MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS [ S.L.327.532 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.532 BYE-LAWS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS 1 Substituted by: L.N. 431 of 2021; L.N. 6 of 2025. 19th January, 2016 LEGAL NOTICE 22 of 2016, as amended by Legal Notices 298 of 2016, 62 of 2018, 431 of 2021 and 6 of 2025. 1.
(1)These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws for the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - M.A. - under the auspices of the Centre for Academic Literacies and English Communication Skills.
(2)Citation and interpretation. Substituted by: L.N. 431 of 2021; L.N. 6 of
- In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires – “the Board” means the Board of the Centre for Academic Literacies and English Communication Skills; “the Course” means the programme of study leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - M.A.; “the Degree” means the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages M.A.; “the Postgraduate Certificate” means the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - P.G. Cert.; “the Postgraduate Diploma” means the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - P.G. Dip.; and “the Principal Regulations” means the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards,
- These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in October 2018 or later. Applicability. Amended by: L.N. 298 of 2016; L.N. 62 of
- 3.
(1)The course shall be open to applicants in possession of one of the following qualifications: Requirements for admission. Substituted by: L.N. 298 of 2016. (
- a)a Bachelor’s degree in English from this University or from a higher education institution recognised by Senate, provided that they demonstrate, through appropriate certification and references, that they have undertaken at least 500 hours of teaching English or 2 [ S.L.327.532 MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS are in possession of a Malta Qualifications Framework Level 4 qualification in TESOL or higher; or (
- b)a Bachelor’s degree from this University or from a higher education institution recognised by Senate, in an area of study deemed relevant by the Board, provided that they are either in possession of a Malta Qualifications Framework Level 4 qualification in English or an IELTS 7 or equivalent and have undertaken at least 1000 hours of teaching English or, if they have no teaching experience, they will be required to follow and successfully complete the University of Malta Certificate in ELT; or (
- c)a DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults) or Dip.TESOL (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification or equivalent, including relevant teaching experience.
(2)Applicants for the course may be required to demonstrate through an interview that they have sufficient proficiency and background to be able to follow the course with profit. In certain such instances the Board may recommend that applicants follow a preparatory programme as specified in bye-law 4.
(3)The interviewing board appointed by the Board shall be composed of at least three members. Preparatory programme. 4.
(1)Applicants 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 overall average mark of 55% or better, prior to their admission to the course.
(2)The Board may grant applicants full or partial exemption from the requirement of the preparatory programme if it is satisfied that the applicant possesses post first cycle degree work experience that is relevant to the course. Course duration. 5. The course shall extend over three semesters of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study. Programme of study. Amended by: L.N. 62 of 2018. 6.
(1)The programme of study shall comprise taught studyunits to which a total of 60 ECTS credits are assigned and a dissertation or project study-unit to which 30 ECTS credits are assigned.
(2)Students who obtain 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 c o m pl e te t he co ur s e , shal l be e l ig i bl e f o r th e aw a rd o f t he Postgraduate Certificate.
(3)Students who obtain the 60 ECTS 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 MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS [ S.L.327.532 3 Postgraduate Diploma.
(4)In cases where applicants lack essential knowledge in particular areas not covered in their qualifications, the Board may require students admitted to the Course to follow and pass supplementary study-unit/s to which not more than 12 ECTS credits are assigned in addition to the programme of study specified in paragraph
(1)of this bye-law.
(5)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. 7.
(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 20 ECTS credits for taught study-units, if following the course on a full-time basis, or not more than 10 ECTS credits for taught study-units if following the Course part-time basis, shall be given the opportunity to re-sit the failed assessments during 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.
(4)When examining a dissertation/project, the Board of Examiners shall follow the Marking Criteria and Descriptors as approved by the Board. 8.
(1)Students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of approximately 25,000 words in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Board. The Board may allow students to submit a project instead of a dissertation, in which case the provisions outlined hereunder shall also apply. Dissertation/ Project.
(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 for approval not later than six weeks before the end of the second semester. 9.
(1)Students shall be required to have regular contact with their supervisor.
(2)Supervisors shall submit to the Board progress reports for the students under their supervision at the end of each semester of study, whether the student is following the Course on a full-time or a part-time basis. 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 (
- b)terminate studies prematurely if the supervisor deems this to be proper in the circumstances, Supervisor. 4 MASTER OF ARTS IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS AND TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES - M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CENTRE FOR ACADEMIC LITERACIES AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS [ S.L.327.532 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. Classification of the Awards. 10. The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the classification of the Postgraduate Diploma and the Degree shall be b a s e d o n t h e r e s u l t s o b t a i n e d i n a l l t h e co m p o n e n t s of t h e programme of study, all credits being weighted equally. Special provisions for part-time courses. 11. 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.