DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION - D.P.A. - COURSE [ S.L.327.199 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.199
DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION - D.P.A. - 
COURSE REGULATIONS
10th November, 2000
LEGAL NOTICE 234 of 2000, as amended by Legal Notice 180 of 2003.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Diploma in Public
Administration - D.P.A. - Course Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Institute of Public
Administration and Management;
"the Board of Studies" means the Board of Studies appointed for
the course;
"the course" means the course of studies leading to the Diploma
in Public Administration - D.P.A.; and
"the Diploma" means the Diploma in Public Administration -
D.P.A.
Applicability.
Amended by:
L.N. 180 of 2003.
2. These regulations shall be applicable for the course which
started in October 2002.
Eligibility.
( a ) be registered as regular students in the course in terms
of the Admission Regulations of the University;
( b ) complete the course of studies, qualify in the
examinations and comply with all other requirements
prescribed in these regulations; and
( c ) comply with any other requirements prescribed in any
other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the
University.
Admission and 
registration.
4. (1) Applicants may be registered for the course if they are
eligible for admission as regular students in terms of the Admission
Regulations of the University.
(2) Applicants shall apply to register for the course on the
prescribed form and within the time specified by the Office of the
Registrar:
(3) Admission to the course may be restricted to applicants
who are nominated by or sponsored through an arrangement
between the Board and one or more organisations that commission
the course.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of subregulation (3), the
Board may recommend to the Senate the number of students who
may be allowed to register for the course, commensurate with the
available resources. If any such recommendation is made and
approved, the number of available places shall be announced at the
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DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION - D.P.A. - COURSE
time of the call for applications.
(5) If there are more eligible applicants than the number of
places available, applicants shall be selected after an interview or a
written test, or both interview and written test, conducted by the
Board of Studies.
(6) In making its recommendations, the Board of Studies shall
take the following criteria into consideration, weighted as
stipulated hereunder:
( a ) academic qualifications (50%);
( b ) command of English and Maltese, both spoken and
written (30%); and
( c ) experience of, and interest in, public administration
(20%).
Duration of course. 5. (1) The course shall extend over two years of part-time
study.
(2) The Board may permit students to complete the course in
not more than three years.
Course of study. 6. (1) The course shall cover the following areas of study:
Institutions
Contemporary Society
Policy
Public Management.
(2) The course shall consist of:
( a ) a number of study-units, for which not less than 24
credits shall be assigned; and
( b ) a supervised individual project as prescribed in
regulation 8, to which 6 credits shall be assigned.
(3) Each study-unit shall be delivered over one semester, and
shall be assessed in accordance with criteria established by the
Board of Studies.
(4) 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 by I. In all other cases
the results of uncompleted study-units shall be indicated as F.
(5) Students who fail in the assessment of a study-unit shall be
allowed one supplementary assessment. The Board of Studies may
require such students either to undergo a full supplementary
assessment, or to re-sit the examination only. The maximum grade
that may be awarded in a supplementary assessment shall be grade
D.
(6) The Board of Studies may recommend to the Board the
termination of students’ registration if they fail in the
supplementary assessment of a study-unit. The Board shall not
terminate students’ registration before they have been given a
reasonable opportunity to state their case. In exceptional
DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION - D.P.A. - COURSE [ S.L.327.199 3
circumstances and if possible, the Board may grant students an
extension of their period of studies to enable them to follow the
failed study-unit again and be re-assessed.
Catalogue of 
study-units.
7. (1) The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units,
which shall indicate the level, code, title and description of each
study-unit, the credits assigned to each study-unit, which study-
units are compulsory, concurrent or prerequisites for other study-
units, and the methods of teaching and assessment.
(2) The Board shall publish the catalogue prior to the
commencement of each course, following the approval of the
Senate.
Project.
Substituted by:
L.N. 180 of 2003.
8. (1) Students shall be required to research under
supervision an issue in public administration approved by the
Board of Studies, and to write a report not exceeding 10,000 words
on their research.
(2) Reports shall be submitted for examination before the
beginning of the normal session of examinations following the last
semester of the course, provided that the Board of Studies may, on
the recommendation of a supervisor, extend the submission date for
a student by not more than two months, if following a written
request the Board of Studies considers that there are valid reasons
beyond the student’s control to justify the extension.
(3) Reports that are not submitted by the date set by the Board
of Studies in terms of subregulation (2) shall be graded 'F'.
(4) Reports shall be prepared and presented in accordance with
instructions approved by the Board of Studies.
(5) The Board of Examiners may, at its discretion, require
students to appear for an oral examination on their reports before
publishing the final grade.
(6) Students whose report is graded 'F' may be allowed to re-
submit it once for a supplementary assessment, within a period of
six months.
Result.
Diploma shall be published in a list in alphabetical order classified
as follows:
Passed with Distinction
Passed.
(2) The classification shall take account of the students’
results in the study-units and research project, weighted according
to their credit value.
Board of Studies.
for each cycle of the course.
