JUR213 Public International Law (Autumn 2026)

After completing this course, the student should be able to

• understand what characterizes international law as a legal system.
• understand what characterizes EU/EEA law as a legal system.
• have a good understanding of the sources of international law as well as of EU/EEA law (treaties, customary international law and general principles of law).
• have a good understanding of the legal methodology of international/EU/EEA law, including how treaties, as well as primary and secondary sources of EU law (regulations, directives) are interpreted.
• utilize their knowledge of international legal method to conduct analyses of legal problems under international law.
• have a good understanding of the rights and obligations of states and other subjects of international law.
• have a good understanding of the rules on statehood and be able to conduct an independent assessment of whether the criteria are met in individual cases.
• have a good understanding of international law in the area of the law of the seas, state intervention and the use of force
• have a good understanding of the UN Charter, the resolutions of the UN bodies, including the Security Council and the General Assembly and International Court of Justice.
• have thorough knowledge of the legal foundations of the EU, the EFTA and the EEA, as well as an overview of central institutions, their competences and how they function.

Teaching will be conducted in the form of lectures and seminars.

Students are required to prepare for seminars and participate in class presentations/discussions, mock debates, and other teaching activities. A minimum of 75% participation in the mandatory work requirements is required. This includes participation in group work, writing and commenting on responses as well as participation in large groups. In addition, a mandatory assignment must be approved.

Students who do not meet the work requirement and/or have not passed the compulsory assignment cannot take the exam and must retake the entire course. Students must use Canvas, which is the university's learning support system. The course has an expected workload of around 270 hours.

This course is taught in English. This means that all communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all literature and materials are in English.

A minimum of 75% participation in compulsory work requirements will be required. This includes participation in group work, writing and commenting on responses as well as participation in large groups. In addition, there will be a larger compulsory assignment that must be approved and an oral presentation in a large group before you can take the exam.

Students who have not had the compulsory work requirements approved cannot take the exam and must retake the entire course. Further information will be published in Canvas at the start of the semester.