Legal Notice 24 of 2006 - Malta Government Gazette No. 17,874 - 3 February 2006
Amended by:
Legal Notice 80 of 2007 Malta Government Gazette No. 18,058 30 March 2007
Legal Notice 222 of 2008 Malta Government Gazette No. 18,309 16 September, 2008 |
EDUCATION ACT (CAP. 327)
Bye-Laws of 2006 in terms of the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2004 for the Degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B.Ed. (Hons) - under the auspices of the Faculty of Education
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 bye-laws made by the Board of the Faculty of Education in virtue of the powers conferred upon it by section 37 (1) of the said Act and which have been approved by the Senate of the University of Malta as required by section 37 (2) of the said Act:
Citation and Interpretation
1. (1) These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2006 in terms of the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2004 for the degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B. Ed. (Hons.)
- under the auspices of the Faculty of Education.
(2) In these bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Education;
"the Course" means the programme of studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B.Ed. (Hons);
"the Degree" means the degree of Bachelor of Education (Honours) - B.Ed. (Hons);
"the Faculty" means the Faculty of Education; and
"the Principal Regulations" means the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2004.
Applicability
2. These bye-laws shall be applicable to courses commencing in October 2004 or later.
Areas of Study
3. The Degree may be awarded under the auspices of the Faculty either Primary Education or Secondary Education as an area of specialisation.
4. (1) Applicants who choose Secondary Education as their area of specialisation shall also be required to choose one or two teaching areas.
(2) The teaching areas for the Secondary Education area of specialisation shall be chosen as follows: two teaching areas from Group A, or one teaching area from Group B, or one teaching area from Group C, or any teaching area or combination of teaching areas as approved by the Senate on the recommendation of the Board. In any year, teaching areas shall be offered depending on the availability of resources and the number of applicants who choose them.
5. (1) The teaching areas in Group A shall be the following: Art, English, French, Geography, German, History, Italian, Maltese, Music Studies, Religious Education, Spanish.
(2) The following combinations of teaching areas from Group A are not normally offered:
· Art and French
· English and Music Studies
· Geography and either Maltese or Religious Education
· German and History
· Maltese and either English, or Italian, or Religious Education
· Spanish and English
· Spanish and Music Studies.
6. The teaching area in Group B shall be Science, with specialisation in either Biology, or Chemistry, or Physics.
7. The teaching areas in Group C shall be the following: Computing, Nutrition, Family and Consumer Studies, Mathematics, Personal and Social Development, Physical Education, and Technical Design and Technology.
8. (1) The Board shall announce the teaching areas offered within the Secondary Education area of specialisation as approved by Senate, before the beginning of each Course.
(2) In teaching areas where the number of school placements is limited, the Board shall recommend to Senate the number of applicants that may be allowed to register in these teaching areas, depending on the number of school placements available. The number of available places shall be announced at the time of the call for applications.
(3) If there are more eligible applicants than the number of places available, applicants shall be selected by means of an interview.
Special Course Requirements for Admission
9. (1) To be registered as regular students in the Course, applicants shall, apart from satisfying the general requirements for admission as specified in the Admission Regulations, be in possession of the special course requirements listed in this bye-law.
(2) If Primary Education is chosen as the area of specialisation, applicants shall have:
(a) one pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in one of the following subjects: Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, English, Geography, History, Home Economics and Human Ecology, Information Technology, Maltese, Mathematics (Applied or Pure), Music, Philosophy, Physics, Religious Knowledge, and Sociology;
(b) passes at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in two of the following subjects (excluding the subject presented at Advanced Level): Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, English, Environmental Science, Geography, History, Home Economics and Human Ecology, Information Technology, Maltese, Mathematics (Applied or Pure), Music, Philosophy, Physics, Religious Knowledge, and Sociology; and
(c) passes in proficiency tests in English and Maltese, approved by the Faculty, and shall be in possession of the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) prior to the commencement of the Course. Applicants who do not pass the proficiency tests and are not in possession of the ECDL before the commencement of the Course shall not be admitted to the Course.
(3) If Secondary Education is chosen as the area of specialisation, applicants shall have:
(a) for two teaching areas from Group A: passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in each of the two subjects chosen as teaching areas;
(b) for a teaching area from Group B:
(i) for Science with specialisation in Biology: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Biology and in any other subject, together with a pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Chemistry;
(ii) for Science with specialisation in Chemistry: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Chemistry and in any other subject, together with a pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Physics; and
(iii) for Science with specialisation in Physics: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Physics and in any other subject, together with a pass at Grade C or better at Intermediate Level in Applied Mathematics or Pure Mathematics;
(c) for a teaching area from Group C:
(i) for Home Economics: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Home Economics and Human Ecology and in any other subject;
(ii) for Mathematics: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics and in any other subject;
(iii) for Computing: two passes at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Computing and in any other subject, together with a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics (a pass at Advanced Level in Information Technology or in Pure Mathematics may not be offered instead of Computing);
(iv) for Personal and Social Development: a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in either Philosophy or Sociology and a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in any other subject;
(v) for Physical Education: a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in any two subjects, a pass in a physical education proficiency test, a medical certificate as per prescribed form provided by the Institute of Physical Education and Sport, and a portfolio demonstrating interest in and commitment to Physical Education and Sport;
For admission up to October 2009:
(vi) for Technical Design and Technology (for admission up to October 2009):
(1) a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Engineering Drawing or in Graphical Communication and a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in any other subject; or
(2) five passes at grade 5 or better in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination, including English Language and Maltese, together with a pass in Systems of Knowledge in the Matriculation Certificate Examination at Intermediate Level, and obtained the Advanced Technicians Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute, or a qualification considered equivalent by the University Admissions Board on the recommendation of the Board.
Or
For admission from October 2010 onwards:
(vi) for Technical Design and Technology (for admission from October 2010 onwards):
(1) a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Engineering Drawing or in Graphical Communication, a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Physics, and a pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in any other subject; or
(2) five passes at Grade 5 or better in the Secondary Education Certificate Examination, including English Language and Maltese, together with a pass in Systems of Knowledge in the Matriculation Certificate Examination at Intermediate Level, and the Advanced Technicians Diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute, or the BTEC Higher National Diploma in Electrical/Electronics Engineering (Course code 07/03/10) Level 4, or the BTEC Higher National Diploma in Electrical/Electronics Engineering (Electronics) (Course code 07/03/11) Level 4, or the BTEC Higher National Diploma inMechanical Engineering (Course code 07/07/08) Level 4, or a qualification considered equivalent by the University Admissions Board on the recommendation of the Board.
(4) All applicants choosing Secondary Education as their area of specialisation shall be required to pass tests in English and Basic Computer proficiency approved by the Faculty. Students are expected to obtain passes in these two tests before the end of the second year of the Course. If this requirement is not satisfied, students shall be required to withdraw from the Course.
(5) As from October 2006, applicants who do not pass the English proficiency test and are not in possession of the ECDL before the commencement of the Course shall not be admitted to the Course.
10. Applicants with other qualifications considered to be sufficient may be exempted by the University Admissions Board, on the advice of the Faculty Admissions Committee, from the whole or part of these special course requirements.
Course Duration
11. The Course shall extend over a period of four years of full-time study.
Course Programme
12. Students are required to obtain 60 credits per year, as detailed in the programme of studies (including four field placements and a dissertation) approved by Senate, on the recommendation of the Board, and according to the provisions of the Principal Regulations.
Special Provision for Field Placement
13. (1) There shall be a Field Placement in each of the four years of the Course, comprising a period of observation and/or teaching in schools under supervision as determined by the Board.
(2) Field Placements shall be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
(3) Students shall be required to pass all the Field Placements. Students can only do one Field Placement in any year of the Course and shall be allowed to repeat only one failed Field Placement during the following year, so that the final Field Placement is held during an additional year of studies, if allowed in terms of the Principal Regulations.
(4) Students whose Field Placement includes the teaching of two teaching areas and who fail to satisfy the examiners in the teaching of one of the teaching areas shall be considered to have failed the Field Placement. Such students shall be required to repeat the Field Placement in terms of paragraph (3) of this bye-law and as provided for in the Principal Regulations. Students may be allowed to repeat the Field Placement in the teaching of the failed teaching area only under those conditions established by the Board.
(5) Students shall be required to abide by the Field Placement Code of Ethics as published by the Board. Any breach of this Code of Ethics shall be referred to an ad hoc Disciplinary Board appointed by the Board and may result in a recommendation to Senate for dismissal from the Course.
(6) Students who, for valid reasons, fail to attend for up to five days shall have that particular Field Placement extended by the same number of days. Those who fail to attend for six or more days shall have to undergo a full Field Placement during an additional year of studies.
(7) The Board shall assign at least two additional examiners to each student. The main additional examiner is requested to present the assessment reports for the consideration of the Field Placement Board of Examiners. The Board of Examiners shall, in terms of the University Examinations Regulations, determine the procedure to be adopted for the conduct of the Field Placement assessment and may themselves conduct assessment visits to particular students as they deem fit.
Classification of the Award
14. The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the Degree shall be based on the results obtained in each year of the Course, each of which shall receive equal weighting.
15. In the case of assigning the classification of First Class Honours, the Degree Classification Board shall take into consideration the students' record of performance during the Field Placements.
16. The Degree classification shall be published according to the provisions of the Principal Regulations for Honours degrees.
