Uses of the Oceans

The course is part of the Master of Laws (LL.M) in Law of the Sea programme, cf. Programme description for Master of Laws (LL.M) in Law of the Sea.

Students at the five year integrated master´s degree programme in law (Master i rettsvitenskap) may choose this course as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the elective part of the programme's fifth year, cf. Studieplan for graden Master i rettsvitenskap ved UiT med tilhørende fagbeskrivelse for 5. avdeling.

Followed by necessary application and admission process, other students on master level may also choose this course.

The course covers the following topics:

• Fisheries

• The exploration and exploitation of non-living marine resources (offshore energy and seabed mining)

• Navigation

• Illegal uses of the oceans, maritime enforcement, and naval operations at sea

• The role of international organizations, other institutional arrangements, and non-state actors in key marine activities

Other applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree of at least 180 ECTS credits, comprising or in combination with at least 80 ECTS credits in either law or in a relevant social science subject (for example, in Political Science (e.g., international relations or peace and conflict studies)) or Maritime Studies (e.g., maritime policy, marine management, maritime history, maritime security, ship and port management, or nautical studies).

Admitted students should have basic knowledge of public international law.

The course can only be taken in combination with JUR-3050 General Law of the Sea.

KnowledgeHaving passed the exam, the student shall have acquired:

• Advanced knowledge of the international legal regime concerning living and non-living marine resources

• Advanced knowledge of the international legal regime concerning navigation

• Advanced knowledge of the international legal regime concerning illegal uses of the oceans, maritime enforcement, and naval operations at sea

• Knowledge of the challenges associated with competing uses of the oceans, and of solutions to these challenges

• Knowledge of the role of international organizations, other institutional arrangements, and other non-state actors in the regulation of marine activities

SkillsHaving passed the exam, the student will be able to:

• Critically evaluate the major legal challenges arising from competing uses of the oceans

• Analyse the possibilities for and limitations to enforcement activities by coastal, flag, and port States

• Identify and interpret the relevant sources of the law of the sea, using the rules on treaty interpretation

• Use legal methodology to analyse law of the sea questions

• Apply theoretical and practical reasoning to formulate appropriate responses to different problems (e.g., competing uses of the oceans, the proper management of marine resources, limitations on enforcement activities)

General competence Having passed the exam, the student will be able to:

• Analyse complex issues in relation to uses of the oceans, both systematically and creatively

• Identify and analyse law of the sea questions of both a theoretical and practical character

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing about law of the sea questions with proper use of relevant legal methodology and terminology

• Demonstrate the ability to work independently as well as the ability to cooperate and effectively work as part of a team

• Evaluate current research and advanced scholarship on the uses of the oceans critically and independently, and to identify emerging and contemporary issues and debates and accordingly engage with these at an advanced level both in writing and verbally

Language of instruction and examination

Re-sit examination