LW902-7-AU-CO:
Public International Law
2026/27
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 08 October 2026
Friday 18 December 2026
15
19 March 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLM M2M012 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
LLM M10112 International Human Rights Law,
LLM M10124 International Human Rights Law,
LLM M20012 International Humanitarian Law,
LLM M130 International Law,
LLM M13024 International Law,
LLM M1AA12 International Human Rights and Economic Law,
LLM M2D412 Law, Environment and Sustainability,
LLM M2D424 Law, Environment and Sustainability,
LLM M21E12 International Criminal Law
This module is designed to provide a solid understanding of general public international law and the fundamental principles upon which the international legal system is premised.
This comprises studying the nature of international law, how international law is made, the sources of international law, how treaties are made and interpreted, international responsibility of States for wrongful conduct, the principles relating to jurisdiction, and international institutional law.
Pursuant to acquiring knowledge of generalist concepts, students will then study in considerable depth selected the laws on the use of force and the international law of the sea: two specialist areas of public international law. The course will be taught drawing on a variety of different perspectives on international law, including doctrinal, positivist perspectives and critical perspectives. By the end of the course, students will understand core debates and divisions within international legal scholarship.
The aims of this module are:
- To gain comprehensive understanding of foundational topics in public international law.
- To understand how foundational public international law knowledge is applied in specialist international law topic areas.
- To engage with contemporary developments, changes and debates in the foundational topics of public international law.
- To apply knowledge of how international law rules are made, interpreted, enforced, and changed in subsequent specialist public/private international law modules they undertake.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:
- A systematic understanding of the nature of public international law.
- A comprehensive understanding of the sources of public international law and applicability thereof in relation to the substantive rules within the international legal framework.
- Critical reasoning in the distinct areas of international law.
- A solid conceptual understanding of this area of law that would enable further study and research of more specialist areas of international law.
Indicative Syllabus:
- Introduction to Public International Law
- Sources of International Law
- Subjects, Statehood, Sovereignty and Self-Determination
- The Law of Treaties and Interpretation
- State Responsibility
- Jurisdiction
- Law of International Organisations
- The Laws on the Use of Force
- Law of the Sea
This module will be delivered via:
- Weekly 2-hour seminars and
- Weekly 1-hour tutorials.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Exam |
Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 180 minutes during January
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 180 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Meagan Wong, email: meagan.wong@essex.ac.uk.
The Law Education Admin Team - pgtlawqueries@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 414 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
414 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Essex Law School
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