Public International Law, 15 credits

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student shall be able to:

• describe public international law as a legal system by adequately identifying the relevant legal sources and explaining their importance in the doctrine of legal sources,
• identify and clarify legal issues of international public law in specific situations by formulating the legal issues within the problem scenario,
• identify and correctly apply relevant public international law sources within a number of areas, in accordance with the system’s doctrine of legal sources,
• explain the necessary components for holding states accountable for violations of public international law by identifying the criteria and applying these to certain problems,
• construct public international law arguments in accordance with the established legal argumentation technique,
• independently and correctly apply relevant public international law sources to write and present oral and written public international law arguments.

Content

The course examines public international law as a system, focusing on the doctrine of sources, international legal subjects and fundamental norms, and selected areas of public international law. The international legal method is applied in relation to different areas of public international law. The course also focuses on written and oral presentation in order to develop the course participants’ understanding of public international law and their skills in international legal analysis and argumentation. Moreover, the relationship between digitalization and public international law is also examined during the course.

Examinations and grades

Public International Law, 10 credits (Code: A006)
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Legal Analysis, 3 credits (Code: A007)
Grades used are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Oral and Written Communication, 2 credits (Code: A008)
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may determine which grading system is to be used. The grade must be determined by a teacher specifically nominated by the university (the examiner).

In accordance with university regulations on grading systems for first and second-cycle courses and study programmes (Vice-Chancellor’s decision ORU 2018/00929), one of the following grades is to be used: fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG). For courses included in an international master’s programme (60 or 120 credits) or offered to the university’s incoming exchange students, the A to F grading scale is to be used. The vice-chancellor, or a person appointed by them, may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special grounds for doing so.

The grades used on this course are Fail (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B) or Excellent (A).

Comments on grades

In order to obtain a final course grade on the entire course, the grade Pass (G) on Oral and Written Communication (A008), the minimum grade Sufficient (E) on Public International Law (A006) and the minimum grade Sufficient (E) on Legal Analysis (A007) are required.

The final course grade on the entire course will be a weighted average of the grades on Public International Law (A006) and Legal Analysis (A007). The grades of the examination forms given according to the grade scale U - G is not included in the weighting of the final course grade.

Modes of assessment

Public International Law, 10 credits (Code: A006)
Written examination.

Legal Analysis, 3 credits (Code: A007)
Paper for submission and oral examinations.
If a student does not achieve an approved grade, but with a limited effort is deemed to be able to reach it, the student may complete in accordance with the examiner’s instructions. The completion shall be made within five working days from the time the student is assigned the instructions. Oral examinations consisting of group assignments where the student does not attend or fails, may be re-examined if the circumstances allow it. If not, the student is referred to the next time the course is given.

Oral and Written Communication, 2 credits (Code: A008)
Continuous examination.

For students with a documented disability, the university may approve applications for adapted or other modes of assessment.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations.

Specific entry requirements

Basic Course in Law, 30 ECTS credits (for exchanges students).

21 ECTS credits from Introduction to Legal Thinking and 7.5 ECTS credits from Administrative Law, 15 ECTS credits (for programme students only).

For further information, see the university's admission regulations.

Other provisions

The course is taught in English.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Reading list and other learning resources

Required reading

Dixon Martin, McCorquodale; Robert, Williams Sarah
Cases & Materials on International Law
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 800 pages

Klabbers, Jan
International Law
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 350 pages

Additional reading

Evans, Malcolm D.
Blackstone's International Law Documents
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 592 pages

Additions and Comments on the Reading List

Always the latest edition of the books on the reading list is used.

Additional materials, such as articles and case-law (of approximately 300 pages), are also part of the required reading.

Some of the literature may be available online and as E-book.