BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN BANKING, INVESTMENTS AND FINANCE

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.449

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

IN BANKING, INVESTMENTS AND FINANCE – M.A. –

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF

ECONOMICS, MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTANCY

30th April, 2013

LEGAL NOTICE 134 of 2013, as amended by Legal Notices 42 and 218

of 2014, 223 of 2019 and 241 of 2023.

(1)These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2023 in

terms of the General Regulations for University Postgraduate

Awards, 2021 for the degree of Master of Arts in Banking,

Investments and Finance – M.A. – under the auspices of the Faculty

of Economics, Management and Accountancy.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Economics,

Management and Accountancy;

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

Senate for the Course, on the recommendation of the Board;

“the Course” means the programme of study leading to the

degree of Master of Arts in Banking, Investments and Finance -

M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Banking,

Investments and Finance – M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Banking, Investments and Finance – P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Banking, Investments and Finance – P.G. Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2021.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2019 or later.

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

(a) a Bachelor degree in Banking and Finance from this

University, obtained with at least Second Class

Honours; or

(b) the degree of Bachelor of Commerce with Banking and

Finance as one of the two main areas of study,

obtained with at least Category II; or

(c) a degree with at least Second Class Honours or

Category II, in any other area deemed relevant by the

Board of Studies; or

(d) a qualification deemed by Senate, on the

recommendation of the Board, to be comparable to the

qualifications listed in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of

this bye-law;

provided that, in appropriate cases, the Board may require students

admitted to the Course to follow and pass supplementary study-units to

which a maximum of 12 ECTS credits are assigned in addition to the

programme of study specified in bye-law 6.

(2) The admission of applicants under sub-paragraphs (b) and,

if necessary, (c) and (d) of paragraph (1) of this bye-law may be

made conditional on the results of an interview conducted for the

purpose.

(3) The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of

applicants that may be allowed to register for the course, depending

on the availability of resources. The Board shall announce the

number of available places at the time of the call for applications.

(4) When the number of places is so limited and the number of

eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available,

applicants shall be selected using the following criteria, the

weighting of which shall be published at the time of the call for

applications

(a) degree type and classification;

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

(c) performance during an interview.

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

composed of at least three members appointed for the purpose.

(6) For the purpose of selection, applicants who fully satisfy

the entry requirements by 31st August preceding the

commencement of the course shall be considered first.

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) the degree of Bachelor of Commerce from this

University, in the same or in related areas of study as

one of the areas of study applied for, obtained with at

least Category II and with a minimum average mark of

65% in one of the two proposed areas of study in the

Degree; or

(b) the degree of Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from

this University, in the same or in related areas of study

as one of the areas of study applied for, obtained with

at least Second Class Honours. The Board may also

consider applicants in possession of the degree

obtained with Third Class Honours, provided that

applicants have obtained other qualifications,

including relevant work experience, following their

first cycle degree; or

(c) the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours) in

Business and IT from this University, obtained with at

least Second Class Honours; or

(d) the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business and

Computing from this University, obtained with at least

Category II and with a minimum average of 65% in the

Business area. The Board may also consider applicants

in possession of the degree obtained with Category III,

provided that applicants have obtained other

qualifications, including relevant work experience,

following their first cycle degree; or

(e) a first cycle degree from this University obtained with

at least Second Class Honours or Category II in an

area deemed appropriate by the Board. Applicants

shall be required to submit a portfolio covering at least

twelve months of relevant and related experiences.

Such applicants may also be required to attend an

interview to allow the Board to assess their suitability

to follow the Course with profit; or

(f)

a first cycle degree from any university that is equivalent

to the qualifications set out in paragraphs (a) to (e) of this

bye-law.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study or the equivalent in part-time study.

(1) The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 90 ECTS credits are assigned, of which 60 ECTS

credits are assigned to taught study-units and 30 ECTS credits are

assigned to the dissertation study-unit.

(2) Students who obtain 30 ECTS 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

com p let e th e cou rse , sh all be el ig ib le f or t he aw ard of th e

Postgraduate Certificate.

(3) Students who obtain the 60 ECTS 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 dissertation, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Diploma.

(4) The programme of study shall be published by the Board

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 ECTS credits for taught study-units, if following

the full-time course, or not more than 10 ECTS 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 fail in more than

one taught study-unit after having sat for all the assessments and

permitted re-assessments of all the taught study-units included in the

programme, shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of 20,000 words in accordance with the guidelines

issued by the Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the

final 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 for approval by

the date indicated by the Board of Studies.

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

their supervisor.

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

students under their supervision at the end of each semester of

studies. 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 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 the relevant 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.