POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF 
GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS - DIP.GER. - M.GER. - g S.L.327.28 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.28
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA AND DEGREE OF 
MASTER OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS - 
DIP.GER. - M.GER. - REGULATIONS
24th July, 1992
LEGAL NOTICE 69 of 1992, as amended by Legal Notice 225 of 1998.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Postgraduate
Diploma and Degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics -
Dip.Ger. - M.Ger. - Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Institute of Gerontology;
"the course" means the course leading to the Postgraduate
Diploma or Degree of Master of Gerontology and Geriatrics -
Dip.Ger. - M.Ger.;
"the Degree" means the Degree of Master of Gerontology and
Geriatrics;
"the Diploma" means the Postgraduate Diploma in Gerontology
and Geriatrics.
Applicability.
October 1990 or later.
Qualifications for 
admission.
3. (1) A candidate shall be eligible to apply for registration
in the course if he has one of the following qualifications:
( a ) a degree or professional qualification in a discipline or
science pertaining to one of the caring professions
obtained from the University of Malta or one of its
Institutes or from a foreign University or Institute or
from another appropriate authority, whether local or
foreign, recognised by the University of Malta; or
( b ) any other professional qualification deemed acceptable
by Senate if it is accompanied with such working
experience in the care of the elderly as may be
approved by the Board.
(2) A candidate who does not have the qualifications referred
to in subregulation (1) may be admitted to the course by the Board
as a mature student if he shows to its satisfaction that he has an
exceptional degree of experience in the care of the elderly and that
he has the necessary background to follow the course with profit.
(3) No candidate shall be admitted to the course unless he is
fluent in the English language.
Course of studies.
Amended by:
L.N. 225 of 1998.
4. (1) The course shall consist of study-units and practice
placements for which eighteen credits shall be assigned. A credit
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POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF 
GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS - DIP.GER. - M.GER. -
shall be awarded on the basis of the assessment of progress
achieved on completion of the required study and assignments.
Normally each study-unit shall include fourteen lectures,
accompanied by a number of tutorials and course assignments.
(2) A catalogue of study-units with the number of credits
assigned to each unit shall be published by the Board before the
commencement of the course.
(3) The course shall be composed of:
( a ) Module 1: 8 study-units comprising a common core of
subjects including Social Gerontology and Medical
Geriatrics, to be followed by all students.
( b ) Module 2: 5 study-units in either Social Gerontology
or Medical Geriatrics. A candidate may follow one of
these two streams subject to the approval of the Board.
( c ) Module 3:- Practical placements to which five credits
shall be assigned.
(4) The Board shall appoint a course coordinator for study-
units in Social Gerontology and a course coordinator for study-
units in Medical Geriatrics.
Assessments. 5. (1) Assessment of progress shall be carried out in the
form of examinations at the end of Modules 1 and 2 by the two
course coordinators and the Director of the Institute of Gerontology
in consultation with the respective lecturers involved in teaching
and, when appropriate, with other lecturers, as may be established
by the Board. Evaluation of the practice placements shall be made
by supervisors appointed to guide the students through the
placements at the assigned place of work.
(2) In the assessments of modules marks will be awarded on a
scale from "A" to "D", "A" being the highest mark. "F" indicates a
Fail.
(3) A student who obtains "F" in Module 1 or Module 2 may
be allowed to present himself a second time for assessment. The
assessment procedure for such re-sit shall be determined by the
course coordinators and the Director of the Institute of
Gerontology. If the candidate fails in the re-sit, he will be required
to follow any instructions issued at the discretion of the Board.
Postgraduate 
Diploma course.
Amended by:
L.N. 225 of 1998.
6. (1) Students proceeding with the course leading to the
Diploma shall, in addition to completing Modules 2 and 3, be
required to submit a long essay of 5,000 - 10,000 words on an
approved area of study.
(2) If, on assessment such essay fails to reach the required
standard the candidate will be allowed a maximum of three
calendar months to re-submit the work.
(3) The course shall be completed within nine months of full-
time study. Normally a course shall extend from October to June.
(4) A Final Comprehensive Examination shall be held towards
the end of the Course and shall consist of two written papers.
Students may be required to attend a  viva voce  examination.
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF 
GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS - DIP.GER. - M.GER. - g S.L.327.28 3
(5) The final results shall be published after the Final
Comprehensive Examination, the presentation of the long essay and
the completion of all the practice placements. The final marks shall
be allocated as follows:
Final Comprehensive Examination .................. 40%
Course work including practice placements ..... 40%
Long Essay ...................................................... 20%
(6) The final grades for successful candidates shall be awarded
on a scale from "A" to "D", "A" being the highest grade and
designated as "Passed with Distinction". "F" indicates Failed.
(7) A candidate who fails shall be given permission to re-sit
the examination.
Master’s Degree.
Substituted by:
L.N. 225 of 1998.
7. (1) A candidate who obtains an overall grade A or B in the
Postgraduate Diploma course is eligible to register for a Master’s
degree in Gerontology and Geriatrics.
(2) In such a case the candidate shall be required to register
not later than five years from the publication of the final results of
the Postgraduate Diploma course.
(3) To be able to register for the Master’s Degree, a candidate
must submit a dissertation proposal which must include the
proposed title of his/her dissertation, and an outline of the research
to be carried out including, among others, hypothesis,
methodology, time frame, bibliography.
(4) The dissertation proposal is to be approved by the Board.
(5) The Board shall nominate a supervisor for every candidate.
In the case of a candidate who is not residing in Malta and who opts
to perform his/her research project in his/her respective country,
the Board shall nominate two supervisors, one from the candidate’s
own country and one from the University of Malta. The names of
the proposed supervisors shall be submitted for the approval of
Senate.
(6) The supervisor shall require the candidate to report to him
at least once a term and in addition as often as he deems necessary.
He may refer to the Board a candidate whose work he considers
unsatisfactory and shall refer for the Board’s approval any
substantial modification in the title of the projected dissertation.
(7) 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.
(8) The dissertation shall not exceed 50,000 words with effect
from February 1995. 
(9) The Board may allow a candidate to perform or complete
the research project and the writing of the dissertation in his/her
respective country, provided that the Board is satisfied that
adequate supervision is available and that regular contact is kept
with the supervisors appointed by the University of Malta
according to subregulation (5).
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POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF 
GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRICS - DIP.GER. - M.GER. -
(10) A candidate must submit his/her dissertation not later than
eighteen months (in the case of full-time studies) or thirty-six
months (in the case of part-time studies) from the date of
acceptance of its title by the Board.
(11) The Board may extend such periods for a further period of
six months (in the case of full-time studies) or twelve months (in
the case of part-time studies).
(12) 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.
(13) A candidate shall normally also be required to take a  viva
voce  examination to defend his/her dissertation.
(14) No dissertation shall be accepted which is identical in
substance to a dissertation already submitted for a degree in the
University of Malta or any other university.
(15) A candidate 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 the
candidate.
(16) The Degree shall be awarded in one of the following
categories:
Passed with Distinction
Passed.
(17) The final result shall take into account the merits of the
dissertation and the viva vice examination thereof.
