Course content - Learning outcome - Admission - Prerequisites - Overlapping courses - Teaching - Examination - Evaluation - Other

Course content

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) defines methods and means of warfare in armed conflicts and establishes various forms of protection for civilians, other non-combatants as well as combatants. The rules seek to balance military necessity against fundamental principles of humanity. The principles of proportionality, the principle of distinction between military objectives and civilian objects, as well as the principle on 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.

The subject International Humanitarian Law is a part of public international law, but does not go in detail into the rules on the legality of warfare (jus ad bellum). The main focus is on which rules apply when there is an armed conflict going on (jus in bello), irrespective of the status of the conflict. International Humanitarian Law has certain contact points with two other subjects under public international law; international criminal law and international human rights law.

Learning outcome

See ‘Detailed course information’ regarding requirements and syllabus.

Admission

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Students who are admitted to study programmes or individual courses at UiO must each semester register
which courses and exams they wish to sign up for by registering a study plan in StudentWeb.

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.

Nordic applicants that are accepted to study programmes or individual courses at UiO can be admitted to this course.

The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

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Recommended previous knowledge

Please note that lectures and curriculum for this course is aimed at students at master degree level.

However, the achievement requirements are adjusted for students who take the subject at bachelor degree level.

Overlapping courses

10 credits overlap with VALKRIG - Krigens folkerett/internasjonal humanitærrett (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with JUXKRIG - Krigens folkerett / internasjonal humanitærrett (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with JUR5730 - International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict) (discontinued) and 10 credits overlap with JUS5730 - International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict).

Teaching

Lectures.

Language of teaching for this course is English. This means that all
communication during lectures/seminars will be in English, and all
literature and auxiliary materials are in English.

Access to teaching

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Examination

4 hour written examination.

Examination support material

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Regulations for support materials permitted at examination for courses taught in English . Please read all three chapters.

Previous exam papers

Language of examination

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The language of examination for this course is English: the examination question will be given in English, and students
may answer in English only.

Grading scale

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Starting from the springsemester 2012, course grades are awarded using alphabetic grades, from A to E for passes and F for fail.

Up to, and including, the autumnsemester 2011, students are awarded either a passing or failing grade.

Explanations and appeals

You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.

Resit an examination

You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.

Withdrawal from an examination

A student may sit this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.

Special examination arrangements

If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Please se Detailed regulations for the Faculty of Law, Chapter 3 regarding application, responsibilities and special measures.

Evaluation

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.

Other

The language for this course is English. Students enrolled in the
Masterprogrammet i rettsvitenskap must pass one
English subject as part of their degree, this course will meet these
obligations.

This subject is taught at Bachelor's level. The subject is also taught at Master's level (10 ECTS credits), see JUS5730 - International Humanitarian Law (The Law of Armed Conflict)

Please see the chapter above, regarding overlap. For instances of overlap, credits will be deducted on the subject at Bachelors's level.