Law of the Sea - master

The programme will through its courses and master's thesis give the students a broad introduction and knowledge of the Law of the Sea, including its development and the political and institutional aspects. Students at the programme are taught by legal experts from the Faculty of Law and JCLOS as well as other institutions, such as intergovernmental organizations, international tribunals, academics and practitioners. The teaching includes lectures, problem-based seminars, writing courses, moot-court experiences and excursions to relevant institutions, where in all activities students are active participants.

The programme is intensive with a structure of three semesters through one calendar year, starting in August. The autumn semester consists of two introductory courses on the Law of the Sea and the politics of the Law of the Sea. The spring semester focuses on more specific topics on the Arctic and protection of the Marine Environment. In the third semester students select their own topic for an individual research project, which is to be completed during the summer.

Programme outline:

FIRST SEMESTER

• JUR-3050 General Law of the Sea: The course provides a general introduction to the Law of the Sea, i.e. the rules and principles of international public law that cover the maritime areas.
• JUR-3054 General Law of the Sea II: The course bases on JUR-3050 and goes deeper into the selected topics.

SECOND SEMESTER

• JUR-3052 Protection of the Marine Environment by International Law: The course focuses on the international legal rules concerning the protection of the marine environment from adverse effects of different human uses and the sustainable use of marine resources.
• JUR-3053 Law of the sea and the Arctic: The course focuses on Law of the Sea and Arctic issues. The general Law of the Sea is applicable to the marine areas Arctic. But at the same time the region has special traits that must be considered. In this course, the students will have to apply the knowledge they have acquired during the previous courses on Arctic issues. Generally, the course therefore has the character of case studies, with special emphasis on the Arctic.

THIRD SEMESTER

• JUR-3910 Master's thesis in Law of the Sea: It consists of an obligatory thesis based on themes and questions from the Law of the Sea. The students will be provided with individual supervision. The thesis must be minimum 37 pages and maximum 55 pages, with formatting in accordance with the Regulations for the Law of the Sea program, section 14. The theme of the thesis shall be of a legal or semi-legal character, and may include perspectives such as legal theory, legal history. The thesis must consist of independent analyses of the theme and the legal sources available. The thesis shall provide the student with an in-depth study of a particular topic. The discussions of the thesis are to be transparent and as complete as possible. The references to the sources shall be precise and verifiable.

The candidates shall during the LL.M-programme acquire knowledge, skills and general competence enabling them to hold positions dealing with law of the sea issues. They shall be capable of identifying and analyzing legal questions and relate themselves to the legal system in an independent and critical manner.

To achieve these objectives the candidates are to acquire and develop the following qualifications:

Knowledge:

An LL.M. candidate in the law of the sea shall have:

• Advanced knowledge on the central subjects of the law of the sea
• Specialized knowledge on other subjects of the law of the sea
• Knowledge on scientific research methods

Skills:

An LL.M. candidate in the law of the sea shall be able to:

• Identify and analyze questions of theoretical and practical character in a methodological and ethical proper manner;
• Apply the relevant sources of law independently and critically
• Identify the limitations of existing law and discuss need for changes
• Independently undertake a limited research work under supervision in accordance with norms of research ethics
• Organize and apply extensive and complex information, including identifying main and sub- research questions
• Communicate in English both orally and in writing legal reasoning in a clear and precise manner
• Stay up to date on legal developments within the law of the sea and to further develop his/her qualifications
• The candidate shall be able to apply the knowledge and skills individually and in cooperation with others, as well as finalize tasks within given time frames.

General Competence:

After passing the program, the student can:

• Apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the field of the Law of the Sea individually and in cooperation with others
• Communicate reasoning within the field of the Law of the Sea in a clear and precise manner, orally and in writing to the academic community and the public
• Apply knowledge and skills acquired within the field of the Law of the Sea to other fields of international law, and for all tasks and projects where relevant
• Identify and reflect on ethical dilemmas that may arise within the field of the Law of the Sea in particular and deal with these in a responsible manner
• Apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the field of the Law of the Sea to carry out tasks within given timeframes.

The purpose of the teaching is to facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the programme as described above. The teaching is meant as a supplement and inspiration to the self- activities of the students. It shall strive to be research-based and provide for dialogue between student and teacher. The teaching shall prepare the students for their futures roles. The teaching methods are varied to take into account the different ways of learning and the distinctive character of the subjects, available teachers and literature. Use of legal systems of information (databases etc.) is part of the teaching.

The main part of the teaching is undertaken as seminars while a smaller proportion is to be given as lectures. Lectures are to present the main elements of the subject and provide the students with an overview of and in-depth presentation of central themes. In addition to this, guest lectures will be offered to help widen the students’ perspectives. The seminars are problemoriented. Lead by a teacher, the students are expected to individually or in groups to actively participate through oral presentations, discussions, projects or similar. The language of instruction is English.

The teaching, assignments and exams shall reflect the different types of tasks the students will have to deal with in their future professional careers. The objective is to be achieved through active participation of the students during the courses; through study, discussions and papers. Lectures will provide for the introduction to the themes while problem-based seminars will make most of the teaching where students and teachers identify and discuss legal questions. Students are also encouraged to hand in papers during the courses to develop their knowledge on subjects and analytical skills.

During the writing of the masters thesis, the students are entitled to 19 hours of supervision.

The students are assessed during and at the end of the study. The forms of assessment include work requirements, six hour written school exams, a home exam followed by an oral exam, and at the end of the study each student must write a master's thesis. The exams and thesis are graded A-F, with F as not passed. Students that fail or have other legitimate grounds for absence may repeat exams.

For further information about work requirements, exam format and evaluative criteria, see the individual course descriptions on the UiT website.