POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE ġ S.L.327.154 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.154
POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH 
SCIENCE - PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF 
MASTER OF HEALTH SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) 
- COURSE REGULATIONS
6th November, 1998
LEGAL NOTICE 244 of 1998, as amended by Legal Notices 284 of 2001
and 51 of 2003.
Citation and 
interpretation.
1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Post Qualification
Diploma in Health Science - PQ Dip. H.Sc. - and the Degree of
Master of Health Science - M.Sc. (Health) - Course Regulations.
(2) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -
"the Board" means the Board of the Institute of Health Care;
"the Board of Studies" means the Board of Studies appointed for
the course;
"the course" means the course leading to the Post Qualification
Diploma in Health Science - PQ Dip. H.Sc. - and to the Degree of
Master of Health Science - M.Sc. (Health);
"the Degree" means the Degree of Master of Health Science -
M.Sc. (Health);
"the Diploma" means the Post Qualification Diploma in Health
Science - PQ Dip. H.Sc.;
"Health Science" means one of the sciences listed in the First
Schedule.
Applicability.
Amended by:
L.N. 284 of 2001;
L.N. 51 of 2003.
2. These regulations shall be applicable to courses starting in
October 2002 or later.
Registration and 
eligibility for the 
Diploma.
Amended by:
L.N. 51 of 2003.
3. (1) A candidate must register on the prescribed form
within the time specified by the Registrar.
(2) On registration, the student shall opt to specialize in one of
the Health Sciences listed in the First Schedule.
(3) A student shall be eligible for registration for the Diploma
if he:
( a ) (i) has obtained a first degree in the chosen Health
Science inclusive of clinical experience; or
(ii) is in possession of a recognised professional
qualification in the chosen Health Science, has a
minimum of five years’ experience in the chosen
Health Science, and satisfies the Board through
an interview that he can complete the course
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POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE
successfully; or
(iii) has already given evidence of proficiency in
research and passed a special written qualifying
examination, normally in more than one subject,
as may be determined by the Board; and
( b ) if applicable, satisfies the special course requirements
listed in the Second Schedule.
(4) To be eligible for the award of the Diploma, a student
shall:
( a ) complete the course of studies, qualify in the
examinations and comply with the other requirements
prescribed in these regulations; and
( b ) have been approved by the Board and registered as a
regular student of the University; and
( c ) comply with any other requirements prescribed in any
other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the
University.
Course of studies 
for the Diploma.
4. (1) The course of studies for the Diploma shall extend over
a minimum period of two years of part-time study. A student may
not take the final examination earlier than two years or not later
than three years from first admission to the course, except with
special permission of the Senate.
(2) The course of studies for the Diploma shall consist of:
( a ) study-units to which not less than 24 credits are
assigned; and
( b ) a supervised individual research project.
(3) A catalogue of study-units, with the credits assigned to
each study-unit, shall be approved by the Board and published
before the start of each semester. Some study-units may be
indicated as compulsory and others as optional. Some study-units
shall involve supervised practical work. This practical work shall
be considered as an essential component of the course of studies for
the Diploma for which credits are assigned.
Continuous 
assessment for the 
Diploma.
5. (1) In each semester of the course of studies for the
Diploma, students shall be assessed in the study-units covered
during that semester in accordance with the criteria established by
the Board.
(2) The following grades shall be used in the assignation of
credits: A, B, C, D, and F. in descending order of merit, with F
indicating failure.
(3) A student who fails in any study-unit shall be allowed to
resit the assessment once. If he fails the resit, the student may be
allowed to repeat the relevant study-unit only once. In the case of
resit or repeat, the maximum grade the student can obtain shall be
grade D.
Individual research 
project.
6. (1) Students shall be required to complete an individual
POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE ġ S.L.327.154 3
research project under academic supervision.
(2) The proposed title and outline of the project shall be
submitted to and approved by, the Board of Studies.
(3) The Board of Studies shall appoint a supervisor.
(4) The name of the supervisor, the proposed title and the
outline of the project shall be submitted to the Board for final
approval.
(5) The project must satisfy the Board as regards content and
presentation.
(6) The project shall be approximately 10,000 words in length
and shall also fulfil the relevant guidelines as regards format and
length.
(7) The project shall be submitted in its final form not later
than the twentieth month from the commencement of the course of
studies for the Diploma, unless as extension is granted by the
Board.
Final examination 
for the Diploma.
7. (1) A final written, comprehensive examination consisting
of two papers shall be held at the end of the course of studies for
the Diploma. Only students who have obtained at least 20 credits,
including all the compulsory credits, shall be admitted to the final
examination.
(2) Students may also be required to sit for a  viva voce
examination.
(3) A student who, after due warning given in writing,
persistently fails to attend lectures and/or tutorials or otherwise
does not carry out his academic duties without adequate
justification, may be debarred by the Board from sitting for any or
all of the final examination.
Final grading and 
classification for 
the award of the 
Diploma.
8. (1) At the end of the course, the following grades shall be
used: A, B, C, D, or F, in descending order of merit, with A being
the highest grade and F indicating failure.
(2) The final grading shall be based on the study-units, which
shall carry 40% of the weighting, the research project, which shall
carry 30% of the weighting, and the final examination, which shall
carry 30% of the weighting.
(3) A student shall not be awarded the Diploma unless he has
satisfied the requirements for each part of the assessment (i.e. the
study-units, the project, and the final examination).
(4) The names of students who qualify for the award of the
Diploma shall be published in a list in alphabetical order in the
following categories:
Pass with Distinction
Pass.
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POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE
Registration and 
eligibility for the 
Degree.
Amended by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
9. (1) A candidate must register on the prescribed form
within the time specified by the Registrar.
(2) On registration, the student shall opt to specialize in one
Health Science listed in the First Schedule.
(3) A student shall be eligible for the registration for the
Degree if he:
( a ) (i) has obtained a Pass with an overall grade B in
the Diploma course; or
(ii) is in possession of a B.Sc (Hons.) in a related
subject with at least Second Class Honours, or
an appropriate degree, such as M.D., B.Sc.
(Hons.), B.Pharm. (Hons.) or to B.Ch.D. which
meets with the approval of the Board; or 
(iii) possesses a degree which, in the opinion of the
Board, is equivalent to the qualifications listed
in sub-paragraph (i) or (ii); or
(iv) is in possession of a B.Sc. (not at Honours
Level) in a related subject, provided that in such
a case he may only be allowed to register for the
Degree course following satisfactory completion
of one year of prescribed studies and research,
which meets with the approval of the Board; and
( b ) if applicable, satisfies the special course requirements
listed in the Second Schedule; and
( c ) is applying in terms of subregulation 3( a )(ii), (iii) or
(iv), he must also satisfy the Board through an
interview that he can complete the course successfully.
(4) To be eligible for the award of the Degree, students must:
( a ) complete the course of studies and obtain all the
credits indicated in regulation 11; and
( b ) comply with any other requirements prescribed in any
other relevant statutes, regulations and bye-laws of the
University.
Course duration.
Substituted by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
10. (1) The course shall extend over twelve months of full-
time study or twenty-four months of part-time study.
(2) The Board may allow students to complete the course
programme within a maximum period of eighteen months of full-
time study or thirty-six months of part-time study after registration.
In exceptional circumstances, Senate may allow students to extend
their studies by up to a further twelve months.
Course structure.
Substituted by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
11. The course shall have two components, as follows:
( a ) a taught component, consisting of a number of
compulsory and optional study-units, to which 30
credits shall be assigned; and
( b ) a compulsory research component, which shall lead to
the presentation of a dissertation, written under
POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE ġ S.L.327.154 5
academic supervision, to which 10 credits shall be
assigned.
Catalogue of 
study-units.
Substituted by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
12. The Board shall draw up a catalogue of study-units for
each Health Science. The catalogue shall indicate the level, code,
title, description and type of each study-unit, the credits assigned to
each study-unit, which study-units are compulsory, optional,
concurrent or pre-requisites for other study-units, 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.
Assessment and 
progress.
Substituted by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
13. (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 by I. In all other cases
the results of uncompleted study-units shall be indicated as F. Each
study-unit may be assessed through continuous assessment and a
final examination at the end of the study-unit. The percentage
weighting of each component of the continuous assessment and of
the final examination shall be indicated in the description of each
study-unit and published in the catalogue of study-units.
(2) For the purpose of determining the classification of the
Degree, students may be required to attend for a  viva voce
examination.
Supplementary 
assessment.
Added by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
14. (1) Students who fail to obtain a pass grade in a study-unit
may be allowed to sit for a supplementary assessment. In the
supplementary assessment, students may be required to be
reassessed either in the failed component/s of the assessment or in
all the components as indicated in the catalogue of study-units.
Such reassessment may be allowed once only. If successful, the
maximum grade that may be awarded shall be grade D.
(2) If students fail the reassessment of a study-unit, they may
be allowed to repeat it once only. If successful, the maximum grade
that may be awarded shall be grade D.
Attendance.
Added by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
15. Attendance for the taught component of the course is
obligatory. Students who, after due warning given in writing,
persistently fail to attend lectures and/or tutorials or otherwise do
not carry out their academic duties without adequate justification,
may be debarred by the Board from sitting for any or all of the
study-unit assessments.
Dissertation.
Added by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
16. (1) Students shall be required to submit an individual
dissertation of approximately 20,000 words in length in accordance
with the guidelines regarding format issued by the Board. The
dissertation must also satisfy the Board as regards content and
presentation.
(2) Students shall submit to the Board of Studies for approval
the proposed title of their dissertation and an outline of the research
project to be performed for the purpose of the dissertation by not
later than the end of the first semester in the case of studies on a
full-time basis, and by not later tan the end of June of the first year
of the course, in the case of studies on a part-time basis. The Board
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POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE
of Studies shall approve the title and research proposal and propose
to the Board supervisors for each dissertation.
(3) Students shall submit the dissertation for examination
within four months after the completion of the taught component of
the course referred to in regulation 11(1) and within the duration of
the course indicated in regulation 10(1). In special circumstances,
the Board may allow students to present their dissertation at a later
date within the period indicated in regulation 10(2).
(4) The dissertation shall be examined by a Board of
Examiners appointed by Senate, on the recommendation of the
Board.
(5) The Board of Examiners may require students to defend
their dissertation during a  viva voce  examination.
(6) If the dissertation does not reach the required standard,
students may be required to amend and resubmit it within a period
established by the Board within the period indicated in regulation
10(2).
Final result.
Added by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
17. The final result of each student shall take into account all
the grades obtained in the assessments of the taught and research
components of the course, which shall be weighted according to the
number of credits assigned to each.
Classification.
Added by:
L.N. 284 of 2001.
18. The names of the students who qualify for the award of the
Degree shall be published in a list in alphabetical order classified
as follows:
Passed with Distinction
Passed.
FIRST SCHEDULE
The Diploma and the Degree may be awarded in one of the
following Health Sciences:
( a ) Communication Therapy
( b ) Dental Technology
( c ) Environmental Health
( d ) Health Service Management
( e ) Medical Laboratory Science
( f ) Midwifery
( g ) Nursing
( h ) Occupational Therapy
( i ) Physiotherapy
( j ) Radiography
( k ) Nursing/Midwifery Education
POST QUALIFICATION DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SCIENCE - 
PQ DIP.H.SC. - AND DEGREE OF MASTER OF HEALTH 
SCIENCE - M.SC. (HEALTH) - COURSE ġ S.L.327.154 7
( l ) Nutrition and Dietetics.
SECOND SCHEDULE
Special Course Requirements
1. In addition to the entry requirements, candidates for the
Diploma and Degree in the Nursing/Midwifery Education option
must meet the following criteria:
( a ) the candidate shall have obtained a first degree in a
related Health Science and have a minimum of one
year’s experience in Nursing/Midwifery Education; or
( b ) for mature students, the candidate must have a
minimum of five years’ experience in a related Health
Science, a minimum of three years’ experience in
Nursing/Midwifery education, and comply with any
other regulations relevant to the registration of mature
students.
2. In addition to the entry requirements, candidates for the
Diploma and Degree in the Health Service Management option
must meet the following criteria:
( a ) the candidate shall have obtained a first degree in a
related subject and have a minimum of one year’s
experience in management; or
( b ) for mature students, the candidate must have a
minimum of five years’ experience in management, or
a minimum of five years’ experience in a related
Health Science with a minimum of three years’
experience in management, and comply with any other
regulations relevant to the registration of mature
students.
