Postgraduate Module Descriptor

LAWM097: The International Law of Armed Conflict

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The aim of this course is to provide you with a detailed understanding of the core concepts, principles and rules of the law of armed conflict, in particular those governing land warfare, and to introduce you to some of its contemporary challenges. In doing so, the course attempts to shed light on how the law of armed conflict seeks to balance considerations of military necessity and the inevitability of war on the one hand with humanitarian values and the need to limit human suffering on the other hand.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the core concepts, principles and rules of the law of armed conflict with a particular emphasis on the rules applicable to land warfare; 2. Demonstrate critical understanding of the practical and conceptual challenges arising in the implementation of the law of armed conflict;
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Demonstrate flexible and innovative ability to develop, apply and critically assess international legal arguments, using a wide range of appropriate primary materials and advanced scholarship; 4. Select, integrate, evaluate and present relevant law and complex legal arguments, clearly, autonomously and competently, orally and in writing;
Personal and Key Skills	5. Manage relevant learning resources and complex information confidently and independently, and to develop own arguments and opinions at a very high level; 6. Communicate and engage in debate effectively and accurately. 7. Work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Please note that the following syllabus is indicative and that the topics covered by the module may change from year to year:

Introduction to the Law of Armed Conflict
Material, Geographical and Temporal Scope of Application
Personal Scope of Application
Targeting
Means of Warfare
Methods of Warfare
Detention in Armed Conflict
LOAC and International Human Rights Law
The Law of Non-International Armed Conflict
Humanitarian Assistance

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
33	267	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	30	Seminars (10 x 3 hours): the main teaching method for the module consists of weekly seminars requiring active participation by all students under guidance of the module convenor.
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	3	Exercise: this activity will take place over two days and simulate a command post exercise to provide you with an opportunity to apply your knowledge in a practical setting.
Guided Independent Study	24	Preparation of seminar paper: for each seminar at least one student will research and write a paper on the seminar topic, presenting it to the rest of the group.
Guided Independent Study	200	Assigned seminar readings (including for the seminar paper).
Guided Independent Study	40	Preparation of the assessed/summative essay.
Guided Independent Study	3	Preparation for the exercise.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

International Committee of the Red Cross: http://www.icrc.org/

International Review of the Red Cross: http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/international-review/index.jsp

International Law Department, US Naval War College: http://www.usnwc.libguides.com/LOAC-IHL

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia: http://www.icty.org/

United Nations War Crimes Commission Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals (LRTWC): http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Military_Law/law-reports-trials-war-criminals.html