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LAW-40040 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 01 September 2025

LAW-40040 - Foundations of International Law
Coordinator:
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

First or second class honours degree in Law or a related discipline (such as criminology, history, politics or sociology) or appropriate professional qualifications and/or experience

Barred Combinations

N/A

Description for 2025/26

This foundational module in public international law is intended to provide you with a general understanding of the structure of the international legal system and the basic principles underlying relations between the various actors in the international sphere. It offers you an opportunity to look beyond the domestic and examine how law governs important aspects of international relations.
An overview will be provided of the sources, subjects and general principles of international law, but more specific themes will also be introduced. These include the law governing the use of force and the resolution of international disputes.

Aims
The aim of this module is to equip students with the foundational knowledge required to undertake the study of international law at postgraduate level. They will examine the basic concepts and practices which form the foundation of public international law.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Appraise international law as a legal system and its differences with national legal systems: 1,2
Critically evaluate substantive areas of international law studied within the module: 1,2
Critically consider the various successes and shortcomings of international law: 1,2
Appropriately deploy primary and secondary international law materials: 1,2
Create written presentations on international law which are clear and logically structured: 1
Analyse international disputes in terms of applicable legal rules and propose arguable solutions: 2

Study hours

Seminars: 15 hours
Seminar Preparation: 70 hours
Online Portfolio: 15 hours
Exam Preparation: 50 hours

School Rules

N/A

Description of Module Assessment

1: Portfolio weighted 50%
Multipart Online Portfolio


2: Open Book Assessment weighted 50%
28-Hour Online Open Book Assessment


The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 01 September 2025