BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.482

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER

OF ARTS - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

31st January, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE 38 of 2014, as amended by Legal Notice 174.

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

Degree of Master of Arts - M.A. - offered under the auspices of the

School of Performing Arts.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the School of Performing Arts;

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

Degree of Master of Arts - M.A.;

"the Degree" means the Degree of Master of Arts - M.A.;

"the Postgraduate Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in

the relevant area of study; and

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate awards.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2017 or later.

(1) The course shall be offered in areas of study that fall

within the academic responsibility of the Board and shall be

announced together with the mode of study before the beginning of

each course and after approval by Senate.

(2) Applicants shall be required to indicate their choice of area

and mode of study at the time of application.

(3) The course may be offered either on a mainly taught or

mainly research basis in accordance with the provisions of the

Principal Regulations. The Board shall indicate which areas of

study may be taken by research only and which by taught and

research study-units before the commencement of each course. It

shall also indicate the areas of study offered in full-time and part-

time courses.

(1) Subject to the conditions laid down in bye-law 5, the

course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the

following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor’s degree obtained with Second Class

Honours or better in the same area or in a closely

related area of study as the area of study applied for;

or

(b) a Bachelor’s degree in the same area or in a closely

related area of study as that applied for, with an

average mark of not less than 65% in that area of

study; or

(c) a degree from the University of Malta or another

university, which the Board considers as comparable

to any of the degrees indicated in paragraph (1)(a) and

(b) of this bye-law; or

(d) a professional qualification/qualifications and/or

experience deemed by the Board, to satisfy in part, the

admission requirements for a taught postgraduate

course, provided that applicants may be required to

complete a preparatory programme as specified in bye-

law 6.

(2) All applicants who are not in possession of a first degree in

Dance shall be interviewed and/or auditioned by a board composed

of at least three members. Applicants shall be asked to provide

evidence of their professional experience in dance by way of

writing sample, performance documentation and video. Candidates

unable to attend the interview and dance audition in person may

arrange to complete the process through electronic means of

communication.

Applicants wishing to apply for the Degree mainly by

research, shall indicate the provisional title for the dissertation on

their application for admission. The application shall include a

research proposal as well as a statement by the head of department

concerned that applicants possess the training, knowledge and

capabilities required for the proposed line of study and research.

(1) Applicants applying in terms of bye-law 4(b), (c) and

(d) may be required to follow a preparatory programme as specified

by the Board. The preparatory programme shall include study-units

in the area of study concerned, and may include also study-units

which are intended to train students in the competencies required to

conduct research work.

(2) During the preparatory programme students shall be

required to register for a number of study-units for which a total of

not less than 30 ECTs credits and not more than 60 ECTs credits are

assigned.

(3) Students shall be required to successfully complete the

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

better prior to their registration for the course.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study or its equivalent in part-time study.

8.(1) (a) Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise

taught study-units to which a total of 60 ECTs credits

are assigned and a dissertation study-unit to which 30

ECTs credits are assigned.

(b) Students who obtain the 60 ECTs 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 in the relevant area of study.

(2) Mainly research programmes of study shall comprise taught

s t u d y - u n i t s t o w h i c h 1 0 E C Ts c r e d i t s a r e a s s i g n e d a n d a

dissertation study-unit to which 80 ECTs credits are assigned.

Programmes 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 following the mainly taught programme of study

who in any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than

20 ECTs credits, if following the course on a full-time basis, or not

more than 10 ECTs credits if following the course on a part-time

basis, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed study-units

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 following the mainly research programme of study

who in any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than

10 credits, if following the course on a full-time basis or on a part-

time basis, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed study-

units during the September supplementary examination session.

(1) In mainly taught programmes of study, students shall

be required to submit a dissertation of approximately 20,000 words

in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2) Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken primarily

during the third semester of the course. students shall be assigned a

supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular

basis during the period of study.

(3) Students following the mainly taught programme must

submit a provisional title for the dissertation and a detailed

research proposal to the Board for approval not later than six weeks

before the end of the second semester.

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

shall be required to

(a) submit a dissertation of up to a maximum of 50,000

words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the

Board; or

(b) submit a presentation of artistic practice supported by

a dissertation of a maximum of 30,000 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 proposal. students 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 re-submitted to the Board for approval

after completing the compulsory study-units.

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

contact with their supervisor.

(2) For students following the mainly taught programme,

supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports for each

student under their supervision as applicable.

(3) For students following the programme by research,

supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports about the

students 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.

(4) The reports required in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this bye-

law 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 the Degree shall be

b a s e d o n t h e r e s u l ts ob t a i n e d i n a l l t h e c o m po n e n t s o f t he

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.