This course deals with the body of law known as International Law or sometimes ‘Public International Law', as distinct from ‘Private International Law'. The field of International Law deals with many aspects of the functioning of the international community (including the relations of States with each other and with international organisations); it also affects many activities that occur within or across State boundaries (including the treatment by States of their citizens, environmental law, international trade and many other areas). The impact of international law on the Australian legal system and the globalised nature of many governmental, judicial and social activities means that a basic knowledge of the terminology, institutions, and substance of international law is not only worthwhile acquiring in its own right, but is also a necessary part of the knowledge and skills of any law graduate.

The learning outcomes of this course are to:

• introduce the basic concepts and terminology of public international law
• provide an overview of the processes by which international law is formed and the most important bodies and institutions involved in the international legal system
• introduce the international law relating to treaties, and to the use of force, and the relevance of those topics to current events
• introduce the interaction between the international legal system and the Australian legal system
• introduce various theoretical perspectives on the formation and operation of the international legal system
• show the relevance of international law to current political and social developments at the international and national levels
• provide an introduction to sources and methods of research in the field of international law.

By the end of the course students should have:

• a good understanding of the basic principles of international law and of the role of the United Nations in its development
• be able to research issues relating to customary international law
• have a good understanding of treaty law, the relationship between international law and Australian law, and the rules regulating the use of force in international relations
• should be familiar with the use of both on-line and traditional materials from international and national sources.

The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with the opportunity of undertaking at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the semester.  More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available on the course home page by the first week of semester.

In weeks 1-2 there will be one two hour lecture and one one hour lecture.  In weeks 3-4 there will one two hour lecture and one one hour library tutorial.  In weeks 5-13 there will be one two hour lecture and one one hour tutorial.  Students will generally need to devote about 10 hours on average per week to this course.

LAWS1205 Australian Public Law.
Completed or completing five LAWS courses at 1000 level.

Information about prescribed texts will be made available in the course outline.  See the course home page.

The preliminary reading required for this course will be available from the course home page at least one week prior to the commencement of the course.

A reading guide will be available on the course web page.

This course offers a significant foundational framework for the study of: International Criminal Law, Law of the Sea, International Dispute Resolution, International Environmental Law, International Human Rights Law, International Trade Law, and any other specialised international law unit, and provides the substantial grounding needed for participation in the Jessup Moot LAWS3010.