Unit(s) of Assessment	Weighting towards Module Mark (%)
Coursework	75%
Presentation	25%

None

This module is intended to equip students with a thorough appreciatin of the complexities of International Criminal Law.     The emphasis is on the substansive and procedural law of the International Court of Justice, but the course will also compare other international or semi-international criminal tribunals and alternatives of international criminal justice.

In order to achieve the Masters level standard for the award of credits for this module, the students must meet the following criteria related to the learning outcomes described above, upon which basis the assessments will be marked.     They must be able to demonstrate:   ·             A critical appreciation of the historical development of International Criminal Law (ICL)   ·             A critical awareness of the context of ICL today   ·             Detailed knowledge of the ad hoc ICL tribunals and alternative responses to large scales atrocities   ·             The ability to critically assess the relationship between ICL and national criminal law   ·             Detailed knowledge of the major crimes according to the Rose Statute of the International Criminal Court   ·             Critical awareness of the main issues of the procedures of the International Criminal Court   ·             A comprehensive and systematic understanding of the relevant International Criminal Law principles, rules and statutory provisions   ·             The ability to analyse International Criminal Law problems and identify the relevant rules and issues   ·             Show an ability to understand the complexities within this area of International Criminal Law concerning the interpretation and application of principles of law   ·             A critical engagement with the essential foreground and background reading, and an awareness of the main currents of critical writing in the area   ·             A sustained argument or analysis based upon the acquisition of logical, defensible conclusions and evaluations, following on from the engagement and development of awareness outlined above

International Criminal Law (ICL) is a relatively new branch of International Law, which has emerged particularly since the WWII by the international community determined to bring to justice those who have committed atrocious violations of human rights.  One of the key responses to the propagation of major armed conflicts in many parts of the world since the 1990s, as well as materialisation of new threats of international terrorism, was the strengthening of the protection of fundamental values through the system of International Criminal Justice.     This module will look at the criminal responsibility of individuals under international law, and the mechanisms provided by international law for the enforcement of these offences and the norms and enforcement mechanisms of International Criminal Law, and examine the chief crimes of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).     Students will explore the main weaknesses of the Rome Stature and the ICC’s dependencies on and relationships with State-Parties, The UN Security Council and Non-State Parties.  In addition, the course will critically asses the political context and the future development of International Criminal Law including the non-legal obstacles that impede the effective prosecution of international criminal offences.

10/02/2011