BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS (HONOURS) IN PRIMARY EDUCATION - B.A. (HONS) - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

EDUCATION

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.703

BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF

ARTS (HONOURS) IN PRIMARY EDUCATION - B.A.

(HONS) - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

17th October, 2023

LEGAL NOTICE 234 of 2023, as amended by Legal Notice 137 of 2024.

(1)

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

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Primary Education -

B.A. (Hons) - under the auspices of the Faculty of Education.

(2)

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

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

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

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

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

degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Primary Education - B.A.

(Hons);

“the Degree” means the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in

Primary Education - B.A. (Hons);

“the Faculty” means the Faculty of Education;

“the Higher Diploma” means the Higher Diploma in Primary

Education Studies - H.Dip.; and

“the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for

University Undergraduate Awards, 2019.

These bye-laws shall be

applicable

for

courses

commencing in October 2023 or later.

(1)

To be registered as regular students in the Course,

applicants shall, apart from satisfying the general requirements for

admission as specified in the Admissions Regulations of the

University, be in possession of a pass at Advanced Matriculation

Level at Grade C or better in any one subject.

(2)

Applicants considered in terms of paragraph (c) of

regulation 6 of the Admissions Regulations must be in possession of

those qualifications and/or experience that would satisfy the Faculty

Admissions Committee that they have reached the academic standard

required to follow the Course with profit. The eligibility of such

applicants shall be decided by the University Admissions Board, on

the recommendation of the Faculty Admissions Committee,

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following an interview conducted by an interviewing board

appointed for the purpose.

(3)

In accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of

regulation 16 of the Admissions Regulations, the Admissions Board,

acting on the advice of the Board of Studies, may admit applicants

into any year of the Course.

(4)

All applicants shall submit with their application a Police

Good Conduct Certificate issued by the Commissioner of Police in

terms of the Conduct Certificates Ordinance and they shall not be

included in the Register established under the Protection of Minors

(Registration) Act.

Applicants with other qualifications considered to be

sufficient may be exempted by the University Admissions Board, on

the advice of the Faculty Admissions Committee, from the whole or

part of these special course requirements.

(1)

The Board shall recommend to Senate the number

of students that may be allowed to register for the Course, depending

on the availability of human resources and the number of suitable

classes available for the field placement component. The Board shall

announce the number of available places at the time of the call for

applications, provided that 10% of such available places shall be

reserved for eligible applicants considered in terms of paragraph (2)

of bye-law 3. If some or all of the reserved places are not filled, these

places shall be made available to applicants who satisfy the general

and special course requirements.

(2)

When the number of applicants that may be admitted to

the Course is limited in terms of paragraph (1) of this bye-law, and

the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places

available, applicants shall be selected on the basis of their academic

qualifications which shall be weighted in accordance with selection

criteria which will be published at the time of the call for

applications, provided that applicants considered in terms of

paragraphs (2) and (3) of bye-law 3 shall be selected according to the

following criteria

(a)

knowledge and experience in educational settings;

and

(b)

academic qualifications.

(3)

If, after the ranking order is established as indicated

above, there is a tie for one or more places, those applicants who

ranked in the same position shall be interviewed.

(4)

The interviewing board, appointed by the Board for the

purpose, shall be composed of at least 3 members from the

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Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education.

The University Admissions Board, after seeking the

advice of the Faculty Admissions Committee, shall first consider

eligible applicants whose qualifications were obtained in the

Matriculation Certificate Examination or from another examining

board, if the Faculty Admissions Committee is satisfied that the

qualifications presented are comparable in content and equivalent in

standard to the Matriculation Certificate Examination in the same

subject/s. For the purpose of selection, applicants whose

qualifications and the special course requirements as stipulated in

bye-law 3, were obtained by the 31 August preceding the

commencement of the Course shall be considered first. If vacant

places are still available, applicants who obtain all necessary

qualifications and fulfil all special course requirements as stipulated

in bye-law 3 after the 31 August and before the 30 September shall

be considered to take up the remaining places.

The Course shall extend over a period of three years of

full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study.

(1)

The programme of study, which shall comprise

study-units to which 180 ECTS credits are assigned, shall be

published after approval by Senate, normally not less than eight

months prior to the commencement of the Course.

(2)

In addition to the programme of study specified in

paragraph (1) of this bye-law, students shall be further required to

(i)

register for and successfully complete the study-

units included in the Communication and

Academic Skills Programme (CASP); and

(ii)

sit for a Maltese Aptitude Test - 'Test ta' Ħiliet fil-

Malti' - at the beginning of the Course,

provided that applicants in possession of a pass in Maltese

at Intermediate or Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or

higher, or of qualifications deemed to be equivalent by the Board,

shall be exempt from this requirement. Students who fail the Maltese

Aptitude Test shall be required to follow and successfully complete a

proficiency course in Maltese during the Course.

(1)

Students who successfully complete a prescribed

set of study-units totalling 120 ECTS credits, including two field

placements, and do not successfully complete the Course, shall be

entitled to the Higher Diploma.

(2)

Students shall be eligible for the award of the Degree if

they successfully complete

(i)

study-units to which 180 ECTS credits as outlined

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in the programme of study for the Course, and

(ii)

all the study-units included in the Communication

and Academic Skills Programme (CASP); and

(iii)

the Maltese Aptitude Test - 'Test ta' Ħiliet fil-Malti'

or the proficiency course in Maltese, if required.

(1)

There shall be a field placement in each year of the

full-time Course, comprising a period of observation and/or teaching

in a Primary Education school setting, under supervision, as

determined by the Board, provided that for courses followed on a

part-time basis there shall be at least three field placements.

(2)

The Board shall appoint a field placement Board of

Examiners that shall follow the University Assessment Regulations

and any other procedures that the Board may determine for the

purpose of the field placement, provided that such procedures are in

conformity with the University Assessment Regulations.

(3)

Students shall be required to successfully complete all the

field placements. Students can only undertake one field placement in

any academic year of the Course and shall be allowed to repeat a failed

field placement only once.

(4)

The number of assessment visits shall be stated in the

Faculty guidelines, but examiners may increase assessment visits as

they deem fit.

(5)

Students shall be required to abide by the Field Placement

Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct published by the Board. Any

breach of these Codes shall be referred to the field placement Board

of Examiners and may result in a recommendation, through the

Committee of Discipline or other appropriate Board, for expulsion

from the Course.

(6)

(a)

Students who, for health reasons, fail to attend for

up to three days of the field placement should present a medical

certificate within 24 hours to the coordinator of the field placement.

The medical certificate, drawn up by a medical doctor, should clearly

state the ailment which is preventing the student from attending

school and should include the name, the signature, and the medical

registration number of the medical doctor.

(b)

Where students are away from the Primary

Education school setting for up to three days for

health reasons or for any other reason which the

Board considers valid, as well as in special

circumstances for which prior approval would have

been given by the field placement Board of

Examiners, they shall be requested to make up for

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any missed teaching duties in accordance with

instructions issued by the coordinator of the field

placement and the Head of Department of Early

Childhood and Primary Education.

(c)

Students who fail to attend four days or more shall

either be required to repeat the whole field

placement or, at the discretion of the Board, may be

required to carry out additional days of supervised

practice during the same academic year as directed

by the Board.

(7)

Students shall only be declared to have passed a field

placement by the field placement Board of Examiners. The academic

and professional judgement of the field placement Board of

Examiners is not reviewable.

(1)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose

of the classification of the Degree followed on full-time basis shall

be based on the results obtained in the three years of the Course

which shall be weighted as follows

First Year Average Mark 20%

Second Year Average Mark 30%

Third Year Average Mark 50%.

(2)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of

the Degree followed on part-time basis shall be based on the results

obtained in the five years of the Course, all credits being weighted

equally.

(3)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Higher Diploma shall be based on the results

obtained in each year of the Course, all credits being weighted

equally.

In the case of assigning the classification of First Class

Honours, the Degree Classification Board shall specifically consider

the students’ record of performance during the field placements.

The classification of the Degree and the Higher Diploma

shall be published according to the provisions of the Principal

Regulations.

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.