Following the successful completion of the coursework, students are required to submit a graduation thesis on a topic of their choice. It must address and analyse a substantive issue of public international law (or of international criminal law and related disciplines, for the ICL Specialisation students). The thesis topic must be selected in consultation with a member of the teaching staff, who will also supervise the process.
The thesis word limit is strictly 20,000 words, excluding
an executive summary/abstract of 500 words;
the summary of main findings of up to one page;
the bibliography.
The submission deadline is 20 June 2024.
Course objectives
Following the successful completion of the taught courses of the programme, students are required to submit a thesis on a topic of their choice. It must address and analyse an issue in the field of Public International Law.
Mode of instruction
Thesis workshops are provided to the students to accompany and guide them through the process of completing their theses. During sessions combining general information and tailored feedback components, students will be assisted in designing and producing a high-standard academic research work and provided with tutorship in relation to the writing of a master’s thesis in public international law. These extracurricular workshops are complementary to any regular thesis-related activities, including individual meetings between students and their supervisors.
Assessment Method(s)
Thesis: 100%
Submission procedure: via Brightspace (TurnitIn, including check on plagiarism)
Readings
Students have to collect relevant materials to the topic of their thesis themselves.
Suggested resources for general thesis writing:
Bianchi, A., International Law Theories: An Inquiry into Different Ways of Thinking (Oxford University Press, 2016)
UN Treaty Collection (https://treaties.un.org/pages/Home.aspx?clang=_en)
ICJ Website (https://www.icj-cij.org/)
UN Audiovisual Library (http://legal.un.org/avl/lectureseries.html)
Travaux préparatoires (Historical Archives) (http://legal.un.org/avl/historicarchives.html)
EJIL: Talk! (http://www.eisil.org/)
AJIL: Unbound (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-journal-ofinternational-law/ajil-unbound)