JUR5730 – International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict)
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
New course code starting from the fallsemester 2011 - please see the website for JUS5730 – International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict) (the course now gives 10 credits).
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) establishes protection for civilians, other non-combatants as well as combatants, and limits methods and means of warfare in armed conflict. The rules seek to balance fundamental principles of humanity against military necessity. The principle of proportionality, the principle of distinction between military objectives and civilian objects, as well as the prohibition against means of combat that lead to unnecessary suffering and superfluous injury, form the basis for this body of law.
The legal bases for IHL are rules of international customary law as well as treaty law, in particular the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 with their additional protocols of 1977, and the Hague Regulations of 1907. In addition there are several specific treaties pertaining to e.g. use of certain weapons and other means of warfare.
International Humanitarian Law is a part of the wider topic Public International Law. It touches upon the rules on the legality of warfare (jus ad bellum), but the main focus is on the rules that apply when an armed conflict is going on (jus in bello), irrespective of the nature of the conflict. International Humanitarian Law has certain contact points with inter alia two other topics under Public International Law; International Criminal Law and International Human Rights law.
Learning outcome
See ‘Detailed course information’ regarding requirements and syllabus.
Admission
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master of Law-programme at UiO, the faculty's exchange-programme or have admission to Law-electives at masters-level. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
- Admission to the faculty’s exchange-programme or
- Active study-right for a study programme, masters-level at the University of Oslo or
- Norwegian Masters of Laws degree or equivalent or
- Passed forth year, 96 – Cand. Jur programme (or exams that are equivalent) or
- Passed JUR3000, Masters of Laws programme at the University of Oslo (or exams that are equivalent).
Recommended previous knowledge
Three years of law studies.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with JUR1730 – International Humanitarian Law (BA)
- 15 credits overlap with VALKRIG – Krigens folkerett/internasjonal humanit?rrett (discontinued)
- 15 credits overlap with JUXKRIG – Krigens folkerett / internasjonal humanit?rrett (discontinued)
Teaching
Lectures.
Examination
4 hour written examination.
Examination support material
Auxiliary materials allowed during examinations for courses taught in English.
Language of examination
Students may answer the examination question in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish pursuant
to Regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo. (§ 5.4 Forskrift om studier og eksamener ved Universitetet i Oslo)
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Resitting an examination.
- There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Please se Detailed regulations for the Faculty of Law, Chapter 3 regarding application, responsibilities and special measures.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.
Other
This subject is taught at Master 's level. The subject is also taught at Bachelor's level (15 ECTS credits), see JUR1730 – International Humanitarian Law (BA). Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's level.