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

M.A. -

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.647

BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL

REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE

AWARDS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS - M.A. - UNDER

THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND

KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES

3rd April, 2020

LEGAL NOTICE 129 of 2020.

(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 Arts in Media and Communications -

M.A. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge

Sciences.

(2)

In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires

“the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Media and

Knowledge Sciences;

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

degree of Master of Arts in Media and Communications - M.A.;

“the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Media and

Communications - M.A.;

“the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in

Media and Communications - 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 October 2020 or later.

(1)

Subject to the conditions laid down in bye-law 4,

the Course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the

following qualifications

(a)

a Bachelor’s degree obtained with Second Class

Honours or better in Communications or in a

closely related area of study deemed appropriate by

the Board; or

(b)

a Bachelor’s degree in Communications or in a

closely related area of study deemed appropriate by

the Board, with an average mark of not less than

65% in that area of study; or

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(c)

a degree from this or another university, which the

Board considers as comparable to the degrees

indicated in paragraphs (a) and (b).

(2)

The Board may consider applicants in possession of other

qualifications if they also present a compendium of recent works

confirmed to have been carried out by them and which is related to

the area of study applied for to the satisfaction of the Board.

(3)

The admission of applicants may 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.

(4)

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.

(5)

When the number of places is so limited and the number

of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available,

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 class;

(b)

experience in the area of the proposed study; and

(c)

performance during an interview.

(6)

For the purpose of selection, applicants whose

qualifications as stipulated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this bye-law

were obtained by 31 August preceding the commencement of the

Course shall be considered first.

(1)

Applicants applying in terms of sub-paragraphs (b)

and (c) of paragraph (1) and in terms of paragraph (2) of bye-law 3

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 average mark of 55% or better prior to their

registration as regular students on the Course.

(2)

The Board may grant applicants full or partial exemption

from the requirement of the preparatory programme if it is satisfied

that they possess post first cycle degree work experience that

adequately prepares them for the Course.

The Course shall extend over six semesters of part-time

study.

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(1)

The programme of study shall comprise study-units Programme of

to which a total of 120 ECTS credits are assigned, of which 55 ECTS Study

credits are assigned to taught study-units, 5 ECTS credits to a

placement study-unit, 10 ECTS credits to two mentored practice

sessions, and 50 ECTS credits assigned to the dissertation study-unit

or practical project.

(2)

Students who obtain the 60 ECTS credits assigned to the

taught study-units and the placement with an average mark of at least

50% and do not proceed with the Course, or having proceeded do not

successfully complete the mentored practice sessions, the

dissertation or the project, shall be eligible for the award of the

Postgraduate Diploma.

(3)

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%.

(4)

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 fail in the assessment of not more than 10

ECTS credits for study-units shall be given the opportunity to re-sit

the failed assessments. Students shall be allowed to re-sit the taught

study-units during the September supplementary examination session

and to re-sit the placement study-unit and/or resubmit the

independent study / project work by not later than the end of 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.

(1)

During the second year of the Course, students

shall be required to undertake a placement in the area in which they

choose to specialize during the second and third years of the Course.

Students shall be supervised by an approved mentor who shall submit

to the Board a report at the end of the placement period.

(2)

Before undertaking the placement, students shall be

required to submit to the Board for approval, a proposal written by

them and endorsed by the placement mentor, by the deadline

indicated by the Board.

(3)

At the end of the placement, students shall be required to

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submit a task-analytical essay in accordance with guidelines issued

by the Board.

(1)

In each of the two semesters of the third year of the

Course, students shall be required to take part in a mentored practice

project targetting their chosen area of specialisation, doing

independent study and/or project work under the guidance of an

approved mentor, who shall submit to the Board a report at the end

the mentored practice period.

(2)

Students shall be required to submit a final report on the

experience and skills gained during the mentored practice.

(1)

Students shall be required to submit an individual

dissertation of 25,000 or a practical project together with a written

component of between 12,000 and 15,000 words, in accordance with

the guidelines issued by the Board.

(2)

Work on the dissertation or project shall commence

during the fourth 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 or the theme of the

project, and a detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the

Board for approval by the end of the third semester.

(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.

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 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 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.