EDUCATION ACT (CAP. 327)

Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics Degree Course Regulations, 2000

IN exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sections 30 (5) and 31 (6) of the Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the University of Malta has promulgated the following regulations made by the Senate of the University of Malta by virtue of the powers conferred upon it by sections 31 and 35 of the said Act:

Citation and interpretation

1. (1) These regulations may be cited as the Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics Degree Course Regulations, 2000.

(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

"the Board" means the Board of Studies appointed by the Senate to administer the Course on behalf of the Faculty of Arts. The Board shall be composed of the Rector as Chairman, three members appointed by the Board of the Faculty of Arts and three members appointed by the Board of the Institute of Linguistics;

"the Course" means the course of studies leading to the Degree of Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics; and

"the Degree" means the Degree of Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics.

Applicability

2. These regulations shall apply to courses starting in October 1999 or later.

Eligibility for Admission

3. Applicants may be admitted to the Course if they possess one of the following qualifications:
(a) a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree with First or Second Class in Linguistics or its equivalent from this or another University recognised by the Senate for the purpose; or

(b) an Honours Bachelor's degree with First or Second Class or its equivalent from this or another University recognised by the Senate for the purpose in an area of study that includes a substantial number of credits for study-units closely related and relevant to Linguistics, provided that the Board may require such applicants to follow the Preparatory Course, pass the Final Synoptic Examination and to satisfy such additional requirements that the Board may impose; or

(c) a Bachelor's degree with Category I or II or its equivalent from this or another University recognised by the Senate for the purpose in an area of study that includes a substantial number of credits for study-units closely related and relevant to Linguistics, provided that the Board may require such applicants to follow the Preparatory Course and pass the Final Synoptic Examination and to satisfy such additional requirements that the Board may impose.

Preparatory Course

4. (1) During the full-time preparatory course, of one year's duration (or its equivalent in part-time study), students shall be required to register for a number of study-units to which a total of not less than twenty and not more than twenty-five credits shall be assigned. The Board may stipulate that the credits should include a dissertation to which five credits shall be assigned. The Board may exempt students from some of the study-units if they or their equivalent have already been completed successfully.

(2) At the end of the preparatory course, there shall be a Final Synoptic Examination consisting of two three-hour papers (normally similar to all or part of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) examination in Linguistics, at the standard of at least Second Class Honours). One of the papers may be chosen for its relevance to the student's area of study.

(3) The final result shall take into account the student's performance in the Final Synoptic Examination as well as the credits and grades obtained during the preparatory course. The Final Synoptic Examination shall carry fifty per cent of the weighting for the grading of the final result, while the other fifty per cent shall be calculated on the basis of the overall average of the credits obtained during the preparatory course.

(4) The names of students shall be published in a list in alphabetical order in two categories:

Passed and Qualified to join the Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics
Failed.

Registration for Course

5. (1) Before being admitted to the Course, applicants must be approved by the Board as possessing the training, knowledge and capabilities required for the proposed line of study and research.

(2) Applications should include the provisional title of the dissertation, and a comprehensive research proposal of about 500 words.

Duration of Course

6. (1) The Course shall extend over not less than fifteen and not more than eighteen months of full-time study after registration, provided that the Board may specify a longer period of study depending on the nature of the research to be undertaken. The Board may, before the presentation of the dissertation, extend such period for one further period not exceeding twelve months.

(2) Students may, by permission of the Board, register on a part-time basis. Any period spent in part-time study or research shall be considered equivalent to half the same period of full-time study or research.

(3) Students, whether full-time or part-time, shall be required to re-register for the Course at the beginning of each academic year.

Course Programme

7. (1) The Board may require students to follow and successfully complete study-units to which a maximum of five credits shall be assigned. The content of each study-unit shall be determined by the Board.

(2) Students shall be required to present a dissertation on the approved subject, normally of not more than 50,000 words. The dissertation must be either a record of original work or an ordered and critical expression of existing data with regard to a particular subject. It must satisfy the Board as regards language and literary presentation and must fulfil all specifications laid down in regulation 9.

(3) No dissertation shall be accepted which is identical in substance to a dissertation already submitted for a degree at this or any other University. Students, however, shall not be precluded from incorporating such previous dissertation work as may be necessary to the presentation and fuller understanding of their exposition, provided that the nature and extent of suchincorporation are clearly indicated in the dissertation itself.

Supervision of Dissertation

8. The Board shall appoint a supervisor for every student. The supervisor shall require the student to report to him at least once every three months, or more often as he deems necessary. He may refer to the Board a student whose work he considers unsatisfactory and shall refer any substantial modification in the title or content of the projected dissertation for the approval of the Board. No dissertation may be submitted to the examiners without a certificate, signed by the supervisor, of its conformity with these regulations.

Presentation of Dissertation

9. (1) The dissertation shall meet the following specifications:

(a) Paper Size: International Standard Size A4 (11 3/4" x 8 1/4");

(b) Typing: Font size 12. Double-spacing for the main text. Single spacing for footnotes. Single spacing may also be used for long quotations in the main text. Left-hand margin of 40 mm. Top and right-hand margin of 20 mm. A top margin of 80 mm to be left on the first page of every division, i.e. chapters, bibliography, etc. Foot- or endnotes should appear at the bottom of the relevant page or after every chapter;

(c) Pagination: The main text, including the introduction (if any) and any appendices of the dissertation, shall have Arabic numerals. The title page, dedication (if any), preface, acknowledgements, table of contents, etc., preceding the main text shall have Roman numerals;

(d) Binding: Three unbound copies of the dissertation shall be submitted. After a successful defence, two copies of the dissertation as approved by the Board of Examiners shall be sewn and bound in cloth (preferably black) with stiff boards and good quality end-papers; with lettering (preferably in gold) on the front and spine showing:
(i) the name of the student;
(ii) the title or short title of the dissertation;
(iii) the degree for which the dissertation is submitted; and
(iv) the year of submission.

Maps, diagrams, graphs, printed material, etc. should be bound with the dissertation, but if this is not possible they should be presented separately in special folders or volumes and numbered. One bound copy of the dissertation shall be retained in the University Library and the other two copies shall be retained by the Faculty of Arts and by the Institute of Linguistics; and

(e) Layout of title page: Title of dissertation and subtitle (if any) followed by the name of the student, e.g. "A dissertation presented to the Faculty of Arts in the University of Malta for the degree of Master of Arts - M.A. - in Linguistics", followed by month and year of submission.

(2) The dissertation shall include a declaration signed by the student that it is his own original work.

Examination of Dissertation

10. (1) Each dissertation shall be examined by a Board of Examiners appointed in terms of the University Examinations Regulations. One of the examiners shall normal y be an external examiner from another university.

(2) Students shall normal y be required to take a viva voce examination to defend their dissertation.

Re-submission of Dissertation

11. Students' whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may be allowed by the Board, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, to re-submit it in a revised form within a period of not less than six and not more than eighteen months from the day on which it is referred back to them.

Final Result

12. (1) The final result of students shall take into account the merits of their dissertation and the oral defence thereof.

(2) The names of students who qualify for the award of the Degree shall be published in a list in alphabetical order classified as follows:

Passed with Distinction
Passed.