Students
LAWS2000 – Public International Law
2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer / Convenor
Marie-Eve Loiselle
Tutor
Sharon David
Tutor
Zara Bending
Tutor
Ekaterina Sofronova
Tutor
Shawkat Alam
Tutor
Gil Tabucanon
Tutor
Paul Maluga
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
60cp including LEX101 or LAWS1010 or LAW115 or LAWS1000
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces public international law's key principles, rules, and concepts, examining how they shape contemporary international relations. It addresses the formation of international law, exploring particularly the processes of treaty negotiation and creation, and the development of customary international law. The unit explores the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis each other, their own nationals and those of other states, the limits of state jurisdiction, state and diplomatic immunity, international dispute settlement, international use of force. The unit also examines the impact of international law on the Australian legal system. In covering these areas students explore how international law seeks to resolve real problems facing the international community. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- ULO2: Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- ULO3: Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- ULO4: Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI assisted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Skills | 20% | No | Ongoing weekly | Individual | No | Observed |
| Practice-Based Task | 30% | No | 6 April 2026, 11:00 pm | Individual | No | Open AI |
| Exam | 50% | No | University Exam Period | Individual | No | Observed |
Professional Skills
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing weekly
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
Students will engage in classroom activities including mooting, presentations or demonstrations, structured discussion and problem solving, doctrinal analysis, simulated client consultations, and collaborative legal research. Through these activities students will develop skills in oral advocacy, legal analysis, critical reasoning, teamwork and team leadership, and/or strategic problem-solving. These activities are designed to strengthen students' ability to communicate legal concepts verbally and engage professionally within a supportive learning environment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
Practice-Based Task
Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 6 April 2026, 11:00 pm
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open AI
An assessment on professional skills and knowledge relevant to the unit. This could be a legal or policy brief, a report, an essay, a law reform proposal, legal pleadings or other related professional task. This assessment may require students to prepare a response through research and adhere to discipline-specific scholarly conventions.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
Exam
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: University Exam Period
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Observed
An invigilated exam held in the formal examination period. The exam may cover any or all topics and materials covered in the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Delivery and Resources
Delivery
Lectures: This unit is delivered via 12 weekly lectures (one-hour in-person lecture and one-hour online lecture each week).
Tutorials: One in-person weekly tutorial starting in week two.
This unit is worth 10 credit points, which equates to 150 hours of work. Therefore, students should expect to commit an average of 10 hours per week to this unit, including all scheduled and unscheduled activities and preparing and executing the assessment tasks.
Resources
Textbook: Cecily Rose et al, An Introduction to Public International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2022).
Students can purchase the textbook online.
Additional readings will be accessible through iLearn.
Students require access to a computer, internet with decent speed and a secure/reliable server.
The iLearn page contains all Unit requirements and a weekly schedule for teaching, readings and tutorials. Information about all assessment tasks is also available on iLearn.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2026.03 of the Handbook