BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THEGENERAL REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE AWARDS, 2008 FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.605

BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THEGENERAL

REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE

AWARDS, 2008 FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER IN

THEOLOGY – M.TH. –UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

6th November, 2018

LEGAL NOTICE 361 of 2018, as amended by Legal Notices 173 of 2021

and 259 of 2024.

(1)

These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws in

terms of the General Regulations for University Postgraduate

Awards, 2008 for the degree of Master in Theology - M.Th. - under

the auspices of the Faculty of Theology.

(2)

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

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Theology;

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

degree of Master in Theology - M.Th.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master in Theology - M.Th.;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Theology – P.G. Cert;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Theology – P.G. Dip; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

These bye-laws shall be applicable from 1 st February,

2021 and onwards.

The Course combines teaching and research in any area of

Theology in which the Board can offer expert guidance and

supervision. The areas of study shall be indicated by the Board in the

Course Programme.

(1)

The Course shall be open to applicants in

possession of

(a)

a Bachelor degree obtained with Second Class

Honours or better in Theology with a subsidiary

area in Philosophy; or

(b)

a Bachelor degree obtained with Category II or

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

better in Theology.

(2)

Applicants in possession of the degree of Bachelor of

Sacred Theology with at least Second Class Honours shall also be

eligible to apply.

(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

will 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 class;

(b)

experience in the area of the proposed study; and

(c)

performance during an interview.

(5)

The admission of applicants under sub-paragraph (b) of

paragraph (1) of this bye-law shall be made conditional on the result

of an interview conducted by an interviewing board composed of at

least three members, appointed by the Board for the purpose. Such

applicants shall be required to follow a preparatory programme as

indicated in bye-law 5.

(6)

For the purpose of selection, applicants whose

qualifications as stipulated in paragraph (1) of this bye-law were

obtained by 31 August preceding the commencement of the Course

shall be considered first.

Applicants admitted under sub-paragraph (b) of paragraph

(1) of bye-law 4 shall be required to successfully complete a

preparatory programme comprising 30 ECTS credits obtained with an

average mark of 55% or better prior to their registration in the Course.

(1)

The Course for applicants in terms of paragraph (1)

of bye-law 4 shall extend over four semesters of full-time study.

(2)

The Course for applicants in terms of paragraph (2) of bye-

law 4 shall extend over a period of two consecutive semesters of part-

time study.

(1)

The programme of study for applicants in terms

of paragraph (1) of bye-law 4 shall comprise study-units to which a total

of 120 ECTS credits are assigned, of which 90 ECTS credits are assigned

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

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

study-unit.

(2)

The programme of study for applicants in terms of

paragraph (2) of bye-law 4 shall comprise a total of 30 ECTS credits

assigned to a research component.

Students who obtain at least 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

complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Certificate.

Students who obtain at least 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 Course, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Diploma.

Students shall be eligible for the award of the Degree if

they obtain the 120 ECTS credits as outlined in the programme of

study for the Course with an average mark of at least 50%.

The programme of study shall be published after approval

by Senate, normally not less than eight months prior to the

commencement of the Course.

(1)

Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of approximately 15,000 words in accordance with the

guidelines issued by the Board

provided that students registered on the 30 ECTS credits

programme may be allowed by the Board to submit three research

papers of 10 ECTS credits each in lieu of the dissertation..

(2)

Work on the dissertation may be undertaken after

approval of the proposal. Each student shall be assigned a supervisor

who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the

period of study.

(1)

Students shall be required to have regular contact

with their supervisor.

(2)

Supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports for

each student 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

AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY

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.

(1)

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 all components of the

programme of study, all credits being weighted equally.

(2)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Degree for students who follow the 30 ECTS

credit programme of study shall take into account the results obtained

in the study-units of the fifth year (60 ECTS credits) of the Bachelor

of Sacred Theology course as well as the results obtained in the 30

ECTS credit programme of study, all credits being weighted equally,

provided that for students who were awarded their first cycle

degree using a grading system which is substantially different from that

currently in use at the University of Malta, the Final Weighted Average

Mark for the purpose of the classification of the Degree will be

calculated on the basis of the result/s obtained in the 30 ECTS credit

programme only.

The degree of Master in Theology is equivalent to the

canonical degree awarded on successful completion of the first cycle of

philosophical and theological studies, as prescribed by the Apostolic

Constitution Sapientia Christiana and the Apostolic Constitution

Veritatis gaudium.