BACHELOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY - 
S.TH.B. - DEGREE COURSE g S.L.327.203 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.203
BACHELOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY - S.TH.B. - 
DEGREE COURSE REGULATIONS
20th July, 2001
LEGAL NOTICE 175 of 2001.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Bachelor of Sacred
Theology - S.Th.B. - Degree Course Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Faculty of Theology;
"the course" means the course of studies leading to the Degree of
Bachelor of Sacred Theology - S.Th.B.; and
"the Degree" means the Degree of Bachelor of Sacred Theology -
S.Th.B.
Applicability.
2001 or later.
Eligibility for the 
Degree.
3. To be eligible for the award of the Degree, students must:
( a ) be registered as regular students in terms of the
Admission Regulations of the University;
( b ) complete the appropriate course of studies, obtain all
the required credits, pass the synoptic examinations
and satisfy any other requirements prescribed in these
regulations; and
( c ) satisfy any other requirements prescribed in any other
relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the
University.
Admission 
requirements.
4. (1) Applicants shall apply for the course on the prescribed
application form and within the time specified by the Office of the
Registrar.
(2) Applicants may apply for admission to the course if they
satisfy the requirements for admission as regular students in terms
of the Admission Regulations of the University.
Registration for 
course and for 
study-units.
5. (1) Students shall be required to register before the
beginning of each academic year and to register for study-units
before the beginning of each semester within the period stipulated
by the Office of the Registrar.
(2) Students shall be awarded a grade for a study-unit only if
they have registered for it on the Study-Unit Registration Form. At
the beginning of each semester, students may add or drop a study-
unit on the prescribed form and within the period stipulated by the
Office of the Registrar.
(3) Students are expected to inform the Registrar in writing if
they resign from the course, indicating the date of the resignation.
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Duration of the 
course.
6. (1) The course shall extend over a period of five years of
full-time studies. The Board may allow students to complete the
course in not more than six years from the date of first admission,
under those conditions it may impose.
(2) In special circumstances, Senate may allow a further
extension of one year, on the recommendation of the Board.
(3) The Senate, acting on the advice of the Board, may allow
students, for a good and sufficient reason, to suspend their studies
for a maximum period of twelve months.
Areas of studies. 7. (1) The course shall cover the basic theological
disciplines, namely, sacred scripture, patrology, church history
(including palacochristian archaeology), fundamental and dogmatic
theology (including ecumenism), moral and spiritual theology,
pastoral theology, liturgy and canon law, and shall be so structured
as to lead progressively to a fuller understanding of the main
theological themes and the inter-relationship between them.
(2) The different fields of philosophy along with relevant areas
of sociology, and psychology and communication studies, Hebrew,
Biblical Greek and Latin, as required for the proper study of
theology, shall be taught during the first three years of the course.
(3) The programme of theological studies proper shall start in
the first year with a general introduction to the foundations of
theology, a historical overview of Christian thought and practice
and a basic reflection on the mystery of salvation that can serve as a
background to and a focal point for the whole of theology; it shall
proceed in the second and third years in close relation to the study
of philosophy and it shall be completed through further theological
studies in the fourth and fifth years.
Course of studies. 8. (1) To complete t.he programme of studies, students shall
be required to obtain a total of 150 credits, of which a minimum of
54 credits shall be in the areas of study listed in regulation 7(2),
and 96 credits shall be in theological studies as indicated in
regulation 7(3).
(2) The programme of studies during the first three years of
the course shall consist of:
( a ) 36 credits in Theology and Religious Studies; and
( b ) 54 credits in Philosophy and related areas of study, of
which 4 credits shall be awarded for a pass in the
synoptic examination in Philosophy.
(3) The programme of studies during the fourth and fifth year
of the course shall consist of 60 credits in further studies in all the
basic theological disciplines, of which 6 credits shall be awarded
for a pass in the synoptic examination in Theology.
Catalogue of 
study-units.
9. The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units for
each area of theological studies. The catalogue shall indicate the
code, title, and description of each study-unit, the credits assigned
to each study-unit, and the methods of teaching and assessment.
The Board shall publish the catalogue prior to the commencement
of each course, following the approval of Senate.
BACHELOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY - 
S.TH.B. - DEGREE COURSE g S.L.327.203 3
Assessment and 
progress.
10. (1) Credits shall be assigned according to the following
grades in descending order of merit: A, B, C, and D. Failure shall
be indicated by F. Incomplete work due to justifiable reasons
(illness, approved absence, etc.) shall be indicated as I. The grades
awarded shall take into account the students’ performance in one or
more of the following elements, as deemed appropriate by the
Board: coursework, fieldwork, research, and practical, written and/
or oral assessments.
(2) Students who fail in any study-unit shall be allowed a
supplementary assessment. Such a supplementary assessment
should normally have the same mode of assessment as the
corresponding first assessment. Supplementary assessments of
study-units shall be held at the next scheduled examination session
(May or September) as the case may be. In the case of assignments,
the supplementary assessment shall be made by arrangement with
the lecturer concerned. In the supplementary assessment, the
maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D.
(3) Students, who in the re-sit fail in a study-unit or study-
units to which, in all, three credits or less are assigned in a
particular semester, may register again for the study-unit or study-
units in which they failed and submit for a re-assessment. In this
case, the study-unit or study-units shall be covered in a form to be
established by the lecturer/s concerned in consultation with the
Dean. This concession may be availed of only once during the
course.
(4) Students may not register for a study-unit for which they
do not have the pre-requisites or without registering also for its
concurrent study-unit/s, except with the permission of the Board.
(5) The Board may allow students to transfer credits obtained
for study-units in a course of studies at the University of Malta or
at a university recognised for the purpose by the Senate, provided
such study-units are comparable in content and level to the ones
offered in the course. Not more than one-third of the minimum
number of credits required for the award of the Degree may be
transferred.
Synoptic 
examinations.
11. (1) There shall be a synoptic examination in Philosophy at
the end of the third year and a synoptic examination in Theology at
the end of the fifth year.
(2) Students shall be eligible to sit for the synoptic
examination in Philosophy if they:
( a ) have registered for, and completed, the study-units in
the areas of study indicated in regulation 7(2), to
which a minimum of 50 credits are assigned and have
obtained at least 45 credits, by the end of the third
year; and
( b ) participate in integrative seminars, as required by the
Board.
(3) The synoptic examination in Philosophy taken as a main
area of study in the course leading to the Bachelor of Arts in
Theology and Human Studies shall be considered equivalent to the
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BACHELOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY - 
S.TH.B. - DEGREE COURSE
synoptic examination in Philosophy prescribed in these regulations.
(4) Students shall be eligible to sit for the synoptic
examination in Theology if they:
( a ) have registered for, and completed, the study-units in
the areas of study indicated in regulation 7(3), to
which a minimum of 90 credits are assigned and have
obtained at least 85 credits by the end of the fifth year;
and
( b ) participated in integrative seminars, as required by the
Board.
(5) The synoptic examinations shall normally be held in June
and shall consist of two three-hour papers in Philosophy and three
three-hour papers in Theology. A  viva voce  examination may also
be held.
Supplementary 
session of 
examinations.
12. (1) Students who fail in any paper of the synoptic
examinations in any area of study shall be required to sit for the
failed paper/s in the September supplementary session of
examinations. If successful the maximum grade that may be
awarded shall be grade D.
(2) In the case of failure in the supplementary session of
examinations, students shall be required to re-sit all the papers of
the synoptic examination in the failed area/s of study in June of the
following year, with the possibility of re-sitting any failed paper/s
in the September supplementary session of examinations. If
successful, the maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade
D. If unsuccessful, such students shall be considered to have failed
the course.
Final result. 13. (1) The final result shall take into consideration the
students’ performance in the study-units and in the synoptic
examinations according to the following weighting:
Study-Units 60%
Synoptic Examinations at the end of the third yea 10%
Synoptic Examinations at the end of the fifth year 30%.
(2) The names of students who have qualified for the award of
the Degree shall be published in a list in alphabetical order
classified as follows:
Category I (Summa cum laude)
Category IIA (Magna cum laude)
Category IIB (Cum laude)
Category III (Bene Probatus)
Passed (Probatus).
Re-admission to 
the course.
14. Students who interrupt their studies may be allowed to
rejoin the course under those conditions as the Board may in each
case deem fit.
BACHELOR OF SACRED THEOLOGY - 
S.TH.B. - DEGREE COURSE g S.L.327.203 5
Eligibility for the 
Award of the 
Degree of Bachelor 
of Arts in 
Theology and 
Human Studies.
15. (1) Students who complete the first three years of the
Bachelor of Sacred Theology course shall be eligible for the award
of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Human Studies,
provided that they:
( a ) satisfy the requirements of the respective study
programme; and
( b ) register for, and are successful, in the synoptic
examinations of the Bachelor of Arts in Theology and
Human Studies course.
(2) The final degree classification shall be made in accordance
with the criteria established for the award of the Bachelor of Arts in
Theology and Human Studies.
Transitory clause.
Sacred Theology course by September 2001 may continue the
course under these regulations and under those conditions that the
Board may impose.
