Master
2023/2024
Law of International Treaties
Type:
Compulsory course (Law of International Trade and Dispute Resolution)
Area of studies:
Law
Delivered by:
School of International Law
Where:
Faculty of Law
When:
1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Master’s programme:
Law of International Trade and Dispute Resolution
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This research seminar is an academic companion of the students’ project activities and is designed as training aimed to enable research and analytical work of its participants in the subject field of the Law of treaties. The research seminar comprises three parts. In the introductory part, students will have an opportunity to intensively refresh their knowledge on the Law of Treaties and gain an advanced ‘beyond the VCLT’ perspective on the contemporary legal regulation of different aspects of the treaty relations between states. This part is designed, as intensive problem-based coaching that will help students to dwell into the most topical issues of the Law of Treaties. During the second part for two months, participants of the course are supposed to work on their own projects in small teams or individually. Finally, the last part of the Seminar is dedicated to the presentation, defense, and discussion of the projects.
Learning Objectives
- The main purpose of the research seminar is to train students’ abilities to carry out their own analytical and research projects in the subject field related to the Law of Treaties.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Skills and abilities: ─ ability to use specific terms and sources of the Law of Treaties; ─ practical abilities to undertake a research and analysis of judicial decisions and legal writings; ─ skills to analyse and solve cases, build up of the legal position and compose procedural documents on cases in the sphere of Law of Treaties.
- Students must gain knowledge on: ─ sources of Law of Treaties; ─ the scope of application and content of the main international treaties and customs governing drafting, application, interpretation, validity and termination of international treaties; ─ main approaches to the key issues of the Law of Treaties; ─ particularities of application of international treaties at the national level.
- Students should gain the following competences: ⎯ ability to work with information (search, evaluate, use information, necessary for fulfilment of scientific and professional tasks, from various sources, including application of the systematic approach); ⎯ ability to carry out professional activities in the international environment; ⎯ ability to search, analyse and work with legally relevant information by using of juridical, comparative and other specific methods;
Course Contents
- The Law of treaties in a Nutshell.
- Drafting a treaty
- Applying a treaty
- Interpreting a treaty
- Modifying a treaty
- Contesting and terminating a treaty
Assessment Elements
- Classroom-based workAttendance, presentations during the seminars, participation in the peer-review procedure, and involvement in the discussions: 10 %
- ProjectResearch paper (a legal memorial or a draft academic article) and its defence: Work in small teams or individually; Length: 8 – 16 000 words; Footnotes are obligatory; Detailed requirements for the research papers and memorials will be send to students in advance.
- ExamForm of the exam: oral in the form of an interview on the whole syllabus (held in small groups).
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Dörr, O., & Schmalenbach, K. (2018). Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties : A Commentary (Vol. Second edition). Berlin, Germany: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1685794
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Bjørge, E. (2014). The Evolutionary Interpretation of Treaties. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1540166
- Buga, I. (2018). Modification of Treaties by Subsequent Practice (Vol. First edition). Oxford, United Kingdom: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1776298