BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE AWARDS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.620

BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL

REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE

AWARDS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF

SCIENCE IN BLOCKCHAIN AND DISTRIBUTED

LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC. - UNDER THE

AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR DISTRIBUTED

LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES

19th February, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE 35 of 2019.

(1)

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

terms of the General Regulations for University Postgraduate

Awards, for the degree of Master of Science in Blockchain and

Distributed Ledger Technologies - M.Sc. - under the auspices of the

Centre for Distributed Ledger Technologies.

(2)

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

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

Ledger Technologies;

“the Board of Studies” means the Board of Studies appointed by

Senate for the Course, on the recommendation of the Board;

“t he Centre” means the Centre for Distributed Ledger

Technologies;

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

degree of Master of Science in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger

Technologies - M.Sc.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Science in

Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies;

“the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate

Certificate in Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies - P.G.

Cert.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies - P.G. Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Postgraduate Awards, 2008.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in February 2019 or later.

The Course shall be offered in any one of the following

areas of study, or in any other area of study that falls within the

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

academic responsibility of the Board

(a)

Information and Communication Technology;

(b)

Law and Regulation; and

(c)

Business and Finance.

(1)

The Course shall be open to applicants in possession

of a Bachelor degree from this University with at least Second Class

(Honours) or Category II in the areas of Business, Economics,

Finance, Law, Management, Information Technology, or in any other

area which the Board deems appropriate.

(2)

Applicants in possession of a Bachelor degree from this

University with Third Class Honours or Category III in the disciplines

highlighted in paragraph (1) of this bye-law may apply if they are also

in possession of other qualifications or have at least five years of

relevant work experience, obtained following the first cycle degree.

The admission of applicants under this bye-law may be made

conditional on the results of an assessment as the Board may deem

appropriate.

(3)

Applicants for the mainly taught programme of study shall

specify their choice of one of the areas of study indicated in bye-law 3

at the time of submitting their application.

(4)

Eligible applicants may register as visiting students for

individual study-units and obtain credit for them. Should they be

accepted to join the Course within seven years from following the

first study-unit, the Board may allow the transfer of these credits to

the student’s academic record for the Course.

(5)

The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of

applicants that may be allowed to register on each area of study,

depending on the availability of resources. The number of available

places shall be announced at the time of the call for applications.

(6)

When the number of places for any area of study is so

limited and the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of

available places, applicants shall 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 classification; and

(b)

work experience or documented experience in the

chosen area of study.

(7)

If deemed necessary, the Board may require applicants to

attend for an interview. Performance during the interview, which shall

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

be conducted by an interviewing board composed of at least three

members, shall be taken into consideration in the selection process.

The Course shall extend over three semesters of full-time

study or the equivalent in part-time study.

The programme of study may be either mainly taught or

mainly by research, and shall comprise study-units to which a total of

90 ECTS credits shall be assigned.

(1)

The mainly taught programme 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.

(2)

Students who obtain 30 ECTS credits for taught study-

units with an average mark of at least 50% and do not proceed with

the Course shall be eligible for the award of the Postgraduate

Certificate.

(3)

Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits for 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 Postgraduate

Diploma.

The mainly by research programme of study shall

comprise a taught study-unit to which 5 ECTS credits are assigned

and a dissertation study-unit to which 85 ECTS credits are assigned.

In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge in

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

recommendation of the Board of Studies or the applicant’s Panel of

Supervision, may require the applicant to follow and pass

supplementary study-units at level 4 or lower to which not more than

12 ECTS credits are assigned.

Programmes of study shall be published 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 if following the mainly taught

Course on a full-time basis, shall be given the opportunity to resit the

failed assessments during the September supplementary examination

session.

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

(3)

Students who in any academic year fail in the assessment

of not more than 10 ECTS credits if following the mainly taught

Course on a part-time basis, shall be given the opportunity to resit the

failed assessments during the September supplementary examination

session.

(4)

Students who fail in the taught study-unit of the mainly by

research programme shall be eligible for a resit at the September

supplementary session.

(5)

Students who fail in more than the number of credits

permitted under paragraphs (2) and (3) 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.

(1)

In the mainly taught programme of study, structured

as detailed in bye-law 7, students shall be required to submit an

individual dissertation (30 ECTS credits) of not more than 15,000

words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board of

Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy the Board of Examiners as

regards content and presentation.

(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 of Studies for

approval before the end of the second semester.

(4)

Students shall seek approval from the Board of Studies

through their supervisor for any substantial modifications in the title

or content of the dissertation.

(5)

Students shall be required to have regular contact with

their supervisors, who shall submit to the Board of Studies progress

reports for the student/s under their supervision at the end of each

semester of studies, whether the student is following the Course on a

full-time or part-time basis.

(6)

Reports submitted by supervisors may include

recommendations to (a) either 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

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

(ii)

the Board may not terminate studies

prematurely according to (b) until it has first

given the student a chance to be heard.

(1)

In programmes of study mainly by research,

structured as detailed in bye-law 8, students shall be required to

submit an individual dissertation (85 ECTS credits) of not more than

40,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board

of Studies. The dissertation must also satisfy the Board of Examiners

as regards content and presentation.

(2)

Applicants for the programme mainly by research shall

submit (a) a provisional title; and (b) a provisional research proposal

with their application for approval by the Board.

(1)

Each student shall be assigned a supervisor by the

Board who shall provide guidance and advice during the period of

study, starting from the formulation of a detailed written research

proposal.

(2)

Work on the dissertation may be undertaken at any time

during the Course after approval of the proposal.

(1)

The Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for

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

Director, or his or her delegate as chairperson and two other

members, one of whom being the research supervisor, provided that

when the Director is the supervisor, he or she shall not chair the

Panel.

(2)

Panels of Supervision shall follow, as they deem fit, the

progress of students throughout the Course, provided that they meet

at least once a year to review such progress.

(3)

Students shall be required to report to their supervisor at

least once every two months, and in addition as often as the

supervisor deems necessary.

(4)

At the end of each semester of studies supervisors shall be

required to submit to the Panels of Supervision or Boards of Studies

reports regarding the students under their supervision. Students shall

seek approval from the Panel of Supervision for any substantial

modification in the title or content of the dissertation.

(5)

Panels of Supervision or Boards of Studies, as

appropriate, shall periodically inform the Board, in writing, on the

general performance of each student. Such advice 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 the conditions specified in sub-

DISTRIBUTED LEDGER TECHNOLOGIES - M.SC

paragraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (6) of bye-law 12 shall also apply

in these cases.

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Postgraduate Diploma and the Degree shall be

based on the results obtained in all the components of the 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.