Type of course

The course is part of the Master of Laws (LL.M) in Law of the Sea programme, cf. Programme description for Master of Laws (LL.M) in Law of the Sea.

Students at the five year integrated master´s degree programme in law (Master i rettsvitenskap) may choose this course as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the elective part of the programme's fifth year, cf. Studieplan for graden Master i rettsvitenskap ved UiT med tilhørende fagbeskrivelse for 5. avdeling.

Followed by necessary application and admission process, other students on master level may also choose this course.

Admission requirements

Students admitted to this course must be on master level and are required to have basic knowledge of international law.

For information about the application process, contact the UiT Admissions Officeor visit their web-pages.

Course content

The course covers the following topics:

• A general overview of the different maritime zones (internal waters, territorial sea, archipelagic waters, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), continental shelf, high seas and the Area);
• The principles and procedures for the delimitation of overlapping maritime zones and the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf;
• The substantive regimes for the uses of these maritime zones, in particular the exploitation of marine resources, navigation, marine scientific research and military uses and the appurtenant rights and obligations of coastal states and other states and the role of competent international organizations therein;
• Attention will also be paid to the role of international dispute settlement in the law of the sea, in particular the mechanism laid down in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS Convention).
• The course also provides an introduction to the topics that will be further discussed in the continuation course JUR-3054. This will facilitate participation in JUR-3054.

Objectives of the course

Knowledge: Having passed the exam, the student shall have acquired:

• Advanced knowledge on the various maritime zones and their legal status;
• Advanced knowledge on the rights and jurisdiction of coastal states and restrictions thereon within their maritime zones;
• Knowledge on principles for delimitation of maritime zones and delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf;
• Advanced knowledge on the rights and jurisdiction of states and restrictions thereon in areas beyond national jurisdiction (high seas and the Area);
• Advanced knowledge on the rights and freedoms of states relating to navigation and their limitations;
• Specialised knowledge on rights and obligations on the conservation and management of living marine resources (both commercially and non-commercially exploited species);
• Specialised knowledge on rights and obligations (both procedural and substantive) on the protection and preservation of the marine environment under the law of the sea;
• Knowledge on the dispute settlement procedures and on the rules on marine scientific research;
• Specialised knowledge on the legal regime for seabed and subsoil beyond national jurisdiction;
• Knowledge on the history of law of the sea and conservation of marine biological diversity;
• Knowledge on rules on military uses of the sea.

Skills and general qualifications: Having passed the exam, the student will:

• Be able to identify and analyse questions of theoretical and practical character in General Law of the Sea
• Be able to independently and critically apply the sources of General Law of the Sea
• Be able to identify the limitations of existing law
• Be able to use English terminology with this field of law

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Information to incoming exchange students

Followed by necessary application and admission process, exchange students may also choose this course.

Exchange students must be on master level and have basic knowledge of international law.

Do you have questions about this module? Please check the following website to contact the course coordinator for exchange students at the faculty: https://en.uit.no/education/art?p_document_id=510412

Recommended reading/syllabus