PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES KEY FACTS Programme name Public International Law Award LLM School The City Law School Department or equivalent Academic Courses Programme code PSLLMP Type of study Full Time/Part Time Total UK credits 180 Total ECTS 90.0 PROGRAMME SUMMARY The LLM Public International Law concentrates on the development of a thorough and critical understanding of Public International Law. The programme has been carefully developed to offer a wide range of modules, and significant flexibility as regards both choice of modules and overall award name. The programme includes both established areas of public international law and innovative modules in developing areas of law. The academics who will teach you on the programme include specialists in the relevant areas of international law, and the modules offered include subjects at the forefront of recent developments in Public International Law. In addition to completing four modules, you will be required to complete a 15 to 20,000 word dissertation on a topic within the areas you cover in the programme. Optional extras that you can take up will include mooting, practitioner workshops and an introduction to the Foreign Office law officers. There are two programme options: 1. You can take an LLM in Public International Law by choosing ANY four modules from approximately 15 different modules offered, and in addition completing a dissertation related to any one of the four modules you have chosen. 2. Alternatively. on enrolment, you may choose to complete the programme with a specialist named LLM award. For this you will need to complete two modules and a dissertation in a chosen specialist area of law in addition to completing any other two modules chosen from the programme modules. The specialist named awards are: LLM in International Human Rights LLM in International Dispute Resolution LLM in International Law and Globalisation LLM in International Criminal Law and Justice LLM in International Law and Armed Conflict 1
Required modules for specialist named awards: International Human Rights International Human Rights in Law and Practice Minorities and Indigenous Peoples in International Law International Dispute Resolution 2 of the following: International Dispute Settlement Law of International Organisations International Human Rights in Law and Practice International Law and Globalisation International Law and the Global Economy International Human Rights in Law and Practice International Criminal Law and Justice International Criminal Law 1: Institutions and Structures International Criminal Law 2: Crimes and Liability International Law and Armed Conflicts Law in War International Law and Use of Force Aims The LLM Public International Law is designed to provide graduates with expert knowledge of the principles within which international law operates. The course aims to enhance your ability to analyse, interpret and criticise the laws, rules, policies and practices that underpin Public International Law (PIL). In taking a master's level approach, the programme aims to enhance your ability to analyse, interpret and criticise substantive and theoretical law relevant to the international world order. WHAT WILL I BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE? On successful completion of this programme, you will be expected to be able to: Knowledge and understanding: Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of a range of aspects of international law Show a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights at the forefront of public international law. 2
Skills: Display enhanced oral and written communication skills, including the ability to express complex arguments clearly and accurately. Use techniques of research and enquiry to create and interpret knowledge in public international law. Evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in selected areas of public international law, including research methodologies where appropriate. Apply knowledge of the law, whether gained during current or previous studies, in an appropriate and, on occasion, original manner to address issues of concern to selected areas of public international law. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in addressing problems or issues arising from the current state of the law in the subject areas studied and/or proposals for its development or reform. Deal with complex issues, including those where data may be incomplete, both systematically and creatively and to reach sound judgements. Values and attitudes: Construct coherent and principled legal argument on Public International Law in a specific areas of study Correctly reference the work of others Show tolerance in relation to divergent opinions WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK CAN I EXPECT? Assessment and Assessment Criteria Coursework: In each of the four modules you complete you must submit a coursework essay of 6000 words. A choice of topics will be provided. Written feedback will be given on coursework following marking. Dissertation: You will also submit a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words. Your dissertation should relate to a matter of current interest in public international law and the theory and/or practice relating to a topic within public international law which is linked to a module you have completed or are completing. The date for submission is set out on Moodle and in the Handbook, as are the requirements for submission. Assessment Criteria are descriptions, based on the intended learning outcomes, of the skills, 3
knowledge or attributes you need to demonstrate in order to complete an assessment successfully, providing a mechanism by which the quality of an assessment can be measured. Grade- Related Criteria are descriptions of the level of skills, knowledge or attributes you need to demonstrate in order achieve a certain grade or mark in an assessment, providing a mechanism by which the quality of an assessment can be measured and placed within the overall set of marks. Assessment Criteria and grade-related criteria will be provided in the programme Handbook. Feedback on assessment Feedback on the LLM is to a certain extent incremental. You will be offered the opportunity to submit up to two pieces of formative coursework of a maximum length each of 2,000 words during the programme. These will be assessed on a pass/ fail basis, and will be used to give feedback and guidance on your work. You will be offered the opportunity to submit draft chapters of your dissertation to your supervisor, who will be able to give you feedback on how well you have fulfilled the criteria and any areas that need improvement. Further, written feedback will be provided on your submitted dissertation, to highlight its strengths and any weaknesses. This would assist you to make required improvements, should you not achieve the 50% pass mark. Feedback will be provided in line with our Assessment and Feedback Policy. In particular, you will normally be provided with feedback within three weeks of the submission deadline or assessment date. This would normally include a provisional grade or mark. For end of module examinations or an equivalent significant task (e.g. an end of module project), feedback will normally be provided within four weeks. The timescale for feedback on final year projects or dissertations may be longer. The full policy can be found at: https://www.city.ac.uk/ data/assets/pdf_file/0008/68921/assessment_and_feedback_policy.pdf Assessment Regulations In order to pass your Programme, you should complete successfully or be exempted from the relevant modules and assessments and will therefore acquire the required number of credits. The first block consists of the 4 taught modules, each of which is worth 30 credits. Together they are weighted as 67% of your total mark for the course. The second block is the dissertation which is worth 60 credits and contributes 33% to your total mark for the course. The Pass mark for each module is 50%. If you fail a module, the following will apply, subject to compensation between modules as provided for in the University assessment regulations (for further details, see the Programme Handbook). If you fail an assessment you will normally be offered one resit attempt. However, if you did not 4
participate in the first assessment and have no extenuating circumstances, you may not be offered a resit. If you successfully complete a resit you shall be awarded the credit for the Module. The mark used for the purpose of calculation towards the Award shall be calculated from the from the original marks for the component(s) that you passed at first attempt and the minimum pass mark for the component(s) constituting the resit requirement Full details of the assessment regulations can be found at: http://www.city.ac.uk/adu/dps/senate_regs/s19.doc and in the LLM in Public International Programme handbook WHAT AWARD CAN I GET? Master s Degree: HE Credits Weighting Class % required Level (%) Dissertation M 60 33 With Distinction 70 Taught M 120 67 With Merit 60 With Pass 50 Postgraduate Diploma: HE Credits Weighting Class % required Level (%) Taught 7 120 100 With Distinction 70 With Merit 60 With Pass 50 Postgraduate Certificate: HE Credits Weighting Class % required Level (%) Taught 7 60 100 With Distinction 70 With Merit 60 With Pass 50 WHAT WILL I STUDY? Taught component The programme will consist of four taught modules taken over one academic year for the full time course. In addition you will complete a practice focussed dissertation on an approved area related to one of the modules in the programme. As outlined above, you can on enrolment opt for a specialist named LLM if your choice 5
of modules includes the appropriate required modules as outlined above. Module Title SITS Module Core/ Compensation Level Code Credits Elective Yes/No International Law of the LMM125 30 E Y 7 Sea Public International LMM126 30 E Y 7 Law Law of Treaties LMM127 30 E Y 7 International Human LMM128 30 E Y 7 Rights in law and Practice Minorities and LMM129 30 E Y 7 Indigenous Peoples in International Law International Dispute LMM130 30 E Y 7 Settlement International LMM131 30 E Y 7 Responsibility of States and International Organisations Law of International LMM 132 30 E Y 7 Organisations International Law and LMM 133 30 E Y 7 The Global Economy Theory of International LMM134 30 E Y 7 Law International Criminal LMM 135 30 E Y 7 Law 1: Institutions and Structures International Criminal LMM 136 30 E Y 7 Law 2: Crimes and Liability Fraud and Financial LMM 137 30 E Y 7 Crime in an International Context Law in War the LMM138 30 E Y 7 conduct of hostilities by states and non-state agents International Law and the Use of Force LMM139 30 E Y 7 The City Law School reserves the right not to run any with less than 5 students. Students who have not previously studied Public International Law at undergraduate or graduate level will be required to take the Public International Law module as one of their four modules. 6
Dissertation component Module Title SITS Module Core/ Compensation Level Code Credits Elective Yes/No Dissertation LMM 140 60 C N 7 You are not normally required to complete all the taught modules successfully before progressing to the dissertation. TO WHAT KIND OF CAREER MIGHT I GO ON? The LLM in Public International Law provides a good academic grounding in this increasingly important area of legal practice. On completing the LLM you will be well placed to obtain employment with governmental and non-governmental agencies, NGOs and in house legal departments of multifunctional corporations with concerns about corporate responsibility at an international level. If you are from overseas and intend to seek employment with your foreign and development offices in your home country will benefit from the programme. The course will also assist you if you are a British student seeking to practice in international law either at the Bar or as solicitors. If you would like more information on the Careers support available at City, please go to: http://www.city.ac.uk/careers/for-students-and-recent-graduates. WHAT PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE? Internships We encourage all of you to obtain internships and placements with international organizations and NGOs whilst you are studying with us. It is anticipates that a number of internships will be on offer to the City Law School LLM PIL students each year. HOW DO I ENTER THE PROGRAMME? You will normally hold a good first degree in law, or an equivalent qualification (including a first degree in a non-law subject and a CPE qualification), and must be fluent or nearfluent in written and spoken English. If your first language is not English you must demonstrate that you have met the University's English language requirements and in particular must obtain an IELTS score of 7.0 or the equivalent. If you have a first degree in a subject other than law you will be considered, but it should be noted if you have not previously studied Public International Law, you will be required to take the PIL module. Version: 1.1 Version date: November 2012 For use from: 2012-13 7