LLM
International Law

Module Overview

The Dissertation module comprises two elements:

1. Research methods (20%)

The research methods element of the dissertation module comprises a total of four research training workshops (4 x 2hrs), two taking place in the Autumn term and two taking place in the Spring term. Students are assessed through a dissertation proposal.

2. The Dissertation (80%)

The production of the dissertation itself provides the student with an opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of investigative academic work on a chosen area of international law (public or private international law or international legal aspects of EU law and governance). In the dissertation the students may develop ideas encountered in the taught modules or with other issues relevant to international law.

The completed dissertation should be an original and independent piece of work. It should, in the context of existing knowledge, demonstrate in-depth understanding, critical analysis and original thinking, as well as general academic and communication skills. Undertaking the necessary research and writing the dissertation can provide academic opportunities to apply the research skills and presentational techniques developed during the programme.

Module Overview

The aim of this module is to provide students with the foundations of international law. These are necessary to underpin the understanding how the various field of international law operate, whether it regards the protection of the environment or fostering international commerce. This module is focussed on providing the structural elements of international law such as the sources, actors and international institutions. The module will enable students to gain a critical understanding of the impact and operation of this area of law to many contemporary issues.

Module Overview

The aim of this module is to provide an opportunity for students to develop a critical understanding of international human rights, and the way in which the concept of such rights is used to promote respect for certain standards and to protect the rights of individuals. The module will involve considering the role of international organisations (such as the United Nations); regional mechanisms (such as the European Convention on Human Rights); and the enforcement of international standards at the global, regional and domestic levels.

Module Overview

This module gives students a contextualized understanding of how intra- and international migration is regulated and the way in which such regulations affect the rights of migrants. The course discusses critically both the theory and practice of immigration and asylum law. By the end of the module, students are expected to understand the social, economic, legal and political nature of immigration law, the machinery of immigration control, the construction of British citizenship, the current state of European immigration law and free movement rights as well as theories of political and social emancipation in a critical context.

Module Overview

The module introduces students to the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as well as Business and Human Rights. These two separate but overlapping concepts inform how we currently understand the obligations of corporations beyond shareholders. Through this module, students will take part in the debates surrounding it so that they are able to critically evaluate the concepts and their practical implications for companies, regulatory bodies and policy makers in a globalised environment. To do so, student will look at the connections between the national corporate law obligations and International legal obligations.

Module Overview

The module will introduce students to the operations of international businesses and how their activities are influenced by legal frameworks. Students will be exposed to the legal and socio-economic factors that affect businesses that operate in the global marketplace. It commences by providing a primer on the nature of international businesses. Against this background, it expounds on the concept of globalisation and its link with international business. The course then focuses on the regulatory environment within which international businesses are developed and in which they operate. Proposed expansion strategies of businesses are also considered within the context of the local and global environment in which they operate.

Module Overview

This module aims to give students the opportunity to develop a thorough insight into the theoretical, legal, practical and ethical issues surrounding corporate governance and its influence on the management structure of modern companies. It will explore the relationships which exist between directors, shareholders, management, the company itself and other internal and external stakeholders. Students will have the chance to develop a firm understanding of the concept of corporate governance and the basic principles underlying the implementation of UK and international corporate governance codes.

Module Overview

This module provides the opportunity for students to develop a critical understanding of the idea of international criminal justice. The module aims to address the key issues and concepts in and policies underlying the enforcement of international criminal law considering the legal and political environment in which international criminal courts and tribunals operate. The principle focus will be the international crimes which come within the jurisdiction of the current international courts and tribunals – that is war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression– and analysing whether these institutions are effective for the pursuit of justice and peace within the international system.

Module Overview

In this module students will be introduced to the different methods of international dispute resolution in both a public and private law context. This module explores the legal frameworks governing international dispute resolution along with both the political and legal context and concerns relating to them. The module will examine the principal approaches to the settlement of international disputes in public international law and will also introduce students to the increasingly important area of private international law. Students will gain an understanding of the nature of international disputes, both public and private, and the options for resolving them and how a chosen option might be informed by the type of dispute presented.

Module Overview

This module examines the development and operation of international environmental law, considering in particular the historical evolution of the law, the elaboration of multilateral environmental regimes and the increasing judicial attention given to environmental issues. The module will also consider the issue of responsibility and liability for harm from environmental degradation as it is tackled at the international level.

Module Overview

This module focuses on the protections offered to foreign investors by international investment law and investor-State dispute resolution procedures. These protections are found in a network of bilateral and multilateral treaties as well as in customary law.

The module also explores recent developments in international investment law and how it relates to other areas of international law, such as international development law or permanent sovereignty on national resources.

Module Overview

The aim of this module is to introduce students to an important and dynamic area of international law, the law of the sea. Students will have the opportunity to learn about maritime zones, the law of maritime delimitation, the rules on safety at sea, the protection of the marine environment, fisheries and marine scientific research. The module will enable students to gain a critical understanding of this area of international law through applying what they have learned to contemporary issues.

Module Overview

The module aims to provide an understanding of the international law of trade. In particular, it focuses on acquiring a deep knowledge of the importance and functioning of the World Trade Organisation in regulating the trade in goods and services. It also supports an analysis and evaluation of its dispute settlement mechanism.

The module provides an understanding of the rules in the context of wider aims of international law, such as the protection of health or the environment.