DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D)  ġ S.L.3627.22 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.22
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D) 
REGULATIONS
3rd April, 1992
LEGAL NOTICE 36 of 1992, as amended by Legal Notices 28 of 1998
and 85 of 2001.
Citation.
Philosophy (Ph.D.) Regulations.
Degree.
conferred upon a candidate who is a matriculated student of the
University of Malta and who submits an original and distinct
contribution to knowledge in one of the disciplines studied at the
University and which, in the opinion of the examining board set up
under regulation 9 is worthy of publication.
Thesis.
examination of a thesis containing this original contribution and an
oral examination on the field of research of the candidate.
Applications for 
registration.
Substituted by:
L.N. 28 of 1998.
3. Applications for registration for the degree should be
submitted to a Committee appointed every three years for this
purpose by the Senate, and made up of the Rector (or his delegate)
as Chairman, three members elected from and by the Senate, and
the Registrar, as Secretary. The Dean of the Faculty or the Director
of the Institute concerned shall be co-opted on the Committee.
Consideration of 
applications.
Amended by:
L.N. 28 of 1998.
4.1 The Committee will consider applications from students
who:
( a ) are graduates of the University of Malta or another
university recognized for this purpose by the Senate;
and
( b ) possess such qualifications and satisfy such other
conditions as the Board of the Faculty or Institute
concerned may from time to time establish for the
purpose and which are approved by Senate in the form
of bye-laws.
Provided that candidates not in possession of a Masters
degree shall normally be expected to register for the M.Phil. degree
in the first instance.
4.2 Applications should be supported by the Board of the
Faculty or of the Institute in which the work is to be carried out,
and include:
( a ) the proposed title for the thesis;
( b ) the candidate’s research proposal;
( c ) the name of the member of staff of the University who
2 ġ S.L.327.22 DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D) 
has agreed to act as supervisor, and in special cases,
the name of a member of staff of another University,
who has agreed to act as joint-supervisor;
( d ) a recommendation from the Head of Department or the
Division Co-ordinator concerned that the topic of
research should be accepted; and
( e ) the period within which it is anticipated that the thesis
will be submitted, which period shall not exceed six
years.
Submission to the 
Senate.
5. The Committee will submit to the Senate for its
consideration all the applications that satisfy the requirements
under regulation 4.
Acceptance of 
applications.
6. The Senate may accept applications, but may impose such
conditions as it thinks fit.
Application to 
Faculty Board.
Amended by:
L.N. 28 of 1998.
7.1 Not less than three months before the intended date of
submission, the candidate shall apply to the Board of the Faculty or
Institute for permission to present the thesis stating its exact title.
Before giving permission, the Board of the Faculty or Institute will
consult the student’s supervisor. The Board of the Faculty or
Institute will not give such permission before the equivalent of
three years of full-time study have expired from the date of first
registration for the degree.
7.2 Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances, the Senate, on
the recommendation of the Board of the Faculty or Institute, may
give permission for the submission of the thesis after the equivalent
of two years of full-time study have expired from the date of first
registration.
7.3 A candidate may, with the approval of the Head of
Department or Division Co-ordinator concerned and with the
support of the Board of the Faculty or Institute, apply to the
Committee to take the degree by part-time study. Where the Senate
accepts such an application, a candidate would normally be
required to spend one year in full-time study. In the case of such a
candidate, a minimum period of four years in all shall be required
but the Board of the Faculty or Institute may recommend a longer
period not exceeding six years.
7.4 A candidate shall be required to re-register every twelve
months.
7.5 In no case will a thesis be considered if submitted later
than six years from the date of first registration.
Declaration. 8.1 A candidate, when submitting his thesis shall sign a
declaration stating that it is his own personal work.
8.2 If a part of the thesis has already been submitted or is
currently being submitted for another degree or qualification or the
thesis has been independently published, a statement to this effect
shall be included with the thesis, and the examining board set up
under regulation 9 shall recommend to the Senate whether the
thesis should be accepted for examination or not.
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D)  ġ S.L.3627.22 3
Examining board.
Substituted by:
L.N. 85 of 2001.
9. The thesis shall be examined by a board appointed for the
purpose by Council on the recommendation of the Faculty Board
and the Senate. The board shall consist of at least three examiners,
includind a Chairman, an external examiner and another member,
provided that the oral examination of the thesis shall be conducted
by at least three examiners and provided that the supervisor is
precluded from being an examiner but is invited to attend as an
observer during the oral examination. The board shall thereafter
submit a final report to the Senate stating whether the candidate
should be admitted to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
