MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES [ S.L. 327.610 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.610 BYE-LAWS IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR UNIVERSITY POSTGRADUATE AWARDS 2008 FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS - M.A. UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES* 9th November, 2018 LEGAL NOTICE 370 of 2018. 1.
(1)These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-laws in terms of the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards 2008 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)Citation and Interpretation 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. 2. These bye-laws shall be commencing in October 2018 or later. applicable for courses 3.
(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- b)a Bachelor’s degree in Communications or in a closely related area of study deemed appropriate by *Repealed by Legal Notice 129 of 2020. Applicability Requirements for Admissions 2 MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES [ S.L. 327.610 the Board, with an average mark of not less than 65% in that area of study; or (
- 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. Preparatory Programme 4.
(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 prepare them for the Course. Course Duration 5. The Course shall extend over four semesters of full-time MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES [ S.L. 327.610 study. 6.
(1)The programme of study shall comprise study-units to which a total of 120 ECTS credits are assigned, of which 55 ECTS 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. Programme of Study
(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 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. 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 fail in the assessment of not more than 20 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 re-submit 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. 8.
(1)During the first year of the Course, students shall be required to undertake a placement in the area in which they choose to specialize during the second year 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. Placement 3 4 [ S.L. 327.610 MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES
(3)At the end of the placement, students shall be required to submit a task-analytical essay in accordance with guidelines issued by the Board. Mentored Practice 9.
(1)In each of the two semesters of the second 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. Dissertation/ Project 10.
(1)Students shall be required to submit an individual dissertation of between 25,000 and 30,000 words, 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 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 or the theme of the project, and a detailed research proposal shall be submitted to the Board for approval by the end of the second semester. 11.
(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: Classification of the Awards (
- 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. 12. 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. MASTER OF ARTS IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS M.A. - UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FACULTY OF MEDIA AND KNOWLEDGE SCIENCES [ S.L. 327.610 5