International Law

International Law is a Master’s level advanced course in the field of Administrative Sciences and requires applicable higher education studies in relevant fields such as law, international affairs, and international business ventures. The course is in English, and intended for Master's students with the fundamental knowledge and skills for written and oral presentations in English, including foundational knowledge about the legal, contractual, and policy framework guiding the actions of States, international organisations and institutions, multinational corporations and individuals as subjects of international law. This prerequisite knowledge can be based on either previous bachelor’s level studies or master’s level coursework.

The main objective of this course is to survey the legal norms and principles governing the conduct of states and other organisations involved in international affairs, including subjects of international law such as individuals and multinational corporations engaged with foreign public or governmental institutions. The class will study underlying legal concepts like sovereignty and host government control over energy and natural resources, the role of relevant international organisations like the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, the main sources of public international law, e.g., multilateral treaties and customary international law, dispute resolution mechanisms and the framework through which international law interacts with national legal systems. The course starts by introducing the fundamentals of public international law, then explores how these apply in the context of (a) international human rights, (b) law of the sea and maritime boundaries, and (c) international economic and investment law. In studying these three focus areas, the class will draw examples from international cases and matters arising from the development of energy and natural resources.

Learning Skills and Outcomes:

At the end of this course, students will gain an understanding and skills in:

1. Identifying and analysing public law issues in the relevant international contexts.
2. Evaluating relevant sources of public international law, including reviewing and analysing relevant international law documents and public law texts.
3. Discussing key international law issues, including (a) human rights, (b) sovereignty and law of the sea, and (c) international energy and investment law.
4. Identifying and assessing the interactions between international and national legal systems.
5. Making a coherent and logical presentation of their ideas through class participation assignments.

The main course text is:
Cecily Rose, et al. An Introduction to Public International Law. Cambridge University Press, Second Edition, 2026

Supplementary materials and resources:

• Owen Anderson et al., ‘Sovereignty and Host Government Control of Petroleum and Minerals’ (Chapter 2) in International Petroleum Law and Transactions (Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, 2020) pp. 93 – 208 (Excerpts available on Moodle)

• Doebbler, Curtis F. J Dictionary of Public International Law, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2018. (available via ProQuest Ebook Central)

• International Court of Justice: www.icj-cij.org(Opens in a new tab) for full texts of the judgments and advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice

• Official documents of the United Nations and the UN International Law Handbook

• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes

• UNCTAD International Investment Agreements Navigator

Course implementation: spring term.