BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DIPLOMATIC STUDIES - M.A. (Dip. St.) - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

- M.A. (Dip. St.) UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE MEDI-

TERRANEAN ACADEMY OF DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.42

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

ARTS IN DIPLOMATIC STUDIES - M.A. (Dip. St.) -

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

MEDITERRANEAN ACADEMY OF DIPLOMATIC

STUDIES

20th March, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE 84 of 2009, as amended by Legal Notices 481 of 2012

and 318 of 2015 and 134 of 2018.

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

Degree of Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies - M.A. (Dip. St.) -

under the auspices of the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic

Studies.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Mediterranean Academy of

Diplomatic Studies;

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

of Master of Arts in Diplomatic Studies - M.A. (Dip. St.);

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Arts in Diplomatic

Studies - M.A. (Dip. St.);

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Diplomatic Studies - P.G.Dip. (Dip. St.); and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2018 or later.

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

a Bachelor degree obtained with at least Second Class Honours or

Category II from the University of Malta or a degree recognized by

Senate as equivalent in any of the following fields: International

Relations, Law, History, Economics, Political Science, European

Studies and Diplomacy, or any other related disciplines as approved

by the University Admissions Board on the recommendation of the

Board

provided that applicants with a Bachelor degree obtained

with at least Category II shall be required to follow a preparatory

programme as specified in bye-law 4.”

(2) Applicants whose mother tongue is not English must be in

possession of a certificate of proficiency in English at the level required

by the University.

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

- M.A. (Dip. St.) UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE MEDI-

TERRANEAN ACADEMY OF DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

(1)The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units

to which not less than 30 credits and not more than 60 credits are

assigned, as directed by the Board.

(2) Students shall be required to successfully complete the

preparatory programme with an overall average mark of 55% or

better, prior to their registration as regular students on 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 the

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 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 20 credits for taught study-units, if following the

course full-time, or not more than 10 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) 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.

DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

- M.A. (Dip. St.) UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE MEDI-

TERRANEAN ACADEMY OF DIPLOMATIC STUDIES

(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 on a full-time

or a part-time basis. Such reports 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 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 Postgraduate Diploma and of the Degree shall

be based on the results obtained in all 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.