Module Catalogue 2024/25

LAW3017 : Public International Law

LAW3017 : Public International Law

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Ruth Houghton
  • Owning School: Newcastle Law School
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System
Pre-requisite

Modules you must have done previously to study this module

Pre Requisite Comment

n/a

Co-Requisite

Modules you need to take at the same time

Co Requisite Comment

n/a

Aims

This module aims to provide an introduction to public international law. In this module students will be introduced to the legal system of international law.

Students will acquire knowledge and understanding of the nature of the international legal system, as well as its function, rules, and procedures.

Students will reflect on contemporary debates and challenges and consider the role and scope of International Law in responding to these challenges.

Outline Of Syllabus

There will be 20 hours of lectures that will cover the following topics in International Law:
•       Nature, sources, and subjects of International Law
•       Key concepts including: state sovereignty, state consent and state equality
•       The law of treaties
•       The United Nations and the International Court of Justice
•       The use of force
•       Jurisdiction
•       Immunities
•       The international responsibility of States for internationally wrongful acts

There will five seminars, and these will focus on key areas of international law, such as:
•       Nature of international law
•       Sources of international law
•       Use of Force
•       Jurisdiction and Immunities
•       State Responsibility

Learning Outcomes

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

1.       Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and comprehensive understanding of International Law, its rules and processes and the way in which they relate to each other;

2.       Demonstrate understanding of the operation of international law through the role of key international institutions

3.       Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how international law relates to contemporary debates and issues;

4.       Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the interaction between law and politics in international law.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

1.       Demonstrate ability to write coherent arguments in international law
2.       Demonstrate ability to identify and select appropriate legal authority
3.       Demonstrate ability to identify, select and integrate relevant theoretical and academic literature
4.       Demonstrate ability to evaluate the sources of law
5.       Demonstrate ability to apply the rules of international legal knowledge to a problem question or case study.
6.       Demonstrate ability to interact effectively as part of a group and to work effectively as part of a group to share information and ideas
7.       Demonstrate ability to present information in the area of international law orally
8.       Demonstrate ability to manage relevant learning resources

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion601:0060:00Completion of the exam is 24 hours Completion of the formative assessment is 5 hours Completion of the group presentation is 10 minutes Students have approximately 30 hours for independent revision and preparation for the group presentation
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials61:006:00A combination of short recordings of lecture material, links to further relevant content such as blogs/podcasts/videos published on Canvas.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture201:0020:00Face to face weekly lectures on substantive class content. (could be moved to synchronous or non-synchronous on-line material if necessary)
Structured Guided LearningAcademic skills activities102:0020:00Activities developed by staff to support with the development of reading cases in international law. Preparation forms part of the students parathion for seminars.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching51:005:001 hour face to face seminar groups (could be delivered as on-line ZOOM seminars if necessary)
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study891:0089:00Work carried out by students as part of their studies, including writing up lecture notes and doing the reading for lectures and seminars
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures: there will be 20 hours of lectures and these are used to provide an overview of the main topic areas in international law [IKO1 and IKO2], this includes the key rules, principles, concepts and institutions of international law [IKO1 and IKO2].

Small group teaching: there are five rounds of small-group teaching, and these are in the form of one-hour seminars. For one of the seminars, the students will be asked to identify, evaluate and then select additional sources on a specific topic to bring to the seminar and discuss [ISO3, ISO 4, ISO8]. Students will be divided into smaller groups of approximately 3 students and will be asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation on a topic/article/case that they will present to the seminar group [ISO 6 and ISO7]. The seminars will provide opportunity to discuss the role of international law in contemporary debates and contemporary challenges [IKO3 and IKO4]. The seminars will provide an opportunity to develop further analytical skills [ISO5]. These components will provide space for discussion on international law as well as formative practice opportunities ahead of the summative assessment[ISO1 and ISO5]. All seminars will be synchronous events (whether online or present-in-person).

Online lecture materials: alongside the lecture materials, students will be directed towards relevant online materials and prompted to answer questions and reflect on the materials [IKO1, IKO2, IKO3 and IKO4]. This will include materials such as blogs, podcasts or videos.

Academic Skills/Structured Reading: alongside seminar handouts, students will be directed towards key cases or relevant academic articles and will be asked a series of reflective questions; as part of this exercise students will develop their ability to evaluate sources [ISO4], develop their understanding of international law [IKO1 and IKO2]. The choice to prepare structured reading also allows students the opportunity to develop their ability to manage their learning resources [ISO8]

Independent study: independent study time includes the time to write up lecture notes, read the materials on the lecture reading lists and the seminar reading lists.

Assessment preparation and completion: the summative assessment is a 24-hour take home exam, and the formative mock take home exam is 5 hours. Students will also need sufficient time to prepare their small-group presentation and to prepare their notes and materials for their take-home exam.

Reading Lists

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination14402A10024-hour take-home paper (Answer 2 questions from a choice of 5; word count 1000 words per question).
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Written Examination2MMock Take Home Exam - Answer one exam question in 5 hours to mimic the timed conditions of the take home summative exam. Word count 1000 words
Oral Presentation2MAs part of seminars, students will be divided into small groups and asked to prepare a 10 minute presentation on a topic/article/case as part of the seminar
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The summative take home (24 hours) exam will give students the opportunity to demonstrate:

(1) detailed and comprehensive knowledge of key areas of international law [IKO1]

(2) understanding of the operation of international law and key international institutions [IKO2],

(3) knowledge and understanding of the interaction between law and politics in international law,

(4) and ability to present coherent arguments supported by appropriate legal authority and relevant theoretical and academic literature [ISO],

(5) ability to apply the rules of international legal knowledge to a problem question or case study.

The formative mock take home exam will give students five hours to practice writing an answer to an international law exam question. This mimics the timed conditions of the 24 hour take home exam. The formative mock take home exam will allow students to test their understanding of the course to date [IKO1; IKO2; IKO3] and practice writing answers to international law questions.

The formative small-group presentations will be 10 minutes and will take place in seminars. These presentations will give students the opportunity to (1) demonstrate ability to interact effectively as part of a group and to work effectively as part of a group to share information and ideas [ISO], (2) demonstrate ability to present information in the area of international law orally [ISO]

Timetable

Past Exam Papers

General Notes

N/A

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Disclaimer

The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2024 academic year.

In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described.

Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2025/26 entry will be published here in early-April 2025. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.