SRL No. 54n Study and examination regulations for the Master of Arts in Health Sciences December 0 * On the basis of 6 para. g of the Universities Act of 7 January 000, and at the request of the Senate, the University Council of the University of Lucerne has passed the following rules: I. General provisions Course of study Faculty II for Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Lucerne (hereinafter KSF) offers a Master s degree course in Health Sciences (hereinafter MA HEALTH) through the Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy. Legal reference Unless these study regulations contain any special provisions, the provisions of the current study and examination regulations of the KSF apply mutatis mutandis. Degree awarded The Faculty awards the title Master of Arts (MA) in Health Sciences of the University of Lucerne. II. Bodies 4 Dean The dean is responsible for the course of study and, in the regulatory scope of these study and examination regulations, decides on all matters, unless another body is declared to be responsible. * G 0 SRL No. 59
5 Faculty Council The Faculty Council issues the guidelines on the study and examination regulations. 6 Head of department Responsibility for decision on admission issues, in particular on the definition of conditions and requirements, rests with the Head of the Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, subject to approval by the university admissions office. Responsibility for the selection and allocation of financially sponsored internships lies with the head of department. III. Admission and study requirements 7 Admission and matriculation Applicants with a university Bachelor s degree or equivalent may be admitted to the MA HEALTH course. Admission to the MA HEALTH course with a university Bachelor s degree is possible from a variety of disciplines in accordance with the interdisciplinary character of the course. The various disciplines are listed in the guidelines on the course. For graduates of a university of applied sciences, admission to the MA HEALTH course requires 0 to 60 credits. 4 For the selection of the major subject in the MA HEALTH course, the head of department may issue additional requirements that are identical for all applicants. These are fleshed out in the guidelines. 5 In all cases, the award of the Master s degree may be made dependent on the evidence of further knowledge and skills that have not been acquired in the study for the Bachelor s degree (admission with conditions). IV. Study structure 8 Start of course The study course begins in each case at the start of the autumn semester. 9 Duration, scope and language of study The MA HEALTH involves 0 credits and lasts for at least 4 semesters. The calculation of credits is based on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). The study language is English. Lectures in the major subject, especially in collaboration with other KSF courses, may be held in the relevant study language.
0 Guideline and study components The course of study consists of two components: a. a basic course, which requires the acquisition of 60 credits, b. an in-depth course (major subject including internship and Master s thesis), which involves the acquisition of 60 credits. The MA HEALTH must be completed with a specific major subject. The structure and specific study requirements of the MA HEALTH major subject and the specific language and examination requirements are covered in the guidelines of the study course. The allocation of credits to individual lectures and modules (including the Master s thesis) is likewise defined in the guidelines of the study course. V. Performance, credits and examinations Acquisition of credits Credits are acquired through successful study achievements. If lecture programmes are combined to form a module, the module is deemed to have been passed if the average grade for all graded lecture programmes in the module, weighted according to the number of ECTS credits, amounts to at least 4. Several courses within a module may be examined together. Assessments Examinations, graded lecture programmes and written work are assessed on a scale of grades from 6 to in whole or half grades. In the case of graded lecture programmes, an overall grade is awarded for performance. Lecture programmes that are not graded are rated either passed or failed. Examination language The examination language is usually English. 4 Pass, fail and repetition of lecture programmes A minimum of grade 4 must be achieved to pass an examination or a lecture programme. Examinations or seminar courses that have been passed cannot be repeated. If a candidate fails an examination at the first attempt, he or she must appear at the next possible date to take the examination again (second attempt). The candidate is not entitled to an immediate repeat. Failed examinations can only be retaken once. If the second attempt leads to a grade of less than 4 or an assessment of failed, the examination failure is deemed to be definitive. 5 Exclusion from course of study If the total sum of all definitively failed examinations reaches the equivalent of 8 credits, the student is definitively excluded from the MA HEALTH course.
VI. Master s award procedure and graduation 6 Master s award procedure The Master s degree is completed with a thesis and oral defence of the Master s thesis. The Master s thesis is supervised by a lecturer approved by the head of department. Faculty professors and lecturers with postdoctoral teaching qualifications or equivalent may serve as experts to assess the thesis. Subject to a substantiated request, other lecturers may generally be authorized by the Faculty Council or, in individual cases, by the examinations committee to take over the expert appraisal of theses. 4 The Master s award procedure is successfully completed if the Master s thesis and the oral defence of this thesis achieve a grade 4. 5 If the Master s thesis is assigned a grade lower than 4, the candidate may submit a revised version within a timeframe to be set by the faculty. If this version of the Master s thesis is again assigned a grade lower than 4, the candidate is excluded from the MA HEALTH. 6 The Master s thesis is examined in an oral defence of the work and is assigned a grade. If the oral defence is assigned a grade lower than 4, it may be repeated once. If the repeated oral defence is again assigned a grade lower than 4, the candidate is excluded from the MA HEALTH. 7 The oral examination is led by the supervisor responsible. Another faculty lecturer or an internal or external expert likewise takes part in the oral examination. 8 Procedures and deadlines are defined in the guidelines. 7 Award of degree and composition of overall grade The MA HEALTH degree is conferred on anyone who acquires all the necessary credits (0 ECTS) and has passed the Master s award procedure. The overall grade of the Master s degree is calculated as follows: The average of all graded lecture programmes and modules and of the Master s award procedure is calculated to one decimal point and weighted according to the number of ECTS credits. 8 Certificate and certificate supplement The degree certificate confirms the successful completion of the MA HEALTH degree. It includes the name of the course, the degree awarded and the overall grade. A supplement is also issued with the degree certificate, which provides detailed information on the completed course of study, the major subject and the individual performance achieved in the course. The certificate is signed by the dean. 9 Quality assurance The quality of the study course and the lecture programmes is regularly checked according to the requirements of the faculty and the university. Additional quality assurance measures may be ordered by the head of department.
VII. Final provisions 0 Fees The fees for studies, examinations, degrees, diplomas and certificates are based on the regulations governing tuition fees. Right of appeal Administrative appeals against decisions relating to these study and examination regulations may be lodged with the Department of Education according to the provisions of the Universities Act and administrative justice law 4. The term for appeals is 0 days. Entry into force The study and examination regulations come into force on August 0 and are to be published. Lucerne, December 0 On behalf of the University Council The President: Reto Wyss The Rector: Paul Richli SRL No. 544 SRL No. 59 4 SRL No. 40