S.L. 327.328 Art. 7Types of Master’s Courses.

(1) A Master’s course may lead to three types of comparable awards as follows:

(a) a Master’s degree obtained on successful completion of a Programme of Study that builds upon a first cycle degree in the same or related area of study, normally designated as Master of Arts or Master of Science or, where appropriate, Master of Philosophy;

(b) a Professional Master’s degree, usually designated as Master of (subject), obtained on successful completion of a Programme of Study that either:

(i) builds upon a first cycle degree in the same area of study and intended to develop further profession-related skills and knowledge, normally in an area of specialisation; or

(ii) only partially builds on knowledge obtained in a first cycle degree but imparts specific professional competencies and leads to an award that gives access to a regulated profession; and

(c) a Conversion Master’s degree obtained on successful completion of a Programme of Study that, whilst necessitating the broad academic preparation of a suitable first cycle degree, does not build upon a specific body of knowledge obtained in any particular first cycle degree course, designated as Master of (subject).

(2) A Master’s course may be either mainly taught or mainly by research.

(3) (a) All mainly taught Masters’ courses shall provide that students be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma on successful completion of taught study-units to which 60 credits are assigned if the students either opt not to proceed with the Course, or having proceeded, do not successfully complete the Course.

(b) Bye-Laws may further provide for the award of a Postgraduate Certificate on successful completion of a prescribed set of study-units totalling 30 credits, provided that the learning outcomes achieved through the completion of such study-units warrant the granting of such a qualification.