Public International Law

2025/2026

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

  • To supplement the student’s knowledge and skills in a way that may form part of the student’s choice of educational and professional profile

Learning objectives

Knowledge

  • Background, scope and purpose of public international law.
  • General elements of international law, such as subjects of law, legal sources, treaty law, jurisdiction and immunities, and the relationship between international and national law.
  • Specific subject matters, for example state responsibility, dispute settlement, the use of force, the law of armed conflict and international criminal law. 

Skills

The course is organized in such a way that students  - in applying  legal method and problem based learning - acquire skills in:

  • Explaining the difference between the aim and purpose of international law compared to national law.
  • Describing the impact of international law in national jurisdictions.
  • Analysing and applying concepts and terminology integral to the course.
  • Identifying legal problems in international law and applying relevant sources of law in solving these.
  • Researching, presenting and analyzing judgments and decisions from the International Court of Justice and other relevant judicial bodies in international law.  
  • Presenting and analyzing the content of substantive provisions as contained in UN Charter and other applicable international law instruments.
  • Describing and presenting general as well as specific topics of public international law.  
  • Communicating issues relating to public international law in a clear and well-structured manner, using the applicable terminology.

Competences

  • explain issues pertaining to public international law and reflect and analyze  critically
  • assess and analyse rules and regulations as well as the consequences of the rules
  • qualify identified legal issues within public international law
  • be able to work problem-oriented by independently composing a problem and working in an analytical and structured manner
  • become responsible for own learning, development and specialization within the frames public international law.
  • become able to provide advice on the content of public international law and the consequences of violating this legal framework.

Type of instruction

  • Lectures

Extent and expected workload

  • 270 hours

Exam

Prerequisite for enrollment for the exam

  • Synopsis handed in on time

Exams

Name of examPublic International Law
Type of exam
Oral exam based on a project
20 minutes per student x participants in the group
ECTS10
Permitted aids
With certain aids:
Synopsis can be brought to the exam
Assessment7-point grading scale
Type of gradingExternal examination
Criteria of assessmentThe criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures

Facts about the module

Danish titleFolkeret
Module codeKA-EJ-20-S13
Module typeCourse
Duration1 semester
SemesterSpring
ECTS10
Language of instructionEnglish
Empty-place SchemeYes
Location of the lectureCampus Aalborg
Responsible for the module

Organisation

Education ownerMaster of Science (MSc) in Business Administration and Commercial Law
Study BoardStudy Board of Law
DepartmentDepartment of Law
FacultyFaculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

Litterature

NB: litterature is final 3 weeks before start of semester

  • Henriksen, Anders: International Law, Oxford University Press, 2017
  • Students will  be asked to access supplementary material available online, including primary sources of law and scientific articles