Unit information: General Principles of International Law in 2014/15

Unit name	General Principles of International Law
Unit code	LAWD20041
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Murray
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	University of Bristol Law School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This is an introductory unit in Public International Law which provides some of the basic skills and knowledge required to study more specialist aspects of international law. The unit also stands alone as an overview of some foundational issues in international law. The unit considers a number of key inter-related questions: in particular, what is international law and why does it matter? To whom does it apply? Where are the rules of this legal order to be found, and how are they enforced? The unit is designed to make students think critically about the structure, sources and function of international law and the relevance of these issues to contemporary international problems.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to explain:

1. the principles of international law;
2. the institutional structure of international law, the law-making and decision-making processes; and, in particular, the United Nations
3. international law and how it relates to national law

Students should be able to state the law accurately, to apply legal principles to problem case scenarios, and to think critically about ways in which the law could be reformed.

The examination includes both problem type and essay type questions, designed to assess both whether students were able to understand and apply the law across the breadth of the syllabus, and whether they were able to think critically about it.

Teaching Information

22 lectures and 8 tutorials.

Assessment Information

The unit will be assessed by means of a 3 hour written exam. It will contain both essay and problem questions. In preparation for the exam, students are given the option to do unassessed essays to practice exam skills, on which feedback will be provided.

Reading and References

• Evans, International Law (3rd edition, OUP, 2010)
• Shaw, International Law (6th Edition, 2008).
• Dixon, Cases and Materials on International Law (8th Edition, 2010)
• Harris, Cases and Materials on International Law (7th ed., 2010)