Master of Science Programme Public Policy and Human Development Education and Examination Regulations (EER)

September 2011 August 2012

Table of contents Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V General terms Structure of the programme Exam Admission Final rules

Appendices

PART I

GENERAL TERMS

Article I.1 | Applicability of the rules | These regulations apply to the curriculum and the exams of the Master of Science Programme in Public Policy and Human Development, hereinafter called: the programme. The programme is offered by the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. These regulations will take effect on 1 September 2011 for the 2011/12 academic year. The education and examination regulations are determined by the Board of the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences after the advice and/or approval of the Faculty Council. Article I.2 | Definition of terms | In these rules the following terms and definitions are used: 1. Act: refers to the Dutch Higher Education and Research Act. 2. Board of Appeal for Examinations: the board as referred to in article 7.60 of the Act. 3. Capstone project: a combination of internship and thesis supervision arranged by the school. 4. Course: a part of the programme. 5. Course coordinator: person assigned by the School to coordinate a course. 6. Credit(s): refers to ECTS credits. 7. ECTS: a number of points, fixed per examination as referred to in article 7.4 of the Act; ECTS = European Credit Transfer System. 8. Education Director: person who is responsible for the academic content of the programme and its implementation. 9. EleUM: the electronic learning environment of Maastricht University. 10. Exam: the Masters exam of a study programme as required by article 7.3 of the Act. 11. Examination: a part of the exam as referred to in article 7.10 of the Act. 12. Examination Committee: the board designated by the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Science to deal with examination matters in accordance with article 7.12 of the Act. 13. Examiner: a staff member designated by the Examination Committee who is in charge of the examination and assessment of the students. 14. Programme: the Master of Science programme in Public Policy and Human Development 15. Semester: one half of an academic year. 16. School: the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. 17. Student: person who is enrolled in the programme and who is entitled to attend educational activities and/or to take examinations of the programme. 18. WHW: Wet op Hoger onderwijs en Wetenschappelijk onderzoek, the Dutch Higher Education and Research Act (Dutch statute book 1992, 593). All other terms are defined according to the Act. Article I.3 | Objectives of the programme | The programme intends to: 1. provide academic education within the specific educational concept and profile of Maastricht University; 2. provide specialized knowledge, skills and insights in the field of public policy and human development and test students on their knowledge, understanding and participation by means of the exams; 3. prepare students for the professional field and/or scientific work in the field of public policy and human development. Article I.4 | Programme form | The programme is a one-year fulltime programme. The programme has an intake in September each year.

PART II

STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME

Article II.1 | Study load | The study load of the programme is 60 ECTS credits. Article II.2 | Structure of the programme | The programme is composed of two semesters with the following study loads: First semester:

- Three core courses of 4 ECTS - Two core courses of 2 ECTS - Two skills courses of 6 ECTS Second semester: - Four core courses of 4 ECTS each The masters exam is completed with a master thesis of 16 ECTS.

The programme consists of a general, first semester (September-January) and a second semester (February-August) in which one of the following specialisations has to be chosen: - Social Policy Design and Financing - Trade and Development Law - Sustainable Development - Health and Development - Migration Studies - Risk and Vulnerability Further details on the specialisations and ECTS credits can be found in Appendix 1. The Education Director will decide every year which specialisations will be offered, depending on the number of students interested in the specialisations. Article II.3 | Free elective track | Students are allowed to choose their own combination of four courses (one per period) as offered in the specialisations, under the provision that the combination is considered relevant and consistent (the so-called Free Elective Track). Approval of the Free Elective Track has to be requested before the 15th of November 2011. The Education Director will decide whether the combination of courses is relevant and consistent. Article II.4 | Courses at other Maastricht University Departments | Students may put in a request to the Examination Committee to be allowed to take one or more courses at one of the other departments of Maastricht University. Students are not allowed to attend courses at other departments without written permission by both the Examination Committee of School and the receiving department. It is the responsibility of the student to avoid any overlap between courses at MGSoG and other faculties that may interfere with their ability to pass these courses. It is not allowed to follow parallel courses within the Programme of the School, with the exception of skills trainings. Article II.5 | Internships | 1. Students who want to do an internship need to submit a written request to the Examination Committee three months before the start of the internship. 2. No ECTS are awarded for an internship. An internship can therefore not replace one or more courses. 3. Students are not allowed to miss any courses due to an internship. 4. Only internships that take place at one of the partner institutes of the School will be mentioned on the students final result sheet. The Examination Committee will inform the student before the internship whether the internship will be mentioned on the result sheet.

Article II.6 | Capstone projects | 1. Students who want to do a Capstone project need to submit a written request to the Examination Committee three months before the start of the project. 2. No ECTS can be awarded for a Capstone project in addition to the regular ECTS awarded for the thesis 3. The Capstone project will be mentioned on the students final result sheet. Article II.7 | Masters exam | The masters exam consists of the following parts: The examinations of the courses and skills trainings, and The master thesis and the students defense thereof Article II.8 | Language of instruction | The language of instruction in the programme is English.

PART III EXAM Article III.1 | Examination | 1. Each examination, examination component or part thereof is an assessment of the students knowledge, insights and/or skills, to be carried out by the Examination Committee or examiner(s). 2. Examinations of the courses of the programme are taken in written and/or oral form. 3. The student has to pass each course from the programme and their thesis, as mentioned in articles II.2, II.7 and Appendix 1. 4. Only students who are admitted to the programme or parts thereof are allowed to sit for examinations. Article III.2 | Examination periods and examination dates | 1. The student can sit examinations twice a year at a date and time determined by the Examination Committee or the examiner: the first opportunity is during or immediately after the course period; the re-examination takes place later in the academic year. 2. There is one re-examination offered for each part of the assessment, excluding participation requirements. In case the assessment of a course is divided into several parts, one combined re-examination may be offered. If this is the case this has to be specifically noted in the course manual of that course. In case of unforeseen situations the Examination Committee can decide on extra re-examinations. 3. The course coordinator decides upon the way in which a course is examined. This will be announced in the course manual of the course in question. 4. When registered for a course, a student is automatically registered for the examination of that course. Students have to manually register for re-examinations if they did not pass the first examination. Article III.3 | Oral examinations | 1. In cases where an oral examination is not the default examination method, the Examination Committee may take a well-reasoned decision that an examination may be held orally, or in a different way. The Examination Committee will announce this modification at least fourteen days prior to the appointed date of the examination. 2. An oral examination will be given by the examiner in the presence of an observer. Article III.4 | Assessment and publication of examination results | 1. The examiner will mark the written test, paper, oral examination or assignment and provide the administration of the School with the necessary information, after which the marks will be published on My UM. 2. Examination results will be published on My UM within fifteen working days after the examination. 3. Grades are given between 1 and 10. The final course grade will be rounded off to the nearest half mark. Final course grades above 5 and below 5.5 are rounded down to 5. Only the final course grade is rounded off.
4. For courses operated by other faculties, the grading scheme of the program with which the course is primarily associated is applicable even if this scheme does not correspond to paragraph 3. If the original grading scheme is more detailed than half marks, ordinary mathematical rounding rules will be applied to obtain half marks. If the original grading scheme is not from 1 to 10, the Education Director will decide on a transformation formula to be followed by ordinary mathematical rounding.

5. 6.

A course is passed successfully when the final grade is 5.5 or higher. Examination results remain valid for a period of six years. At the request of a student the Examination Committee can extend the period of validity.

Article III.5 | Thesis regulations | The Examination Committee lays down the rules and guidelines regarding the Masters thesis as part of the Masters exam, including non-compliance with these rules. The thesis regulations will be handed out to the students at the end of the first semester. Article III.6 | Right of inspection | 1. The right of inspection comprises that, within 10 working days after the publication date of the grade, students will be given the opportunity to inspect at a Maastricht University location: - their assessed written examination or written part of an examination; - the questions and assignments posed and given within the framework thereof; - the norms applicable to the assessment thereof. 2. The announcement of a written (including computer-based) examinations results will specify how the right of inspection can be obtained. 3. The student is not allowed to make any copies of their assessed examination or remove it from the premises. Article III.7 | Right of appeal | When a decision by the examiner and the Examination Committee is announced to a student, the student will also be notified of the right to file an appeal within six weeks after the decision is announced. The appeal can be submitted to Maastricht University, Student Service Centre, attn Complaints Service Point, P.O. box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht. The appeal must be signed, dated and include the name and address of the petitioner. It should also include the grounds on which the appeal is based and, if possible, a copy of the decision being appealed. Article III.8 | Awarding credits | Credits for a course will be awarded only if all requirements of that course have been fulfilled. Article III.9 | Study progress and advising | 1. The School is responsible for the accurate registration of examination results, in order to give students a transcript of their study achievements. 2. The School is responsible for the guidance of enrolled students, also in order to inform them about possible study options within the programme. Article III.10 | Exemptions | 1. The Examination Committee may, at a students request, grant the student an exemption from sitting an examination if he/she demonstrates in writing to the Examination Committees satisfaction that he/she has passed one or more examination(s) belonging to one or more examination part(s) of an other accredited university or higher education study programme, provided that this/these is/are, in the opinion of the Examination Committee, equivalent or comparable in terms of content, study load and level. 2. Exemption has to be requested four weeks before the start of the course. Exemption cannot be granted anymore during and/or after the course. 3. The Examination Committee will not grant any exemption based on exams passed by a student outside the programme during the period in which the student was barred from taking exams for the programme by the Examination Committee because of fraud. 4. The Examination Committee may ask the examiner(s) concerned for advice before making a decision. Article III.11 | Special examinations for disabled students | 1. The Examination Committee may decide to apply special examination regulations for disabled students. Such students will be given the opportunity to take the examinations in a way that is adapted to their individual situation. 2. The student has to submit a written request to the Examination Committee four weeks in advance of the examination. 3. If necessary, the Examination Committee will consult an expert before taking a decision. Article III.12 | Obtaining the Master Degree |
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The Examination Committee will decide whether a student has fulfilled all requirements of the Master of Science Degree. Article III.13 | Degree and diploma | 1. The Examination Committee awards a Master of Science Degree to students who have fulfilled all requirements of the programme. 2. The diploma will state: - the name of the university - the name of the Master of Science Programme, - the date of the most recent accreditation, - the degree granted. 3. Together with the diploma, a diploma supplement and a transcript of the students list of grades is issued on which all programme modules, courses, marks and credits are mentioned. 4. In special cases, extracurricular work may be mentioned on the list of grades. Students have to request this beforehand with the Examination Committee. 5. The Examination Committee can award the degree classification with distinction according to the conditions stated in article III.15. 6. The Education Director of the programme and the Chair of the Examination Committee will sign the diploma. Article III.14 | Certificates | When a student has not fulfilled all requirements of the programme s/he can request the Examination Committee to issue a certificate for each course successfully completed. If a course is not successfully completed, a certificate of attendance can be issued. These certificates are issued by the School on the request of the student. Upon receiving certificates the student is not awarded the Master of Science Degree. Article III.15 | Passing with distinction | 1. When the candidate has given evidence of exceptional skills during the programme, such will be indicated on the diploma with the words with distinction. 2. The Master of Science Degree is awarded with distinction if the candidate has obtained a weighted average score of 8.5 (including the thesis), on the condition that no reexamination or -exams have been taken and none of the marks obtained is below 7. 3. Courses that have a pass/fail assessment are not included in the calculation. 4. Optional courses are not included in the calculation. 5. Any exemptions granted are not taken into account when determining if the exam is passed with distinction. Article III.16 | Fraud | 1. Fraud, including plagiarism, means actions or omissions by a student which make it impossible in whole or in part to properly evaluate his/her knowledge, understanding and skills. 2. Plagiarism means the presentation of ideas or words from ones own or someone elses sources without proper acknowledgment of sources. 3. Course coordinators are required to report any cases of fraud in their courses (including the examinations) to the Examination Committee and to inform the concerned student(s) of this fact. 4. If the Examination Committee determines that a student has engaged in fraud with respect to an exam or exam component, the Examination Committee can take appropriate measures. 5. In serious cases of fraud, the Examination Committee can propose to UMs Executive Board that the student(s) concerned be permanently deregistered from the programme. 6. The Rules and Regulations in Appendix 2 include further provisions about what constitutes fraud and which disciplinary measures the Examination Committee can impose.

PART IV

ADMISSION

Article IV.1 | Eligibility | Qualified for admission to the programme are the applicants who met all the requirements mentioned in article IV.2 and have been issued a letter of acceptance. Article IV.2 | Letter of acceptance | The letter of acceptance is issued if the applicant has at least fulfilled the following requirements and handed in the related documents: 1. A bachelors or masters degree from a relevant academic field such as economics, international relations, political science, law, social sciences, business administration, health sciences or public health. 2. Basic knowledge of statistics and mathematics 3. Basic knowledge of economics, social sciences, political science and/or law. 4. A certified list of grades of bachelors or masters degree. 5. A certified copy of the bachelors and/or masters diploma, or, if the diploma has not yet been issued, a certified graduation statement. 6. An essay (400 words) related to a topic of one of the specialisations. 7. Proof of sufficient proficiency in English. This must be presented by submitting the results from either a TOEFL test (with a minimum score of 600pbt, 240cbt or 100ibt), IELTS test (minimum score 7), or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English. Exempted from the this requirement are: a. those whose mother tongue is English and b. those who received their bachelors or masters education in English. 8. A letter of motivation (400-500 words) which explains the reason(s) why the candidate chooses the programme and in which the candidate convinces the Admission Board that he or she has the intellectual capacities and personal skills to complete the programme successfully. 9. Two letters of recommendation by current/former professors or employers. Article IV.3 | Board of Admission | On behalf of the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, the Board of Admission of the School is responsible for assessing the applicants eligibility and issuing the letters of acceptance.

PART V

FINAL RULES

Article V.1 | Unforeseen cases | In cases not provided for by these regulations, the Examination Committee will decide. The Committee will provide its decision and reasoning in writing. Article V.2 | Hardship clause | In exceptional and individual cases the Examination Committee is authorized to deviate from these regulations if unimpaired application will lead to serious injustices to the students. Article V.3 | Commencement | These regulations come into force on 1 September 2011.

Appendix 1. Programme structure and ECTS The first semester consists of: o Core course: Introduction to Public Policy (4 ECTS) o Core course: Public economics (4 ECTS) o Core course: Introduction to Risk (2 ECTS) o Core course: Introduction to Public Finance (2 ECTS) o Core course: Public policy analysis (4 ECTS) o Skills training: Research Methods (6 ECTS) o Skills training: Econometrics (6 ECTS) or Econometrics Plus (optional replacement with prerequisites, 8 ECTS) In the second semester, the student will choose a specialisation. Specialisation 1: Social Policy Design & Financing o Financing social protection (4 ECTS) o Social budgeting (4 ECTS) o Actuarial practice in social protection (4 ECTS) o Poverty and inequality (4 ECTS) Specialisation 2: Globalisation Trade and Development Law o International economics (4 ECTS) o The law and policy of the World Trade Organization (4 ECTS) o International intellectual property law and policy (4 ECTS) o International development law (4 ECTS) Specialisation 3: Sustainable Development o Sustainability, Law and Economic Regulations (4 ECTS) o Methods and Tools of Sustainability Assessment (4 ECTS) o Sustainability Assessment Project (4 ECTS) o To be announced (4 ECTS) Specialisation 4: Health and Development o Global Health Economics (4 ECTS) o Global Health Management (4 ECTS) o Assessing needs and understanding behaviour (4 ECTS) o Quantitative techniques in health care financing (4 ECTS) Specialisation 5: Migration studies o Introduction to migration studies (4 ECTS) o Migration and remittances effects (4 ECTS) o Data Collection and Analysis for Migration Studies (4 ECTS) o Comparative migration policy (4 ECTS) Specialisation 6: Risk and Vulnerability o Risk Assessment (4 ECTS) o Building Resilient Systems (4 ECTS) o Risk Management in Crisis Situations (4 ECTS) o Risk communication: the last frontier? (4 ECTS) Free elective track: See Article II.3. Other: o Master thesis (16 ECTS)

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Appendix 2. Further provisions regarding disciplinary measures in the event of fraud 1.

fraud,

including

plagiarism

and

2.

3. 4.

4a. 5. 6. 7. 8.

If the Examination Committee determines that, with respect to an examination or examination component, a student: a. has possessed impermissible resources, texts or notes or has utilised impermissible electronic resources and/or communications; b. has communicated or attempted to communicate with another student verbally or through gestures without permission from an invigilator, examiner or Examination Committee member; c. has copied or attempted to copy from another student, or has provided the opportunity to copy; d. has posed as someone else or allowed this to occur; e. has deliberately misled, or at least attempted to mislead or provided the opportunity to mislead, the Examination Committee, marker, examiner or invigilator with respect to the examination, the Examination Committee may impose one of the disciplinary measures referred to in paragraph 4 of this Appendix. If the Examination Committee determines that a student has engaged in plagiarism with respect to an examination or examination component, including if the student: a. has used or copied from his/her own or someone elses texts, information, ideas or thoughts without proper acknowledgment of sources; b. has presented the structure or main ideas from third-party sources as his/her own work or ideas; c. has not clearly indicated in the text, for example, through quotation marks or a specific design, that verbatim or nearly verbatim quotes have been used; d. has paraphrased the substance of his/her own or someone elses texts without proper acknowledgment of sources; e. has copied visual, sound or test materials, software or program codes from others without proper acknowledgment of sources, thereby giving the impression that these are his/her own work; f. has copied work from other students and passed this off as his/her own work; g. has submitted work or papers which have been obtained from third parties or which have been written for payment or not by someone else, and has passed these off as his/her own work, the Examination Committee may impose one of the disciplinary measures referred to in paragraph 4 of this Appendix. If the Examination Committee determines that a student has otherwise committed fraud with respect to an exam or exam component, the Examination Committee may impose one of the disciplinary measures referred to in paragraph 4 of this Appendix. In the cases referred to under paragraphs 1, 2 and/or 3, the Examination Committee will grade the examination in question as failed, as well as impose the following disciplinary measures: a reprimand; barring the student from sitting for one or more examinations for the programme for a period of at most one year. In serious cases of fraud, the Examination Committee can propose to the Executive Board of the university that the student(s) concerned be permanently deregistered from the programme. Before imposing an appropriate disciplinary measure, or making a proposal to the Executive Board, the Examination Committee will give the student in question the opportunity to be heard. If fraud is found, this will be noted in the student concerneds dossier. If, after investigation, it is ultimately determined that the student concerned did not commit fraud, the names will be removed from the correspondence about the alleged fraud and the correspondence will not be included in the student concerneds dossier. The Examination Committee does not grant any exemption based on study results attained outside the students own programme which were obtained during the period in which the student was barred from sitting for exams for the programme on account of the fraud committed.
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