BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - Ph.D. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES *

DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - Ph.D. - UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.487

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR

OF PHILOSOPHY - Ph.D. - UNDER THE AUSPICES

OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES *

11th April, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE 129 of 2014.

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

Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D. - under the auspices of the

Institute of Digital Games.

(2)

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

"the Board" means the Board of the Institute of Digital Games;

"the Institute" means the Institute of Digital Games;

"the Degree" means the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - Ph.D.;

and

"the Principal Regulations" means the Doctor of Philosophy -

Ph.D. - Degree Regulations.

These bye-laws shall be applicable from 1 October 2013

onwards.

(1) Applicants for the Degree offered by the Institute shall

be in possession of one of the following degrees: a Master’s degree,

or a Bachelor Honours degree obtained with a First Class

classification, in an area of study which is deemed as appropriate

by the Board. Key areas include: game analysis, game design and

game technology.

(2) The Board may also consider applications from applicants

with qualifications at Master’s level or higher in another discipline

and who possess experience or knowledge which, in the opinion of

the Board, will enable them to pursue doctoral studies successfully.

(3) When the Board deems it necessary, it may require students

to successfully complete a number of study-units during the course

of their study, under those conditions that it may impose, after

approval by Senate.

(1) Applicants may submit their application form, together

with a detailed Curriculum Vitae including 3 reference letters,

transcripts of qualifications, and a comprehensive research

proposal outlining the proposed project, at any time of the year.

(2) Applicants may also be asked to demonstrate competence

in skills required by the nature of the proposed research.

*These regulations have been repealed by Legal Notice 294 of 2024.

DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - Ph.D. - UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

The Board shall recommend to Senate the appointment of

an Institute Doctoral Committee composed as follows

(a) the Director of the Institute or delegate (Chairman)

(b) two

academic

members

possessing

doctoral

qualifications who are members of the Institute.

Students are required to spend a total of at least two

months per semester at the University of Malta campus, provided

that students may be allowed by the Board to spend a maximum of

6 months abroad if this is required by the nature of their research.

Students shall only be allowed to proceed with their studies

subject to satisfactory progress reports from their Principal

Supervisor. If the reports are negative, the Board shall make

recommendations to Senate on the student’s continuing registration

for the Degree.

(1) The Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for

each student, normally composed of three members as follows: the

Director as chairman, and two other members, one of whom being

the Principal Supervisor, provided that when the Director is the

Principal Supervisor, he shall not be appointed Chairman.

(2) The Panel of Supervision shall follow, as it deems fit, the

progress of students through the course, provided that it meets at

least once every six months to review such progress.

(3) Students shall be required to report to their Principal

Supervisor at least once every two months and, in addition, as often

as the Principal Supervisor deems necessary.

(4) Principal supervisors shall submit to the Panel of

Supervision progress reports every June for each student under

their supervision. Such reports may include recommendations to

either (a) modify the title and/or content of the thesis; (b) extend

the period of study in order to enable the student to complete the

thesis; or (c) terminate studies prematurely if the Principal

Supervisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances, provided

that

(i)

the extension of the study period referred to in (b)

shall be in accordance with the provisions of the

Principal Regulations; and

(ii) the Board may not terminate studies prematurely

according to (c) until it has first given the student a

chance to be heard.

(1) After twelve months and not later than twenty-four

months of full-time study, students are required to submit a report

on their research work for consideration by an ad hoc board

appointed by the Board. The ad hoc board shall be composed of a

chairman, who shall be the Director of the Institute or his delegate,

and two examiners, one of whom shall be the Principal Supervisor

and the other a member of the Institute as long as the Director is not

the Supervisor. In that case, another member shall act as a

Chairman.

(2)

The ad hoc board shall examine the student orally and shall

DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - Ph.D. - UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL GAMES

submit a written report for consideration by the Institute’s Doctoral

Committee in the first instance. The report shall contain

recommendations according to the provisions of the Principal

Regulations.

Students registered at the Institute may be required to

participate in the Institute’s research and teaching programmes.

Six months before the submission deadline, students shall

be informed that they are required to inform the Institute that they

will be submitting their thesis for examination not less than three

months before the submission deadline.

The Board shall recommend to Senate the appointment of a

Board of Examiners in accordance with the Principal Regulations.

The Board shall approve and publish guidelines on the

format and presentation of the thesis for the Degree.

(1) Students shall be required to submit a soft-bound copy

of their thesis for each member of the Board of Examiners, together

with a copy in digital format. The officer in charge of the Institute

shall issue a dated receipt.

(2) On successful completion of their studies, students shall be

required to submit to the Institute three hard-bound copies of the

thesis and one copy in digital format within six weeks from the

publication of their result. One copy of the thesis shall be kept in

the Library of the Institute and another at the University Library.

Students who do not comply with this bye-law shall not be awarded

the Degree.