BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DISABILITY STUDIES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR SOCIAL

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.444

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

IN DISABILITY STUDIES - M.A. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY FOR SOCIAL

WELLBEING

29th January, 2013

LEGAL NOTICE 47 of 2013, as amended by Legal Notice 371 of 2013,

288 of 2017 and 237 of 2019.

(1) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws for the

degree of Master of Arts in Disability Studies - M.A. - 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 Course” means the programme of study leading to the

degree of Master of Arts in Disability Studies – M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Disability

Studies – M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Disability Studies – P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Disability Studies – P.G. Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

These bye-laws shall apply for courses commencing in

October 2020 or later.

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

the following qualifications

(a) any first cycle degree classified with at least Category

II or Second Class Honours; or

(b) a Diploma in Health Science from this University in any of

the following areas of study: Occupational Therapy,

Physiotherapy, Nursing, Podiatry, or in any other area

deemed relevant by the Board, together with a minimum of

five years of relevant work experience; or

(c) a professional qualification deemed by Senate to be

comparable to the qualification indicated in sub-

paragraph (b) of this bye-law, together with a

minimum of five years of relevant work experience,

provided that applicants admitted under sub-paragraphs (b)

and (c) of this bye-law shall have successfully sat for an

interview, during which they shall be required to provide

written and employer-corroborated evidence of clinical

practice and other relevant qualifications obtained

following completion of the diploma course; and provided

that they shall have successfully completed the preparatory

programme as specified in bye-law 4.”

(2) All applicants shall be required to demonstrate that they

have the necessary aptitude and disposition to follow the course

with profit.

(3) Professional aptitude and disposition shall be measured by

means of a personal interview conducted by a board appointed for

the purpose.

(4) 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.

(5) 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) qualification type and classification - 45%;

(b) experience in the area of the proposed study - 15%;

and

(c) professional aptitude and disposition - 40%.

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

composed of at least three members.

Applicants admitted under bye-law 3(1)(b) and (c) shall be

required to complete a preparatory programme, comprising 35

credits as directed by the Board, prior to their registration as

regular students on the course. Only those applicants who obtain an

average of 65% or better in the preparatory programme shall be

considered for admission to the course under bye-law 3(1)(b) and

(c).

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 assigned to a

dissertation study-unit.

Students who obtain a total of 30 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 Certificate.

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, 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 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.

(4) Students shall be allowed to proceed to the dissertation study-

unit subject to obtaining the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the taught

study-units with a minimum average mark of 65%.

(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 not

later than six weeks before the end of the second semester.

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

their supervisor.

(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 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 Postgraduate Diploma and of the Degree shall

be based on the results obtained in all the components of the course

programme, 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

relevant Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the

course.