L.S. 327.174 Ordinamenti għall-Grad ta’ Master of Science - M.Sc. - taħt il-patroċinju tal-Fakultà tax-Xjenza

(1)The title of these bye-laws is the Bye-Laws for the Degree of Master of Science - M.Sc. - under the auspices of the Faculty of Science.

(2)Citation and interpretation. Amended by: L.N. 484 of

1. In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires - “the Board” means the Board of the Faculty of Science; “the Course” means the programme of study leading to the degree of Master of Science – M.Sc.; “the Degree” means the degree of Master of Science - M.Sc.; “the Faculty” means the Faculty of Science – M.Sc.; “the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate Certificate in the relevant area of study – P.G. Cert.; “the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in the relevant area of study – P.G. Dip.; and “the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards,
3. These bye-laws shall be commencing in October 2021 or later. applicable for courses Applicability. Amended by: L.N. 484 of
5. The course may be offered in any area of study that falls within the academic responsibility of the Board in which the Faculty can offer advanced tuition, expert guidance and supervision, subject to the availability of resources, after approval by Senate. Areas of study. 4.

(1)The course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the following qualifications: Requirements for admission. (

1. a)the degree of Bachelor of Science with at least Second Class Honours in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the ten years previous to registration for the course; or (
2. b)the Bachelor of Science with Third Class Honours in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the ten years previous to registration for the course, provided that the applicants have obtained other qualifications, including relevant experience, following their first cycle degree. The Board may, at its discretion, require 2 [ S.L.327.174 DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE such applicants to follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(2)The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the admission of applicants in possession of a Bachelor of Science with at least Category II in an area of study deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the 10 years previous to registration for the course, provided that the admission of such applicants shall be made conditional on the result of an interview and in such cases they shall be required to follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(3)The Board, at its discretion, may also recommend the admission of applicants with a first cycle degree deemed by the Board to be relevant to the proposed area of study and obtained in the ten years previous to registration for the course, provided that the admission of such applicants may be conditional on the result of an interview and in such cases they may be required to follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5.

(4)Applicants whose first degree was obtained more than ten years previous to registration for the course may also be admitted following an interview to ascertain their capability to follow the course. The Board may, at its discretion, require such applicants to follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 5. Preparatory programme. 5.

(1)The preparatory programme shall comprise study-units to which not less than 30 credits and not more than 60 credits are assigned and shall also be governed by the Principal Regulations.

(2)Students shall be required to successfully complete the preparatory programme with an average mark of 55% or better prior to their registration for the course. Course duration.

1. The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study. Programme of study.
2. The programme of study shall comprise study-units to which a total of 90 credits are assigned. Area of study may be taught or by research.
3. The programme of study for any area of study offered in the course may be either mainly taught or mainly by research. Taught programmes of study.
4. Mainly taught programmes of study shall comprise taught study-units to which a total of 60 credits are assigned and 30 credits are assigned to a dissertation study-unit. Postgraduate Diploma. Amended by: L.N. 484 of
5. 10.

(1)Students who obtain a minimum of 30 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 in the relevant area of study.

(2)Students who obtain the 60 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 Postgraduate Diploma in the relevant area of study. DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE [ S.L.327.174 3 11. Programmes of study mainly by research shall comprise study-units to which 90 credits are assigned, of which not more than 30 credits are assigned to taught study-units and not less than 60 credits are assigned to a dissertation study-unit. Programmes of study by research. 12.

(1)The programme of study for the Degree by research shall be drawn up by the Board for each individual student on the advice of the department concerned. Publication of programme of study.

(2)The programme of study for the taught Degree shall be published by the Board after approval by Senate, normally not less than eight months prior to the commencement of the course. 13.

(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. Assessment and progress.

(2)Students who in any academic year fail in the assessment of not more than two study-units, for taught study-units if following the full-time course, or not more than one study-unit, if following the part-time course, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed study-units.

(3)Students who fail more than the number of study-units permitted under paragraph

(2)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. 14.

(1)In mainly taught programmes of study, students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of not more than 25,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board. Dissertations in mainly taught programmes of study.

(2)Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken during the third semester of the course. Each student shall be assigned a principal supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the period of study.

(3)Students shall be required to have regular contact with their supervisor.

(4)A provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval by the beginning of the second semester.

1. In mainly research programmes of study, students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of not more than 50,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board. Dissertations in programmes of study mainly by research.
2. A provisional title of the dissertation and a detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval at the time of application. Submission of provisional title of dissertation.
3. Work on the dissertation shall be undertaken at any time during the course after approval of the proposal. Each student shall be assigned a principal supervisor who shall provide guidance and advice on a regular basis during the period of study. Supervisor. 18.

(1)The Board shall appoint a Panel of Supervision for each student, normally composed of three members as follows: the Panel of Supervision. 4 DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE - M.SC. UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE [ S.L.327.174 head of department as chairman, and two other members, one of whom being the principal supervisor, provided that when the head of department is the principal supervisor, he shall not be appointed chairman.

(2)The Panel of Supervision shall follow, as it deems fit, the progress of students through the course, provided that it meets at least once every six months to review such progress.

(3)Students shall be required to report to their principal supervisor at least once every two months, and in addition as often as the principal supervisor deems necessary.

(4)Principal supervisors shall submit to the Panel of Supervision progress reports for each student under their supervision at the end of each semester of studies, whether the students are following the course on a full-time or a part-time basis. Such reports may include recommendations to either (

1. a)modify the title and/or content of the dissertation; (
2. b)extend the period of study in order to enable the student to complete the dissertation; or (
3. c)terminate studies prematurely if the principal supervisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances, provided that: (
4. i)the extension of the study period referred to in (
5. b)shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Principal Regulations; and (
6. ii)the Board may not terminate studies prematurely according to (
7. c)until it has first given the student a chance to be heard. Copies of dissertation. 19. Following approval by the Board of Examiners, students shall present three bound copies of the dissertation to the department, one of which shall be retained in the University Library, and one copy in digital form as an electronic file. Classification of the Awards. 20. 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 the components of the programme of study, all credits being weighted equally. Special provisions for part-time courses. 21. 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.