

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) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of approximately 45,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board.

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

during the course after approval of the research proposal. Each

student shall be assigned a supervisor who shall provide guidance

and advice on a regular basis during the period of study.

(3) The provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed

research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval at

the time of application.

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

each student normally composed of three members as follows

Head of Department as Chairman, or his or her delegate, and two

other members, one of whom being the research supervisor,

provided that when the Head of Department is the supervisor, he or

she shall not chair the Panel.

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

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

least twice a year to review such progress.

(3) 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.

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

required to submit to the Panel of Supervision reports for the

students under their supervision. Students shall seek approval from

the Panel for any substantial modification in the title or content of

DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

the dissertation. The dissertation may not normally be submitted

for examination without the approval of the supervisor.

(5) The Panel of Supervision shall periodically inform the

Board, in writing, on the general performance of each student. Such

advice 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 (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.

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification 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.