Download this document as PDF

Legal Notice 127 of 2004 ­ Malta Government Gazette No. 17,552 ­ 16 March 2004
Amended by:
Legal Notice 204 of 2005 ­ Malta Government Gazette No. 17,779 ­ 14 June 2005

EDUCATION ACT (CAP. 327)

General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards

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. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used shall be taken to mean as indicated in the Glossary of Terms listed hereunder:

Glossary of Terms

Term	Explanation
Academic Year	An academic year consists of two semesters, each incorporating 14 weeks of teaching, two weeks of recess, and examinationperiods of three weeks and of four weeks at the end of the first and the second semester respectively.
Add/drop period	A pre-announced period of time at the commencement of a semester during which students may withdraw without penalty from a unit previously registered for, or register for a new unit given in that semester. "Adding" or "Dropping" study-units may be subject to restrictions.
Area of Study	A subject, or a group of related subjects taken together in an approved Programme of Study.
Award Classification Board	The Board appointed in terms of the University Examinations Regulations, 1997.
Board	The Board of a Faculty or Institute or Centre responsible for a particular course or Programme of Study.
Board of Studies	The Board appointed to administer a course in terms of the Boards of Studies General Regulations, 1996.
Bye-Laws	means the Bye-Laws approved by Senate for each course.
Catalogue of study- units	A catalogue of study-units shall be drawn up by the relevant Board for each Area of Study. It shall indicate the level, code, title, description and type of each study-unit, the credits assigned to each study-unit, which study-units are compulsory, elective, concurrent or pre-requisites for other study-units, and the methods of teaching and assessment. The catalogue for each year of the course shall be published by the Board prior to the commencement of each course, following the approval of Senate.
Course / Course Programme	A course of studies leading to a University undergraduate award. A course may be one Programme of Study or may include a number of Programmes of Study in particular Areas of Study.
Credit	A number of credits are awarded for successful completion of each study-unit. A total of 60 credits are assigned to the study-units that students are expected to complete over one full-time academic year.
Method of Assessment	Assessment of study-units may be through coursework, assignments, written or oral examinations, or combinations of these, to each of which a percentage of the final mark and grade shall be assigned. The method of assessment for each study-unit shall be indicated in the catalogue of study-units.
Professional course	A course that imparts specific professional competencies and leads to an award that gives access to a regulated profession.
Programme of Study	Comprises a group of study-units in an Area of Study offered as a main or subsidiary Area of Study in a course.
Referral / Referred Study-Unit / Referred Assessment	A failed study-unit which a student is allowed to refer to the following year. Students are required to register for referred study-units and be assessed, but attendance for lectures is not obligatory.
Study-Unit / Unit	A part of a course or Programme of Study carried out upon a syllabus approved by Senate, on the recommendation of the Board, to which a specified number of credits at an indicated level is assigned, and which is capable of separate assessment. A study-unit may take the form of a series of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical or clinical sessions, field placements, projects, research work, dissertation, private study or a combination of such work, or any other method of teaching.
Compensatable/ Non-compensatable study-unit	Unless declared to be non-compensatable in a Programme of Study, all study-units, whether compulsory, elective or optional, are deemed to be compensatable, i.e. may be passed by compensation provided all conditions in terms of these regulations are satisfied.
Compulsory study-unit	A study-unit which must be followed and passed for the purpose of progression or successful completion of the course.
Concurrent study-units	Two or more study-units which must be followed together during the same semester.
Elective study-unit	A study-unit in a particular Programme of Study which must be chosen from a designated list of study-units.
Optional study-unit	A study-unit which may be chosen from a wide range of study-units offered in other Programmes of Study within the University and designated as such.
Pre-requisite study-unit	A study-unit for which credit must normally be obtained in order for a student to be able to register for a subsequent study-unit.
Synoptic study-units	Study-units, the syllabus for which involves the requirement that students integrate knowledge acquired in previous study-units pursued during the course. Whenever such study-units are included in a course or a Programme of Study, these study-units are scheduled for the last year of the Programme of Study and are always compulsory for successful completion of the course or Programme of Study.
Study-unit/credit system	The allocation of credit to study-units forming part of a course or Programme of Study follows closely the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) proposed by the European Commission, relevant extract from which is attached as Schedule 2 ­ ECTS Credits - which shall form part of these regulations for the purpose of interpretation and guidance.
University Undergraduate Award	A University Certificate, a University Diploma, an ordinary Bachelor degree, an Honours Bachelor degree or the degree of doctor of Medicine and Surgery.

 

Applicability

2. These regulations shall be applicable as from October 2003 for all courses leading to a University Undergraduate Award based on the study-unit/credit system and brought into force as bye-laws of these regulations.

Eligibility for a University Undergraduate Award

3. To be eligible for any University Undergraduate Award, students must:

(1) be registered as regular students in a Course in terms of the Admission Regulations of the University;

(2) complete the Course, and satisfy any other requirements prescribed in these regulations and in the bye-laws for the Course;

(3) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the University; and

(4) obtain not less than the number of credits at not below the level as indicated hereunder, including all credits for compulsory and elective study-units as specified in the programme/s of studies and/or bye-laws relevant to the Course on which the student is registered and subject to regulations 20, 21 and 22 below:

University Undergraduate Award	Requirements
University Certificate:	30 credits of which not less than 26 credits not below Level 1.
University Diploma	Between 60 and 120 credits, as specified in the bye-laws for the Course, of which not less than 56 Level 1 credits and not more than 10 Level 0 credits.
Bachelor (ordinary)	180 credits of which not more than 4 Level 0, not less than 56 Level 1, 56 Level 2 and 56 Level 3 credits.
Bachelor (Honours in one Area of Study) (three year full-time course)	180 credits of which not more than 4 Level 0, not less than 56 Level 1, 56 Level 2 and 56 Level 3 credits, the latter all in the area taken at honours.
Bachelor (Honours in two Areas of Study)(4 year full-time course)	240 credits of which not more than 4 Level 0, not less than 56 Level 1, 56 Level 2 and 112 Level 3 credits, the latter units divided equally between the two areas taken at honours.
Bachelor (Honours) (4 year full-time professional course)	240 credits of which not more than 4 Level 0, not less than 56 Level1, 56 Level 2and 112 Level 3 and Level 4 credits.
Bachelor (Honours) and any other undergraduate award following a 5 year professional course)	300 credits of which not more than 4 Level 0, not less than 56 Level 1, 56 Level 2 and a further 168 at Level 3 and 4.

 

Provided that:

(i) students may be allowed to offer higher level credits in substitution of the required credits at a specific level;
(ii) an unclassified ordinary pass degree may, at the discretion of the Award Classification Board, be awarded to a student registered in a degree Course, who at the end of the Course lacks not more than 10 credits to complete the credit requirement for the award of the degree. The student shall however have the option to refuse the award and opt to refer the missing units to the following year or repeat the year if so eligible in terms of these regulations.

Registration and Special Course Requirements

4. (1) Applicants shall apply to register for the Course on the prescribed form and within the time specified by the Office of the Registrar.

(2) To be registered as regular students in any undergraduate Course, applicants must satisfy the requirements for registration as regular students in terms of the Admission Regulations of the University and any Special Course Requirements laid down in the bye-laws for the Course.

5. In any academic year, full-time students must register for study-units to which a total of not less than 60 credits and not more than 70 credits are assigned, (including any credits for referred study-units) and not less than 24 and not more than 36 credits in any one semester,

Provided that

6. In any academic year, a part-time student must, unless in special circumstances given special permission by the Board, register for study-units to which a total of not less than 30 credits and not more than 40 credits are assigned, and not less than 12 and not more than 22 credits in any one semester unless specifically allowed otherwise in the bye-laws and provided that the choice of study-units is consistent with the Programme of Study.

7. (1) Students shall select and register for the study-units as prescribed in their Course Programme on the official form within the time specified by the Office of the Registrar and shall not be considered students on a unit unless they have so registered.

(2) Students shall not be permitted to follow a study-unit and/or be assessed for the award of credit unless they are registered as students on that unit.

(3) Where a particular first semester study-unit is specified as a prerequisite for a study-unit to be taken in the following semester, then the prerequisite will be deemed to have been satisfied if the student has been registered for the former unit, has maintained satisfactory attendance and completed all requirements associated with the unit.

(4) Where a particular study-unit is specified as concurrent with another, the student must maintain satisfactory attendance at both units.

(5) (a) Students may, subject to timetable and other published restrictions, and subject to any other condition that the University may from time to time impose, change a choice of units during the "add/drop period" that shall be published by the Registrar with the approval of Senate.

     (b) The Registrar, acting on the advice of the Dean/Director of the Faculty/Institute concerned may, subject to the same conditions and restrictions as in paragraph (5)(a) of this regulation, allow a student to change a choice of units, or withdraw from or register for a unit after the "add/drop period" has passed provided that no withdrawal from a unit may be permitted after any of the assessment components of that unit has been completed.

(6) Students are responsible for complying with the procedures at the time in force as published on the "add/drop" form.

Duration of Course

8. The duration of a Course shall be specified in the bye-laws for each Course but shall be not less and not more than the following periods of full-time study:

Provided that students may be allowed to follow a Course on a part-time basis, in which case the time spent in part-time study shall, unless otherwise stated in the bye-laws for the Course or unless in special circumstances specific arrangements are agreed in writing by the Board with the student, count as half that required in the case of full-time studies.

9. The Board may allow students to extend their studies by up to twelve months of study, irrespective of whether the student is registered on a full-time or part-time basis.

10. In special circumstances and on the recommendation of the Board, Senate may allow a further extension of up to two years of study, irrespective of whether the student is registered on a full-time or part-time basis.

11. The Board may allow students, for a good and sufficient reason, to suspend their studies for a maximum period of twelve months, irrespective of whether the student is registered on a full-time or part-time basis. In such cases the period of suspension of studies shall not be taken into consideration for calculating the period of registration in the Course in terms of the duration requirement.

Academic calendar

12. (1) The academic calendar of the University extends from 1st October to 30th September. The academic year consists of two semesters, each of fourteen weeks of teaching, two weeks of recess and three to four weeks of examinations, followed by the summer recess.

(2) Supplementary examinations are held in September during the summer recess.

(3) Programmes of Study may, with the approval of Senate, include summer sessions of varying lengths as indicated in the Programme of Study and/or the bye-laws for the Course.

13. The calendar for each academic year, indicating the date of the commencement of each semester, the dates reserved for examinations, and the dates of the Christmas, Easter and Summer recesses, shall be approved by Senate before the commencement of each academic year, normally a year in advance.

Courses and Course Programmes

14. Any Course shall be proposed by a Board duly authorised to offer undergraduate Courses and approved by Senate through bye-laws for the purpose.

15. Course Programmes that shall be approved by Senate may consist of one or more Programmes of Study in particular Areas of Study in which on successful completion of the Course an award may be given.

16. The Areas of Study and the combinations of areas that may be taken in a Course shall be indicated in the bye-laws for the Course.

17. A Course of studies leading to an award in more than one Area of Study may include areas that fall under the academic responsibility of different Faculties or Institutes. Senate shall approve such courses provided there is the concurrence of each of the Faculties/Institutes concerned.

18. Each academic year of full-time study of any Course shall include study-units to which sixty credits shall be assigned. Additional credits shall be assigned when a Course includes summer sessions.

Programmes of Study

19. There shall be a Programme of Study for each area of study in which a University undergraduate award may be given; whether the area is designated as a main or as a subsidiary area; in an Honours or an Ordinary degree.

20. An Area of Study can be designated as a main area in an ordinary degree Course Programme if at least 70 credits at the appropriate level are assigned to it.

21. An Area of Study can be designated as a main area in an honours degree Course Programme if at least 110 credits at the appropriate level are assigned to it.

22. An Area of Study can be designated as a subsidiary area in a degree Course Programme if at least 35 credits at the appropriate level are assigned to it.

23. All Course Programmes of Study shall allow students to register for optional study-units outside their area/s chosen as main or subsidiary, including units offered by other Faculties/Institutes, to the value of at least 2 credits for each year of the Course, although not necessarily 2 credits in each year.

24. Each Programme of Study shall be proposed by the department or division responsible for the teaching of the Area of Study and approved by Senate on the recommendation of the Board.

25. Programmes of Study shall be published before the commencement of each Course, normally by February of the preceding year, and shall include all the study-units in the area, indicating which of the units are compulsory, or electives, and the order in which the units shall be followed.

Study-units

26. Study-units shall be proposed by the department or division responsible for the teaching of the Area of Study and approved by Senate on the recommendation of the Board.

27. Each study-unit shall be assigned a code by the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the principles listed in Schedule 1 - System of Assigning Codes for Study-Units attached to these regulations.

28. Study-units shall be offered at levels as follows:

Level 0

Pre-tertiary or foundation or proficiency study-units.

Level 1

Study-units normally offered in Year 1 of an undergraduate Course where it is assumed that the students have a general level of education at least meriting the award of the Matriculation Certificate. In Courses where admission is dependant on students being in possession of special course requirements, such as a pass in a subject taken at Advanced Level, lecturers can assume that students possess the pre-required knowledge.

Levels 2 & 3

Study-units offered in Years 2 and 3 of an undergraduate Course. Level 3 credits are also offered in Year 4 of an undergraduate non-professional course.

Level 4

Study-units offered in Years 4 and 5 of a professional Course. Such study-units normally imparting specific professional competencies, although given at a level higher than Level 3, are still considered as being at undergraduate level.

Credits

29. A credit value is assigned to each study-unit indicating the total learning time, including time devoted to tuition, private study and assessment, which an average student might be expected to spend in achieving the learning outcomes associated with the unit; one credit nominally representing 25 hours of learning of which 5 to 7 hours are normally direct teaching when a study-unit is imparted in the standard lecturing mode.

30. Study-units taught and assessed within a single semester shall normally be assigned not less than 4 credits (except for study-units designated as optional, which may be assigned 2 credits) and not more than 30 credits.

31. Credits shall be awarded to students who pass the assessment for that unit. The grade and credits for a particular unit cannot be awarded to a student more than once.

32. Study-units credited to a student may not normally be used towards an award after 7 years have elapsed from the award of the credit to the student.

33. The same credits cannot be counted towards two separate qualifications unless one qualification is considered by Senate to be an interim qualification in the normal progression to the other, higher level qualification,
Provided that a Board of Studies may exempt a student from the attendance requirement of a compulsory study-unit credit for which was obtained towards another award, although such a student shall still be required to be assessed in the unit.

34. (1) Subject to regulations 32 and 33 above, credits awarded by other recognised Institutions of Higher Education may be accepted by the Board of Studies for transfer towards a specific Programme of Study except to a programme leading to a University Certificate,
Provided that any award of the University, including the Diploma, shall be subject to 60 credits assigned to the final year of the Course having been awarded by the University of Malta.

     (2) The Board responsible for the programme towards which credits are transferred shall be responsible for ascertaining and reporting to the Registrar the mark, grade and credit value equivalence of the units for which credits are transferred.

Attendance

35. Unless otherwise specified in the bye-laws of a Course, or expressly stated in the description of a study-unit as published in the catalogue of study-units, attendance for lectures, tutorials, seminars, practical or clinical sessions or work placements, fieldwork and any other teaching session in whatever mode is obligatory. Unauthorised absence may lead to the student being declared ineligible for assessment of the unit, in which case a 0 mark and an F grade shall be assigned and recorded.

Assessment

(1) Marking and Grading

36. Examiners shall express the student's performance in the assessment of study-units as a percentage mark and as a grade as indicated in the tables below. Both the percentage mark and the letter grade shall be recorded in the student's academic record. The percentage mark only is used for the purpose of calculating the student's progress and for the award classification.

Descriptor	Mark Range	Grade
Work of exceptional quality. Exceptional performance showing comprehensive understanding and application of the subject matter. Evidence of extensive additional reading / research / work.	95	A+
Work of excellent quality. Superior performance showing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Evidence of considerable additional reading / research / work.	80% - 94%	A
Work of very good quality. Performance is typified by a very good working knowledge of subject matter. Evidence of a fair amount of reading / research / work.	75% - 79%	B+
Work of good quality. Above average performance, with a working knowledge of subject matter. Evidence of some reading / research / work.	70% - 74%	B
Work of average quality. Considerable but incomplete understanding of the subject matter. Evidence of little reading / research / work.	65% - 69%	C+
Work of fair quality. Basic understanding of the subject matter. No evidence of additional reading / research / work.	55% - 64%	C
Work of rather low quality. Minimal understanding of the subject matter, with no evidence of additional reading / research / work.	50% - 54%	D+
Marginal Pass. Marginal performance, barely sufficient preparation for subsequent courses in the same area.	45% - 49%	D
Pass - when assessment is based on a Pass/Fail basis only for study-units that are used for establishing eligibility to progress or for the award but are not taken in consideration for calculating the student's progress and for award classification purposes.	Not Applicable	P
Compensated Pass. Performance in the assessment of a  study-unit, except a non-compensatable unit, that is deemed to be just below marginal pass but is deemed to be compensatable by good performance in other units. (vide regulation 45.)	35% - 44%	CP
Narrow failure that however is not compensated by good performance in other units.	35% - 44%	F
Unsatisfactory, failing work in any study-unit.	0% - 34%	F
Unsatisfactory, failing work in a non-compensatable study-unit.	0% - 44%	F
Unjustified absence for an assessment, or failure to hand in assigned work in time, or ineligibility to take assessment due to unapproved absence from lectures. Shall be considered as F with 0 marks in the calculation of the average mark.	0%	F

 

37. The following grades when assigned to study-units shall not be taken into consideration for computation purposes but form part of the student's academic record.
 

Grade	Descriptor
I	Temporary grade for Incomplete work due to justifiable reasons (illness, approved absence, etc.) for which the assessment date has been postponed or deadline for submission of work has been extended.
W	Approved withdrawal of the registration for a study-unit after the official add/drop period has elapsed, given in consideration of exceptional circumstances, such as absence from lectures due to prolonged illness during the semester. The unit shall not be taken into consideration in the calculation of the average mark.

(2) Calculating an Average Mark

38. In calculating the average mark for each year of the Course (referred to as the Year Average Mark), each individual mark obtained for each unit registered (for) during the year shall be weighted by the credit value of the corresponding unit, the resultant marks are added and divided by the total number of credits to give the average mark for the year, provided that a student may request that marks obtained for a passed unit done over and above the requirements of the Course Programme for the year be not taken into consideration for this purpose. The average shall be recorded correct to one decimal place.

39. The Final Weighted Average Mark that shall be used to classify the award shall be calculated by weighting each Year Average Mark by the corresponding factor for the year as indicated in the bye-laws for the Course in terms of regulation 70 and the average shall be recorded correct to the nearest whole number.

Assessment Methods

40. The method of assessment for each study-unit shall be indicated in the study-unit description and published in the catalogue of study-units.

41. Unless in special circumstances and with the approval of the Board, all students on the same study-unit shall be assessed by the same method/s of assessment. Supplementary assessments shall normally have the same mode of assessment as the corresponding first assessment.

42. (1) Assessment may be made :

    (a) in a continuous mode, i.e. by a set of assessments, which may take the form of class tests, take-home assignments, oral tests, practical work/projects, or a combination of two or more of these methods, or any other method of continuous assessment approved by the Board distributed throughout the study-unit; or

    (b) in a final mode, i.e. by a single assessment at the end of the study-unit; or

    (c) in a continuous and final mode, i.e. partly by a set of assessments distributed throughout the study-unit and partly by an assessment at the end of the study-unit.

    (2) Study-unit assessments may be conducted by the lecturer/s who teaches the particular study-unit in consultation with the Head of Department or by a Board of Examiners approved by Senate on the recommendation of the Board.

    (3) Synoptic study-units, and all compulsory study-units conducted at the end of the last semester of any Course leading to a diploma or degree, shall normally include an examination component which shall contribute not less than 60% towards the final mark of the unit.

43. When the assessment of a study-unit comprises two or more components, the percentage weighting each component contributes to the award of the final mark and grade of the study-unit shall be indicated in the study-unit description published in the catalogue of study-units.

44. Any work assigned as coursework for continuous assessment purposes shall always be submitted before the date of the final examination of the study-unit. When a study-unit is assessed by coursework only, the date of submission of work shall not be set later than the last day of the examination session following the semester during which the study-unit is given.

45. Students who fail in any study-unit, except a study-unit that is declared to be non-compensatable in a Programme of Studies, with a mark of not less than 35 and whose current mark average is at least 50 shall be awarded the grade CP and shall be awarded credit for the unit by compensation and shall not be required to be reassessed.

Supplementary Assessments

46. Students who fail in any study-unit and who are not eligible to a compensatory pass (Grade CP) shall be allowed a supplementary assessment, provided they are eligible in terms regulations 47 and 48.

47. In any academic year, students shall only be eligible to be re-assessed in study-units to which not more than 16 credits are assigned, except when students fail in only one study-unit to which more than 16 credits are assigned or in two study-units which between them are assigned more than 16 credits but not more than 20 credits.

48. (1) Students shall be allowed a supplementary assessment of a failed unit on one occasion only during the same academic year the unit has been followed provided they had satisfied the attendance requirement of the study-unit and the deadlines for submission of coursework and provided they are eligible in terms of regulation 47.

    (2) Students who fail a study-unit due to unjustified absence for an examination or due to non-submission of coursework by the set deadlines, may be allowed a supplementary session at the discretion of the study-unit examiner/s.

    (3) Students who fail a study-unit due to ineligibility to take the first assessment because of failure to satisfy the attendance requirement shall not be allowed a supplementary assessment, unless in special circumstances with the approval of the Board. In such a case the Board shall impose special requirements on the student to make up for the missed teaching sessions.

49. In the supplementary assessment of a failed study-unit, students may be required to be reassessed either in the failed component/s of the assessment or in all the components of the assessment as indicated in the catalogue of study-units. A continuous assessment component may be indicated as not having the possibility of a Supplementary Assessment.

50. Students who fail the assessment of a study-unit involving a work placement, clinical practice or any other unit that requires assessment over a period of time, and when it is not practicable or possible for students to be re-assessed during the current year, shall not have the right to a supplementary assessment and shall:

either (1) be required to refer the study-unit to the following year if such referral is allowed in terms of these regulations;

or       (2) be required to re-do the unit during an additional year of studies during which the students concerned shall be registered as part-time students and shall normally be required to do that study-unit only. Such an additional year may, at the discretion of the Board, not be counted for the purpose of course duration.

The conditions for the re-assessment of such study-units shall be indicated in the particular study-unit description published in the catalogue and/or in the bye-laws for the Course.

51. In any supplementary assessment, the maximum mark/grade that may be awarded shall be 45, grade D.

52. Supplementary assessments shall be held as follows:

    (1) for the continuous assessment mode: by arrangement with the lecturer concerned provided that reassessment is completed before the end of the supplementary assessment session.

    (2) for the examination mode: at a supplementary session of examinations, normally in September.

Progress

(1) Regular progression

53. Students shall register as regular students in the following year of the Course on obtaining the 60 credits assigned to the study-units as indicated in their Course Programme.

(2) Conditional progression

54. Students who after the supplementary session need not more than 10
credits in order to successfully complete the Course Programme for the year, shall,
whenever possible and after academic counselling by the Dean and/or the Head of
Department concerned, be given the option by the Board to either:

    (1) refer the failed study-units to the following year to be done over and above the study-units indicated for that year, OR

    (2) repeat the unit in an additional year of studies if the student is in the final year of the Course, OR

    (3) repeat the year, if eligible in terms of these regulations.

55. Students referred to in regulation 54 who take up the option to refer failed units to the following year shall be considered to have progressed conditionally and shall not be allowed to continue with the Course if, after the supplementary assessment session of that year, they would have failed again to obtain the required credits for any of the referred compulsory units.

56. In the case of non-compulsory referred study-units, the Board, after consultation with the Head of Department and/or the Board of Studies, may allow students to register for alternative study-units which fall within the scope of the students' Programme of Study.

57. A study-unit that has been accepted as an alternative to a referred study-unit shall be registered for and followed under the same conditions as any other unit but shall be considered as a referred study-unit for marking and grading purposes and shall therefore attract a maximum mark of 45%, Grade D.

58. Any study-unit may be referred to the following year once only.

59. Students who fail the assessment of a referred study-unit in a normal session of examinations shall be allowed a final re-assessment in the September supplementary session, provided that they are eligible in terms of these regulations.

60. The maximum mark/grade that may be awarded to a referred study-unit, including study-units accepted as alternative to referred ones, and irrespective of whether the study-unit is assessed in a normal or in a supplementary session of examinations, is 45, Grade D.

Change of Area of Study

61. A student registered in a degree with more than one Area of Study may request to change one of the Areas of Study registered. In such instances, the Board may, at its discretion, allow students to change under those conditions it may impose, including the condition of an additional year of study.

Requirement to repeat a year of study or to terminate a Course

62. Students who, by the end of a particular academic year of study, lack more than 16 of the credits required for their current year including credits for referred study-units (except students who, in terms of regulation 47, are eligible to be reassessed in one or two study-units to which more than 16 credits are assigned), shall not be allowed a reassessment in any of the failed study-units and shall be required to repeat the year if eligible in terms of these regulations or, if not eligible to repeat a year, shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

63. Students who, after the supplementary assessment session still lack more than 10 credits to complete the requirement of their Course Programme for the particular year, shall be required to repeat the year if eligible in terms of these regulations or, if not eligible to repeat a year, shall be required to withdraw from the Course.

64. Students shall be allowed to repeat the same year of a Course once only and shall not, unless in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of Senate, be allowed to repeat a year more than once throughout any Course.

65. (1) Students who are not eligible to progress to the next year of the Course and are allowed to repeat the failed year shall be required to follow the Programme/s of Study that is/are current for the academic year during which they are repeating, including any study-units the student may have successfully completed in their failed year,
Provided that such students shall always be required to successfully complete all the compulsory units of their Programme/s of Study.

     (2) In the first assessment of this year any grade may be obtained; in a supplementary assessment, the maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D. The credits obtained in this year shall count towards the final classification of the degree.

     (3) The results obtained during the failed year shall not be taken into consideration for the award of the degree and shall not be included in the student's academic record,
Provided that, at the discretion of the Board, students registered in a degree comprising more than one Area of Study may be allowed to retain the credits obtained in a successfully completed Area of Study with a Year average mark of at least 50%. In such instances, the Board may either allow the student to register part-time and follow the units of the failed area only, or, time-table constraints permitting, allow the student to register also for some higher level study-units in the other area/s.

Special Provisions for Students in the Final Year of a Course

66. Students who after the supplementary session of examinations of their final year of study in a Course, need only to successfully complete one study-unit (normally a dissertation, long essay or project) to which more than 10 credits are assigned in order to successfully complete the Course shall be allowed an extra year of study in which to complete the missing unit.

Consequences of Withdrawal from a Course

67. When a student is required by regulations to withdraw from a Course, the student shall not be allowed re-admission into the same Course before the lapse of three years from withdrawing and thereafter may only be re-admitted by permission of Senate given on the recommendation of the Board.

68. When a student withdraws from a degree Course either by choice or because ineligible to proceed further in terms of these regulations, and unless the bye-laws for the Course provide for the granting of an interim award the student shall:

       (1) if at least 60 credits have been obtained, be granted the Certificate of Higher Education (Cert. H.E.);

       (2) if at least 120 credits have been obtained, be granted the Diploma of Higher Education (Dip. H.E.),

in both instances without reference to any Area of Study in the title of the award.

Classification of Undergraduate Awards

69. (1) Certificates shall be awarded unclassified.

      (2) Diplomas may be awarded "With Distinction" or "Pass".

      (3) Ordinary Degrees may be awarded in any of the following categories:

(4) Honours degrees may be awarded in any of the following classes:

70. The classification of awards shall be determined by the Award's Classification Board in accordance with criteria that shall be indicated in the bye-laws and that shall be made subject to the following provisions:

      (1) The performance in study-units in a Certificate or Diploma Course Programme shall normally be weighted equally except that, in the case of Diploma programmes that include Level 2 study-units, such units may be weighted by a factor that is not more than twice that of Level 1 units.

   (2) In degree programmes, the performance in study-units of each year of the Course may be weighted differently towards the Final Weighted Average Mark, provided that the weighting of the study-units of any particular year shall not be more than 65%.

71. (1) Award Classification Boards shall consult the following guidelines when deciding upon the classification of awards at the end of each Course.

      (a) A diploma is normally awarded "With Distinction" to students whose Final Weighted Average Mark is not less than 80%.
     

      (b) Degrees are normally awarded as follows:

Average Mark	Ordinary Degrees	Honours Degrees
100% - 80%	Category I	First Class Honours
79% - 70%	Category IIA	Upper Second Class Honours
69% - 55%	Category IIB	Lower Second Class Honours
54% - 45%	Category III	Third Class Honours

 (2) The Award Classification Board, at its own discretion, may award the degree with a higher category or class than that indicated to students whose Final Weighted Average Mark is up to five marks less than the threshold (minimum) for the category/class. In such cases the Award Classification Board is required to minute the decision and the justification for it.

(3) The Award Classification Board may also award a diploma or degree with a lower category/class than that indicated in the above guidelines. In such cases the Classification Board is required to obtain the authorisation of the Board of the Faculty or Institute or Centre responsible for the particular Course that shall minute the decision and the justification for it. The student/s concerned may appeal to Senate against the decision within two weeks of the publication of the Final Classification.

Miscellaneous

Changes to published Programmes and Study-Units

72. The University will make every effort to ensure that the published programmes and Study-Unit Catalogues are complete and up to date, but reserves the right to make changes on the recommendation of the relevant Board. The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units attracting fewer than six student registrations may be withdrawn without notice.

Consequences of Unfulfilled Obligations

73. A student in debt to the University, or otherwise having unfulfilled obligations to the University, will not be permitted to re-register in any succeeding sessions, nor shall a degree, diploma or certificate be conferred upon a student in debt or having unfulfilled obligations, except by special permission of the Rector, or until the debt is paid or the obligation is fulfilled.

Professional Misconduct And/Or Unsuitability

74. (1) In the case of students following a professional Course, the University may at any time suspend or preclude from further studies any student who, following appropriate investigatory procedures that Senate may establish for such cases, is deemed to have acted or be acting in a manner which jeopardises the welfare of the subject (whether patient, pupil, or client) or which contravenes the relevant professional codes of conduct (i.e. professional misconduct), or whose behaviour is deemed to be incompatible with that required by the profession (i.e. professional unsuitability).

  (2) The University may request a Police Good Conduct Certificate of its students.

Special Provisions for Part-Time Courses

75. (1) A Board may, from time to time, offer students the opportunity to follow a Course on a part-time basis in Areas of Study which shall be indicated before the commencement of each Course.

     (2) The provisions of the foregoing regulations shall apply mutatis mutandis to courses followed on a part-time basis, and subject to such changes as may reasonably be deemed by the relevant Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the Course. 
 

UNIVERSITY OF MALTA

SENATE RESOLUTION

System of Assigning Codes for Study-Units

A study-unit can be described as the building block of a University award scheme. It is the basic unit of instruction - a self-contained component of a certificate, diploma or degree programme. It is normally made up of a series of lectures/tutorials/practicals but may also be made up entirely of private study, as is the case, for example, in a dissertation study-unit. Each study-unit has its specific aims, a syllabus, a teaching/learning pattern and a means of assessing a student's progress.

Study-units are taught at different levels, reflecting the academic standard of the study-unit and the demands placed on students as they progress from year to year.

In the first instance, the responsibility for ensuring the academic quality of each study-unit, including its content, delivery and assessment, lies with that academic entity, normally an academic department or division, but may be a programme board, to which Senate assigns the study-unit. The Faculty or Institute to which the department, division or programme board is assigned is responsible for academic quality control at the next higher level over the study-units offered under the Faculty's or Institute's responsibility.

The University, through Senate, remains ultimately responsible for ensuring academic quality control, external examining, examination boards, admission to a course programme, including the study-units that compose the programme, and seeing that resourcing (including staffing) is adequate. It authorises all changes to the content and structure of the programme and may from time to time conduct a formal review of any programme.

The coding system reflects the principles listed above and is applicable from October 2002 onwards.

Assigning Codes

Each study-unit shall be assigned a unique code, comprising a first letter indicating the Faculty or Institute, three letters indicating the department, division or programme and four digits.

Letter codes are assigned to each entity, that can be a department, division or programme, to which Senate assigns the responsibility for teaching and research in a given discipline or sub-discipline. Thus, any study-unit bearing a code commencing with particular letters denotes that the department/division/programme board concerned assumes academic responsibility for that study-unit. Conversely, it is to be assumed that Senate will only authorise entities to offer study-units in that subject/area of study that falls within the academic responsibility assigned to them.

Faculty/Institute	Department/Division/Area of Study	Character
Architecture and Civil Engineering		ACE
	Architecture and Urban Design	AUD
	Building and Civil Engineering	BCE
Arts		ATS
	Arabic	ARB
	Near Eastern Studies	NES
	Arabic and Near Eastern Studies	ANE
	Classics	CLA
	Archaeology	ARC
	Classics and Archaeology	CAR
	English	ENG
	French	FRE
	History	HST
	History of Art	ART
	Italian	ITL
	Maltese	MAL
	Philosophy	PHI
	Sociology	SOC
	International Relations	IRL
	German	GRM
Dental Surgery
	Dental Surgery	DNS
Economics, Management and Accountancy		EMA
	Accountancy	ACC
	Banking and Finance	BKF
	Economics	ECN
	Management	MGT
	Marketing	MRK
	Public Policy	PPL
	Tourism	TRS
	Social Work	SWK
	Social Administration	SAD
	Social Work/Social Administration	SWA
Education		EDU
	Arts and Languages in Education	ALE
	Education Studies	EDS
	Maths, Science and Technical Education	MST
	Physical Education	PHE
	Primary Education	PRE
	Psychology	PSY
	Inclusive Education	INE
	Youth Studies	YTH
Engineering		ENR
	Communications and Computer Engineering	CCE
	Electrical Power and Control Engineering	EPC
	Manufacturing Engineering	MFE
	Mechanical Engineering	MEC
	Metallurgy and Materials Engineering	MME
	Microelectronics	ELE
Laws		LAW
	Civil Law	CVL
	Commercial Law	CML
	Criminal Law	CRL
	European and Comparative Law	ECL
	International Law	INL
	Public Law	PBL
Medicine and Surgery		MDS
	Anatomy	ANA
	Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics	CPH
	Pharmacy	PHR
	Physiology and Biochemistry	PHB
	Medicine	MED
	Surgery	SUR
	Obstetrics and Gynaecology	OBG
	Paediatrics	PAD
	Pathology	PAT
	Psychiatry	PSC
	Public Health	PHL
	Family Medicine	FME
Science		SCI
	Biology	BIO
	Chemistry	CHE
	Computer Information Systems	CIS
	Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence	CSA
	Mathematics	MAT
	Physics	PHY
	Statistics and Operations Research	SOR
Theology		THL
	Church History, Patrology and Palaeochristian Archaeology	HPA
	Fundamental and Dogmatic Theology	FDT
	Moral Theology	MRT
	Pastoral Theology, Liturgy and Canon Law	PLC
	Philosophy	PHI
	Sacred Scripture, Hebrew and Greek	SHG
Centre for Communication Technology		CCT
	Communication Studies	CST
	Library and Information Studies	LIS
	Law and Information Technology	LIT
Agriculture		AGR
Anglo-Italian Studies		AIS
Baroque Studies		BST
Energy Technology		ENT
Forensic Studies		FRS
Linguistics		LIN
Masonry and Construction Research		MAS
Public Administration and Management		PAM
European Documentation and Research		EDR
	European Studies	EST
Workers' Participation and Development		WPD
Board of Studies for Information Technology		BIT
Health Care		IHC
	Nursing	NUR
	Midwifery	MID
	Communication Therapy	CMT
	Environmental Health	EHL
	Medical Laboratory Science	MLS
	Occupational Therapy	OCT
	Physiotherapy	PHT
	Podiatry	POD
	Radiography	RAD
	Health Service Management	HSM
	Dental Technology	DNT
	Gerontology	GER
Mediterranean Institute		MDT
	Anthropology	ANT
	Geography	GEO
	Hispanic Studies	HPS
	History of Mediterranean Civilisation	HMC
	Music Studies	MSP
	Theatre Studies	THS
Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies		MAD
	Diplomatic Studies	DST
International Environment		IEN
Islands and Small States		ISS
Foundation Studies Course		FST
Institute for Conservation and Restoration Studies (MCR)		CRS
Extracurricular credit		EXC

 

Assigning Digits

The first digit shall indicate the level at which the study-unit is offered, assigned by the department/division/programme board concerned according to the following criteria:

Level 0	Pre-tertiary or foundation or proficiency study-units.
Level 1	Study-units normally offered in Year 1 of an undergraduate Course where it is assumed that the students have a general level of education at least meriting the award of the Matriculation Certificate. In courses where admission is dependant on students being in possession of special course requirements, such as a pass in a subject taken at Advanced Level, lecturers can assume that students possess the pre-required knowledge.
Levels 2 & 3	Study-units offered in Years 2 and 3 of an undergraduate Course. Level 3 credits are also offered in Year 4 of an undergraduate non-professional course.
Level 4	Study-units offered in Years 4 and 5 of a professional Course. Such study-units normally imparting specific professional competencies, although given at a level higher than Level 3, are still considered as being at undergraduate level.
Level 5	Study-units offered at postgraduate level such as study-units exclusively required for the award of Postgraduate Diplomas and Master's degrees.

 

The second, third and fourth digits are the numbers assigned to each study-unit by the department / division / programme board offering the study-unit.

 

WHAT ARE ECTS CREDITS?




ECTS CREDIT ALLOCATION

How to allocate ECTS credits to course units?


To which course units should ECTS credits be allocated?




Is there a relationship between ECTS credits and contact hours?



What about optional or elective course units?



THE AWARD OF ECTS CREDITS TO STUDENTS

What is the difference between credit allocation to course units and the award of credits to students?


The learning outcomes and assessment methods of all course units, including project works, theses and industrial placements, should be described in the information package. Credits are not awarded for good marks - the amount of credit for a course is fixed and is the same for all students who succeed in the assessments. The quality of the student's performance on the programme of study is given by grades.