MAS:}:ER-OF SCIENCE IN GENETIC DIAGNOSTICS
(Faculty ofM-edicine)
BJ-haws-marie-=b.y-th:e_Ca; Ii-P zilef the nniversityafCaImrrI:roll'lI!ier=Sectian J35 uf::the
universities: Act. No. 16 ofT978 and its ssbsequerrt.ameadraeass.
£hi L~-WS
Part I - General
,.
Award of Degree
1. Sub-ject to these By-Laws, a candidate may be awarded the Degree ofMaster of
Science in Genetics Diagnostics if:
i) the candidate has been duly registered for the course of study leading to the
degree and
ii) the candidate has maintained registration and followed the course
satisfactorily and
iii) the candidate has passed the relevant examinations and
iv) the candidate has fulfilled all other requirements prescribed by these By-Laws,
and other relevant Regulations and Rules of the University.
Admissfon=to-fhe.::.eO-llrse
2. The Human Genetics Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo will be
responsible for conducting the Course. A person who wishes to become a student of
the Course shall make an application to the Senior Assistant Registrar ofthe Faculty
of Medicine, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8 in the prescribed application form.
AnO;1!'!"l"ri:c~a:thbe-c€lDsiclered.fClr...:adm:i'ss.jQn-t0&heCkluFseif,tbe.aI1pliGaIlt:obas
~ a~,;~e.r=:e.qni¥ale.nt:d:egree:re-gistered~lre=-mb=alol"k-a:=NfOOmat
Council,
er
ii) ,BS_cjn~Biomedical Sciences Subject or equivalent degree
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4. Students will be selected to follow the.course from applicants on the basis of their
performance at a selection examination which has a written cempoaerrt and an
intef'view. The:.o.writtetLComponentshalLcontrihute 75%andthejntendew shall
cont:ri.hate ZSOIn :tn--tJre.,..-to.ta:l::1!1a:!k.. St:m:lents-wmrobtain--an .ovenrI1-mafk:-of5fJ%-or
mere will qualify for-selectian. Thesize ef the intake will he annmm:ced arthe-tane-of
5. :: :~ ~ : ::~ ~,- •• ~ _ '.. _. _ - - _ ••. -._. _ J
Tho~e selected for-the-Course wI-ll-o-e"-~1re-:SenmlA'SSIStant'R~gtstrar"Of
the Faculty of Medicine. They will register for the-Course by paying the prescribed
fees. •. . .6.. SuoJect:to=these-By-haws,. the'-minimum1'erk).d~f()1~ whi.ch-a--stu-dent;sbat~~.
registered student for the Course shall be a continuous period of two years. A student
shall be required to complete the Degree of Master of Science in Genetic Diagnostics
before the expiry of a continuous period of five years from the date of first
registration.
Part II - Course Details
7. The medium of instruction and examination will be English.
K The course would be deliveredby a local and international faculty using a mix of
open and distance learning methods.
9. The Course of study shall consist of four semesters of 15 weeks duration spanning
two years and is designed to provide a broad base training in Genetic Diagnostics.
10. At the beginning of the thirdsemester, the student shall commence a research project
un:de~-tI-Ie"~=0E~lnero-rmmre=aGacl'emic~sta-ffmembers.
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/ Part III- E-xaminations
T=he~examjnatjons.jbrthe~Degree:.of:MasteLof Science in Genetic Diagnosticsshall
dissertation.based.nn.the researchwerk carried b~th.e student in semester 3 and 4-at
12. '.';._.: ~tm,'-I,i!+at-~s=atsenrl;:nf'"SeUjester -I amf2 :sh;:FIl-,~¢oc wn.~ aim:J;p~
exa~irrations-f0r..ceach-m0di1Ie c@mlirGt€d.c'€lllf=j:ngilre~ester.
13. 80% attendance at designatedteaching sessions is required for a studentto be-eligible
to sit end of semester 1 ana end of seme-ster 2 examinations.
14. At the end of semester 4 the students are required to submit a dissertation based on the
research project. This will be examined by two examiners and defended by the student
ala viva voce examination.
15. The minimum pass mark required for a theory paper, practical examination,
dissertation and viva voce examination shall be 50%.
16. A student can appear in any theory paper or practical examination only thrice i.e. once
in the original attempt and twice in a repeat attempt. If a dissertation does not meet
the required standard it may he resubmitted once.
17. A student would be promoted to the next semester provided he/she has not failed in
any module:
18. A student who passes all modules in the first and second semester, completes a
successful research project, submits a dissertation and successfully defends the
ili'5Sertatj:€IR=a1?a'¥i¥a~@.~·n.Jii·'ml,i.I'm~;;;be"'awafGed tfue=MasterJilf$eienc.e..in
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19. The requirement for the award of'the.Masters degree with Distinction shall be as
fellows:
(i)thena~hi~v:ement-at::.the.Jirst.attempLot:ano¥eral:Laveragemark of at least 65% inall:thJe-tllflrluies, anA'>
(ii) the achiezement of a.mark oftGOAlermore for the dissertation.
isF~~.;after~el\1I.elij("H"0£'tlre=oott.ES.e=.Qr:sturl~=mess:
,- a... ~':~the sttlclenthas-submitte-d-alnerlical.:eeI-fifieate:-which::has-l<>eerrae:cep:ted",~§'the
Senate
or
b. the student has established-to-the-satisfaction of the Senate that there is an
adequa:tel'eason:f0rbeing~alWwefu-t0=1J()stpone:a:ppeming:fo:r-the:exammatiIm.
21. A Student who is unable to appear for any component of an examination on grounds
of illness, or any other reason accepted by the Senate will sit the examination at the
next available opportunity.
22. All rules relating to the Examination Procedure, Offences and Punishment Regulation
No. 1 of 1986 shall apply to the examinations in the Master of Science in Genetic
Diagnostics Course.
Jnterpretation
23. In these By-Laws unless the context otherwise required, "Council" means the Council
of the University of Colombo constituted by the University Act No. 16 of 1978 (as
amended), "Senate" means Senate ofthe University of Colombo constituted by the
University Act No. 16 of 1978 (as amended) and the Faculty of Medicine means the
Faculty Board ofthe Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo constituted under
tBF.lJni¥e:I'Sit;y=A-ct -Mo.._.lfr"of::;]~~i&€as,"amencleft).
24_. A-ny-questi:0n=r.ega-rding=tlrednterpl.etatfatl::of:::~J3~liaw.s-s-nal'rbeI-ete.fl'e~m~h:e
GelIncHQi'--'tlte:::Eiii¥erslty"Coff€olome0'-wJrese::..aecisi:01Fthere:lm=.shall=be-limah
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