Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a comprehensive program in International Law, providing students with a deep understanding of the nature and function of the international legal system. This program is designed to develop students' abilities to solve specific problems by identifying, interpreting, and applying rules and principles of international law.

Course Description

The course covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Foundation and structure of the international legal system
• Relationship between international and national law
• Sources of international law, including introduction to the databases of the ICJ and the ILC
• Law of treaties
• Actors in the international legal system
• Jurisdiction
• Immunity of states and state representatives, including diplomats and consuls
• State responsibility
• International law of the sea
• Peaceful settlement of disputes
• International regulation of the use of force
• Law of armed conflict
• International criminal law

Learning Outcomes

To obtain the grade of 12, students must be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of international law and the structure of the international legal system
• Apply various theories of international law to concrete issues
• Identify answers to concrete questions by applying the different sources of international law
• Apply the law of treaties, including the principles of treaty interpretation, to concrete cases
• Apply the principles of state responsibility to concrete cases
• Apply rules and principles relating to state sovereignty, jurisdiction, and immunity to concrete cases
• Identify solutions for the peaceful settlement of international disputes
• Identify answers to specific issues regulated by the law of the sea
• Apply international legal regulation, principally from the UN Charter, to concrete examples of the use of armed force
• Identify answers to specific issues regulated by the law of armed conflict
• Identify answers to specific issues regulated by international criminal law

Literature

The primary textbook for the course is:

• Anders Henriksen, International Law, 4th edition, Oxford University Press (2023), Chapters 1-8 and 12-15 Additional literature will be available on Absalon.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The teaching integrates digitalization tools and invites students to reflect on the role and impact of digitalization on questions of international law.

Workload

The workload for the course is as follows:

• Lectures: 10 hours
• Preparation: 99.5 hours
• Seminar: 28 hours
• Total: 137.5 hours

Assessment

The course is assessed through an on-site written exam under invigilation, with a time limit of 6 hours. The exam must not exceed 11,700 keystrokes, excluding spaces. Only certain aids are allowed during the exam.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: JJUB57007U
• Credit: 5 ECTS
• Level: Bachelor
• Duration: 1 semester
• Placement: Autumn
• Schedule: Please see the timetable for teaching times.

Study Board and Department

• Study board: Law
• Contracting department: Law
• Contracting faculty: Faculty of Law

Course Coordinators

• Amnon Lev
• Astrid Kjeldgaard-Pedersen
• Ole Ivar Vanman
• Marc Schack

Timetable

Please refer to the timetable for the specific teaching times for each hold.