Focus of Specialisation Area XI
There are few universities in Germany that offer such a comprehensive specialisation in international law as Bonn. The programme covers the entire spectrum of international law, ranging from the historical and normative foundations of the discipline, through general international law and the law of international organisations, to peacekeeping law and the law of armed conflict. In addition, lectures and seminars are offered in specialist areas of international relations such as the protection of human rights, the law of the sea, the law of foreign investment, international environmental law, international criminal law, European and international economic law, and the European Union as an actor in international law. The approach to the subject is characterised by a positivist approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the practical application of international law. Students benefit from the fact that the lecturers in international law also act as legal representatives before international courts and as advisers to governments.
Requirements profile
The law of international relations deals with the legal foundations of international relations, as well as their historical, economic, political and cultural aspects. International relations can only be understood through the interplay of all these aspects. Students should therefore take an interest not only in international law but also in contemporary history, economics, politics and foreign cultures. Keeping up to date with daily news on politics and current affairs should be a matter of course. The lingua franca of international relations is English. Students should therefore have a good command of English in order to read texts, textbooks and court rulings in this language and to follow lectures in English. No prior knowledge of international law is required.
Key features of the structure of the specialisation programme
The specialisation is divided into four core modules and eight elective modules. Each semester typically offers two core modules and four elective modules, as well as several seminars. In the winter semester, the core modules ‘Historical and Normative Foundations of International Relations’ and ‘Public International Law I (General International Law)’ are regularly offered, along with the elective modules ‘Human Rights’, ‘Law of the Sea’, ‘Law of Foreign Investment’ and ‘World Trade Law’. In the summer semester, these are followed by the core subjects Public International Law II and Public International Law III (International Law of Armed Conflicts), as well as the electives International Environmental Law, European Economic Law, International Economic Law and the European Union as an Actor in International Law. In addition, students in Specialisation Area XI may also take the elective International Criminal Law. Some lectures are delivered in English.
Specialisation Area XI is characterised by small groups, which allows for more personalised support. In addition to the courses, the Institute of International Law offers students in this specialisation a weekly ‘Völkerrechtscafé’ for informal discussion. Once a month, a lunchtime lecture in English on a current topic in international law is also held as part of the Rhineland Lectures in International Law. In addition, the staff of the Institute for Public International Law organise a ‘Reading Group’ on texts relating to international law, to which students specialising in this area are warmly invited. Further information can be found under Life at the Institute.
Career opportunities
Students specialising in Area XI have a wide range of career opportunities. In addition to the traditional career as a lawyer specialising in international law (particularly in the fields of human rights, investment protection law, and European and international commercial law), there is a demand for lawyers with expertise in international law in various federal ministries (the Federal Foreign Office, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), as well as in large companies, international organisations and non-governmental organisations. Graduates with a specialisation in international law from recent years work at boutique law firms in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf (in investment protection law), at shipping companies in Hamburg, at major commercial enterprises (in the field of economic sanctions and foreign trade law), at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and the Federal Foreign Office, as well as at the European Commission and at NGOs in the field of human rights. However, many students simply choose this specialisation out of interest, to gain a better understanding of international relations, regardless of their future career.
Features and key facts about the specialisation
The new Specialisation Area XI brings together established courses from the former Specialisation Areas 6 and 8 and combines them with new content. In addition to Bonn-based professors Matthias Herdegen and Stefan Talmon, as well as Honorary Professor Erika de Wet (from Graz), the students are taught by lecturers with practical experience.
Lead Coordinator
If you would like detailed information about the content of the specialisation, please contact the specialisation coordinator, Prof Dr Stefan Talmon.
The 'Fachstudienberatung' (academic advisory service) is available to answer any further questions you may have.