Public International Law (UoA) (PG)

Postgraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
LAWS 6007
Course ID icon
Course ID
204084
Level of study
Level of study
Postgraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
6
Study abroad and student exchange icon
Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

This course provides students with an understanding of the system of public international law which regulates relations between actors on the global stage. Students will be provided with a foundation in the nature of international law, covering the following: sources of international law, in particular centering on treaty law; customary international law, general principles of law and soft law; interpretation, negotiation and compliance; and the relationship between international law and Australian domestic law. This foundational knowledge of public international law will then be applied to a selection of topics in the field. Topics covered in any given iteration of the course will be drawn from the following: statehood and state responsibility; territory and legal personality; subjectivity in the international legal system (states, non-state actors, institutions, groups, individuals and corporations); jurisdiction and immunity; human rights law; the United Nations system and the International Court of Justice; the Security Council and the law on the use of force; international humanitarian law; the law of the sea and international dispute resolution; business and human rights; the European Union and international law; and the law of international development cooperation.

Course learning outcomes

  • Develop a knowledge of the nature of public international law and the structure of the international legal system
  • Define and apply the basic elements of public international law - its sources and subjects, the recognition and jurisdiction of States in international law and principles of State responsibility
  • Develop a knowledge of several key areas of ‘public international law' including the law surrounding the use of force and human rights and treaty interpretation.
  • Develop a knowledge of how international law influences the development and adaptation of Australian domestic law through legislative, executive and judicial action
  • Critically examine the operation and application of international law in practical contexts
  • Develop effective skills, both orally and in writing, in the construction of legal argument and the independent and self directed analysis on issues of international law

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A