General provisions

Determined on May 7, 2007 by Faculty of Law's Teaching Committee, Uppsala University, by virtue of Chapter 2 Section 5 a of the Higher Education Act and Chapter 6 Section 14 and 15 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The course plan enters into force on July 1, 2007.

In General

The course is 15 university points (15 ECTS credits) and an optional course at advanced level in the studies for the degree of Master of Laws, according to the degree requirements adopted 16 April 2007 by the Board of the Faculty of Law of Uppsala University. The course is held in English.

The course consists of two modules of seven and a half credit each. The number of modules offered may vary from year to year, but at least two modules are given each year. The contents of the modules may vary from year to year.

Entry requirements

In general, Swedish students must have attained five passes out of the six courses given at level 1 of the LL.M programme. All the obligatory phases of the course in which the student has not attained a pass must have been fulfilled. Swedish students must have passed the exam for Term course 6.

If special reasons exist the board of exemption may grant exemption from the acceptance requirements.

The foreign students must have passed a basic course in public international law.

Learning outcomes

The goal of the course is to make the student understand public international law as an integrated system and the way in which this system is used by the states and other international legal subjects. The goal of the course is also to provide the students with an understanding of the way in which public international law may be used by lawyers in national fora, to provide the students with deeper knowledge and insights into two substantive areas in public international law, and to provide the students with broader and deeper knowledge of the legal sources, fundamental principles and methodology of public international law.

Public international law as a legal system differs in essential respects from national law, among other things because of the different nature of the legal subjects and the processes by which international law is created. The international legal system contains other perspectives on the law as a social phenomenon, perspectives that the students are expected to learn to understand during the course.

After the course the students shall have the ability to identify, analyse and independently in oral and written form argue for and against different solutions to problems of public international law.

Content

Each module of five points deals with a specific substantive area within public international law. The substantive areas is determined depending upon the availability of lecturers.

Instruction

The primary method of instruction is the seminar but there will also be lectures.

An important element of the instruction is the writing of an essay which also constitutes the examination of each module. Attendance at all teaching occasions is compulsory. The head of the course may, however, in a special case exempt a student from the attendance requirement.

Assessment

The examination takes place by means of an essay at the end of each module. The marks are added up and together constitute the final result from the course. The student who does not pass will be given the opportunity to re-take the exam.

The grades given are Fail (U), and the passing grades Pass (B), Pass with credit (Ba) and Pass with distinction (AB).