EDUCATION ACT (CAP. 327)

Regulations of 2006 for the Postgraduate Diploma and Degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics - P.G. Dip. Ger. and M. Ger. ­ Course under the auspices of the European Centre for Gerontology

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 Regulations of 2006 for the Postgraduate Diploma and Degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics - P.G. Dip. Ger. and M. Ger. ­ Course, under the auspices of the European Centre for Gerontology.

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

"the Board" means the Board of the European Centre for Gerontology;

"the Board of Studies" means the Board of Studies appointed by Senate for the Course;

"the Course" means the course of studies leading to the Postgraduate Diploma or the degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics ­ P.G. Dip. Ger. or M. Ger.;

"the Degree" means the degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics ­ M. Ger.; and

"the Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics ­ P.G. Dip. Ger.

Applicability

2. These regulations shall be applicable for courses starting in October 2006 or later.

Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology and Geriatrics

Qualifications for Admission

3. Applicants shall be eligible to apply for admission to the Course if they are in possession of the following qualifications:

(a) a degree, or a professional qualification considered by the Board to be comparable to a degree, in a discipline pertaining to one of the caring professions; or

(b) a degree or a professional qualification considered by the Board to be comparable to a degree deemed by the Board as relevant and adequate for the applicant to follow the Course with profit; or

(c) in exceptional cases, a professional qualification in one of the caring professions, together with at least 5 years' experience which altogether are deemed by the Admissions Board to be comparable to the level of a first degree.

Course Duration

4. The Course shall extend over one year of full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study.

Programme of Study

5. (1) The Course shall consist of study-units to which 60 ECTS credits are assigned.

(2) The programme of study shall comprise:

(a) compulsory study-units in Social Gerontology and Medical Geriatrics, to which 24 ECTS credits are assigned;

(b) elective study-units in Social Gerontology or Medical Geriatrics, to which 15 ECTS credits are assigned;

(c) compulsory practical placements, to which 4 ECTS credits are assigned;

(d) a research paper of between 10,000 and 12,000 words on a topic selected from the general areas of study covered throughout the Course, to which 8 ECTS credits are assigned; and

(e) synoptic study-units, to which 9 ECTS credits are assigned.

(3) The programme of study shall be published by the Board before the commencement of the Course, following the approval of Senate. Subject to changes that the Board may, with the approval of Senate, be constrained to make, students are bound to follow the study-units and obtain the credits as indicated in the programme of study. The level, code, title, description and type of each study-unit, the number of credits assigned to each study-unit, the methods of teaching and assessment, and the name of the lecturer giving the study-unit shall be published by the Board in a catalogue of study-units, following approval by Senate.

Assessment

6. (1) Results for the assessments of the study-units, the practice placements, the research paper, the dissertation and the synoptic study-units shall be published as a percentage mark and grade as indicated in the table below:

Mark Range   Grade

80% -100%     A
70% - 79%      B
55% - 69%      C
45% - 54%      D
0 - 44%           F

Both the percentage mark and the grade shall be recorded in the students' academic record. However, only the percentage mark shall be used for the purpose of calculating the final classification of the awards.

(2) Students who fail in the assessment of compulsory, elective and synoptic study-units, the practice placements, and the dissertation shall be allowed a re-assessment once only. If unsuccessful, students shall be required to withdraw from the Course. If successful, the maximum marks and grade that may be awarded shall be 45% - grade D.

(3) If after the first assessment, the research paper fails to reach the required standard, students shall be allowed a maximum of three months to re-submit the work.

(4) The names of students who qualify for the award of the Diploma shall be published in a list in alphabetical order classified as follows:
Pass with distinction
Pass.

Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Course Duration

7. (1) The Course shall extend over a period of one year of full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study.

(2) The Board of Studies may extend the period of study up to a further period of six months in the case of full-time study or twelve months in the case of part-time study. Further requests for extensions shall be considered by Senate on the recommendation of the Board.

Qualification for Admission

8. Admission into the Master's Course is open to holders of the Diploma obtained with a Final Weighted Average Mark of 70% or better not more than five years previously.

Dissertation

9. (1) To be able to register for the Degree, applicants must submit a dissertation proposal which should include the proposed title and an outline of the research to be carried out including, among others, the hypothesis, methodology, and bibliography.

(2) The dissertation proposal shall be approved by the Board of Studies.

(3) The Board shall appoint a supervisor for each student. In the case of students not residing in Malta, the Board may allow them to perform their research project in their respective country, and the Board shall nominate two supervisors, one from the University of Malta and a co-supervisor from the student's own country. The names of the proposed supervisors shall be submitted for the approval of Senate.

(4) Supervisors shall require students to report to them at least once a semester. They may refer to the Board of Studies students whose work is considered unsatisfactory and shall refer for the approval of the Board of Studies any substantial modification in the title of the dissertation.

(5) The dissertation shall contain the results of the research carried out, a critical review of the relevant literature, and a critical discussion of the results.

(6) The dissertation shall not exceed 50,000 words and shall be assigned 60 ECTS credits.

Assessment of the Dissertation

10. (1) The dissertation shall be examined by a Board of Examiners appointed by Senate, consisting of at least three examiners, one of whom shall normally be an external examiner from another university.

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

(3) No dissertation shall be accepted which is identical in substance to a dissertation already submitted for a degree at the University of Malta or at any other university.

(4) Students whose dissertation is found unsatisfactory may be allowed by the Board, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, to resubmit it, in a revised form, within a period not exceeding one year from the day on which it is referred back to them.

Award of the Degree

11. (1) The final result for the award of the Degree shall take into account the merits of the dissertation and the viva voce examination 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.

Repeal

12. The Postgraduate Diploma and Degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics ­ Dip. Ger. ­ M. Ger. Regulations, 1992, published as Legal Notice 69 of 1992, as amended by Legal Notice 225 of 1998, shall be deemed to cease to be in force as from 1st October 2006, provided that students registered for this course before the 1st October 2006 shall continue to be governed by the regulations that were in force at the time of their joining the course.