LW902-7-SP-CO:
Public International Law
2024/25
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
01 July 2024
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLM M2M024 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
LLM M10124 International Human Rights Law,
LLM M20024 International Humanitarian Law,
LLM M130JS International Law,
LLM M1AA24 International Human Rights and Economic Law,
LLM M2D424 Law, Environment and Sustainability
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 main aim of this module is for students to gain a basic understanding of public international law. This course will therefore set students up well to be able to fully understand and participate in their other modules, many of which are specialist areas of international law.
The knowledge gained in this module is therefore key, for example, for courses in human rights law or international humanitarian law modules and other public international law-based modules such as the law of the sea, providing the basic knowledge needed to be able to undertake these courses. The course will also be of interest to those who wish to focus more generally on international law across public/private boundaries, again, providing the basic underlying knowledge necessary to continue your studies further according to this aim.
By the end of the module:
1. Students will gain an understanding of the nature of public international law
2. Students will learn about sources of public international law and applicability thereof in relation to the substantive rules within the international legal framework.
3. Students are encouraged to develop analytical and critical skills in the distinct reasoning of international law
4. Students are provided with a solid foundation for the 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 taught via weekly 2-hour seminars and weekly 1-hour tutorials.
The module teaching team will upload all relevant teaching materials on Moodle. You will find reading lists, the textbook, weekly handouts or PPS notes on Moodle. The materials in question are designed both to help you navigate the material to be covered in the seminars and to equip you to analyse the required readings. You will be expected to have completed the required readings in advance of your seminars.
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 Summer (Main Period)
|
| 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 Nathanael Tilahun, email: n.tilahun@essex.ac.uk.
The Law Education Admin Team - pgtlawqueries@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
Yes
Dr Avidan Kent
University of East Anglia
Associate Professor
Prof Konstantinos Kritsiotis
University of Nottingham
Professor
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Essex Law School
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