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

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.483

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER

OF MUSIC - M.Mus. - UNDER THE AUSPICES

OF THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS

31st January, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE 41 of 2014, as amended by Legal Notices 400 of 2018

and 289 of 2024.

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

Degree of Master of Music - M.Mus. - 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 Music - M.Mus.;

"the Degree" means the Degree of Master of Music -M.Mus.;

"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards; and

"the School" means the School of Performing Arts.

These bye-laws shall be applicable as from October 2018

onwards.

The course shall be offered in the following areas of

specialization

Composition,

Performance,

Musicology,

and

Ethnomusicology.

(1)

The course shall be open to applicants in possession of

(a) a Bachelor degree in Music Studies or in the areas of

specialization indicated in bye-law 3, from the

University of Malta, obtained with at least Second

Class Honours; or

(b) a Bachelor degree in Music Studies from the

University of Malta with at least Category II; or

(c) a qualification deemed by Senate, on the

recommendation of the Board, to be comparable to the

qualifications listed in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of

paragraph (1) of this bye-law.

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

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

conditional on the results of an audition/interview conducted for

the purpose, or the submission of essays/musical compositions.

(3)

Interviews, when necessary, shall be conducted by a board

composed of at least three members appointed for the purpose.

Applicants may submit their application form, together

with a comprehensive research proposal that includes the

compositional tools and techniques in the case of the Degree by

composition, and the analytical tools and performance practices in

the case of the Degree by performance, at any time of the year.

(1) Applicants admitted under bye-law 4(1)(a) who wish to

focus on an area of specialization different from that followed in

the Bachelor (Honours) Degree, but do not possess either the skills

or the knowledge to take up postgraduate studies in that area, shall

be required to follow a preparatory programme, comprising not less

than 30 ECTs credits as directed by the Board, and to obtain an

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

regular students in the course.

(2) Applicants admitted under sub-paragraphs (b) and, if

necessary, (c) of bye-law 4(1) may be required to complete a

preparatory programme, comprising not less than 30 ECTs credits

as directed by the Board, and to obtain an overall average mark of

55% or better, prior to their registration as regular students in the

course.

(3) In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge in

particular areas not covered in their first degree, the Board may

r e q u ir e st u den t s a dm i t te d t o t he c o u r s e to fo l lo w a nd p a s s

supplementary study-unit/s in the particular area to which a

maximum of 12 ECTs credits are assigned, in addition to the

programme of study specified in bye-law 8.

(4) The Board may grant students full or partial exemption

from the requirement of the preparatory programme if it is

satisfied, following an interview, that the student has reached the

required standard for direct entry to the course.

The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study or six semesters of part-time study.

The programme of study shall comprise study-units to

which a total of 90 ECTs credits shall be assigned, of which 10

ECTs credits shall be assigned to taught study-units relevant to the

area of specialization chosen.

(1) Not less than three months before the intended date of

submission, students following the area of specialization in

c o m p o s i t i o n a n d p e r f o r m a n c e s ha l l ap p l y t o th e B oa r d f o r

p e r m is s i o n to p r e s e n t th e po r tf ol i o of c om p osi t io n/ s a nd a

dissertation in case of the former, or programme notes and a

dissertation in case of the latter. Before giving permission, the

Board shall consult the students’ supervisor and shall ascertain that

the period of study conforms with that stipulated in the Principal

Regulations.

(2) When submitting a portfolio of composition/s students

shall include a signed declaration that the entire portfolio is their

own personal work and that it has been done after their registration

for the Degree.

(3)

The dissertation must on no account have already been

submitted for any qualification elsewhere, and must not have been

published independently by the student, entirely or substantially.

(1) In the area of specialisation of composition, the portfolio

of compositions and supporting dissertation for the Degree shall be

examined by a Board of Examiners appointed for the purpose by Senate,

on the recommendation of the Board in terms of the Principal

Regulations. The portfolio of compositions, which must total between

30 and 40 minutes in duration, and the dissertation shall be assigned 80

ECTS credits.

(2) Students in the course by composition shall also sit for a

viva voce examination focusing on their composition portfolio and

dissertation.

(3) After examining the portfolio of compositions, the

dissertation and conducting the viva voce examination, the Board

of Examiners may refer the portfolio and/or dissertation back to the

student for revisions which are to be completed by a time as

specified by the Board, which period shall not normally be longer

than six months.

(4) After the student has completed the required revisions, s/he

shall apply to the Board for permission to resubmit the revised

portfolio and/or dissertation for re-examination.

(5) On the basis of a second viva voce examination and the

revised portfolio and/or dissertation, the Board of Examiners shall

submit a final report to the Registrar recommending the award or

withholding of the Degree.

(6) If no revisions are required, the Board of Examiners shall

submit a final report to the Registrar recommending the award of

the Degree.

(7) In the area of specialisation of composition, a student who

fails to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the viva voce examination

may, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners and with the

permission of the Board, be re-examined orally within a period of

six months. such permission shall be granted once only.

(1) In the area of specialisation of performance, the

dissertation and programme notes must be examined and re-

submitted with amendments, if necessary, before the actual final

performance takes place. The viva voce examination shall focus on

both the programme notes and the dissertation.

(2) Following the viva voce examination, the Board of

Examiners may refer the dissertation and the programme notes

back to the student for amendments.

(3) In the area of specialisation of performance, if a student

does not show a complete mastery of technique and interpretative

skill s, the Bo ar d of E xam iners may request a r epeat of the

performance after a time decided upon by the Board of Examiners.

There shall only be a single repeat performance for the purpose of

examination.

For the Degree by composition, the student shall be required to

submit the copies of the original portfolio of works on regular A3 music

sheets with all works soft-bound as a unit. The dissertation shall be in

the standard document format and shall be of not less than 10,000 words

in length, exclusive of notes, bibliography, and appendices. In

computing the mark obtained in the assessment of the deliverables by

the student, the dissertation shall have a weighting of 25%, while the

portfolio of works shall have a weighting of 75%.

For the Degree by performance, the student shall be required to

submit the programme notes and a dissertation that shall be in the

standard document format and shall be of not less than 10,000 words in

length, exclusive of notes, bibliography, and appendices. In computing

the mark obtained in the assessment of the deliverables by the student,

the dissertation shall have a weighting of 25%, while the portfolio of

works shall have a weighting of 75%. n

For the Degree by research in musicology/ethnomusicology,

the student shall be required to submit a dissertation that shall be in the

standard document format and shall be of not less than 30,000 and not

more than 40,000 words in length, exclusive of notes, bibliography and

appendices.

Students shall submit copies of their work for all members

of the Board of Examiners to the Head of the Music Department for

forwarding to the Board of Examiners.

After the portfolio, programme notes and dissertation are

approved, the student shall submit them in hard-bound form within

not more than six weeks from the publication of the result.

Any expenses related to the performance, dissertation and

portfolio of compositions are to be borne by the student.

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

contact with their supervisor.

(2) 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.

(3) The reports required according to paragraph (2) 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

project; 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 Degree shall be awarded to students who satisfy all the

criteria in any one of the following areas of specialisation

(a) by composition: successfully pass the taught study-

units for which 10 ECTs credits are assigned, present a

dissertation and a portfolio of new and original

compositions followed by a successful viva voce

examination for which 80 ECTs credits are assigned;

or

(b) by performance: successfully pass the taught study-

units for which 10 ECTs credits are assigned, present a

dissertation, and programme notes followed by a

successful viva voce for which 20 ECTs credits are

assigned, perform three public recitals for each of

which 20 ECTs credits are assigned. The recitals shall

be assessed by at least three members of the Board of

Examiners. They shall use standard criteria and shall

assign a mark and grade which shall contribute

towards the final result. The final recital shall be

recorded; or

(c) by musicology/ethnomusicology: successfully pass

the taught study-units for which a total of 10 ECTs

credits are assigned and present a dissertation

containing an original and significant contribution to

knowledge, followed by a successful viva voce

examination, for which 80 ECTs credits are assigned.

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, and shall be

weighted as follows

Composition

Taught study-units: 10% of the global mark; portfolio of

compositions and dissertation: 90% of the global mark.

Performance

Taught study-units: 10% of the global mark; programme

notes and dissertation: 20% of the global mark; three

recitals, of equal weighting and totaling 70% of the global

mark.

Musicology/Ethnomusicology

Taught study-units: 10% of the global mark and dissertation

study-unit: 90% of the global mark.

The provisions of the foregoing bye-laws shall apply

mutatis mutandis to studies 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.