BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. -

GUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CEN-

TRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.532

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH

TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. -

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR

ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

19th January, 2016

LEGAL NOTICE 22 of 2016, as amended by Legal Notices 298 of 2016,

62 of 2018, 431 of 2021 and 6 of 2025.

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

degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Teaching

English to Speakers of Other Languages - M.A. - under the

auspices of the Centre for Academic Literacies and English

Communication Skills.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Centre for Academic

Literacies and English Communication Skills;

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

degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Teaching

English to Speakers of Other Languages - M.A.;

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

Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages -

M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to

Speakers of Other Languages - P.G. Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other

Languages - 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 2018 or later.

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

one of the following qualifications

(a) a Bachelor’s degree in English from this University or

from a higher education institution recognised by

Senate, provided that they demonstrate, through

appropriate certification and references, that they have

undertaken at least 500 hours of teaching English or

GUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CEN-

TRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH

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are in possession of a Malta Qualifications Framework

Level 4 qualification in TESOL or higher; or

(b) a Bachelor’s degree from this University or from a

higher education institution recognised by Senate, in

an area of study deemed relevant by the Board,

provided that they are either in possession of a Malta

Qualifications Framework Level 4 qualification in

English or an IELTS 7 or equivalent and have

undertaken at least 1000 hours of teaching English or,

if they have no teaching experience, they will be

required to follow and successfully complete the

University of Malta Certificate in ELT; or

(c) a DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to

Adults) or Dip.TESOL (Diploma in Teaching English

to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification or

equivalent, including relevant teaching experience.

(2) Applicants for the course may be required to demonstrate

through an interview that they have sufficient proficiency and

background to be able to follow the course with profit. In certain

such instances the Board may recommend that applicants follow a

preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 4.

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

composed of at least three members.

(1) Applicants may be required to complete a preparatory

programme, comprising not less than 30 and not more than 60

ECTS credits as directed by the Board, with an overall average

mark of 55% or better, prior to their admission to the course.

(2) The Board may grant applicants full or partial exemption

from the requirement of the preparatory programme if it is satisfied

that the applicant possesses post first cycle degree work experience

that is relevant to the course.

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 taught study-

units to which a total of 60 ECTS credits are assigned and a

dissertation or project study-unit to which 30 ECTS credits are

assigned.

(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

c o m pl e te t he co ur s e , shal l be e l ig i bl e f o r th e aw a rd o f t he

Postgraduate Certificate.

(3) 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 the

GUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CEN-

TRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Postgraduate Diploma.

(4) In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge in particular

areas not covered in their qualifications, the Board may require students

admitted to the Course to follow and pass supplementary study-unit/s to

which not more than 12 ECTS credits are assigned in addition to the

programme of study specified in paragraph (1) of this bye-law.

(5) 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 course on a full-time basis, or not more than 10 ECTS

credits for taught study-units if following the Course part-time

basis, 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 the credits for any study-unit, shall be

deemed to have failed the course.

(4) When examining a dissertation/project, the Board of

Examiners shall follow the Marking Criteria and Descriptors as

approved by the Board.

(1) Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of approximately 25,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board. The Board may allow students to

submit a project instead of a dissertation, in which case the

provisions outlined hereunder shall also apply.

(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 for 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

the students under their supervision at the end of each semester of

study, whether the student is following the Course on a full-time or

a part-time basis. Such reports 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,

GUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CEN-

TRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

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 t s o b t a i n e d i n a l l t h e co m p o n e n t s of t h e

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.