Specialisation Certificate “Law of International Relations”
Coordination
Overview
The “Law of International Relations” Specialisation Certificate offers in-depth training in various fields of international law within the study area “Law in Its European and International Dimensions.” In an increasingly globalised world, national and even European legislation is often no longer able to adequately address complex cross-border issues in areas such as trade, investment, environment, human rights, security, finance, or communication. The law of international relations is therefore steadily becoming more important.
A sound understanding of the law of international relations is beneficial for lawyers not only in traditional international careers — such as in the diplomatic service or within international organisations — but also in numerous roles within government, law firms, and companies operating in global markets. Furthermore, increasing international interdependence means that aspects of the law of international relations often play a role even in purely domestic legal matters.
The “Law of International Relations” specialisation certificate reflects the importance of this field of law. It offers practice-oriented insights into the key areas of international law. In doing so, it also takes into account the political, economic, and security-related context. Most courses are taught in English to facilitate students’ access to international scholarly literature and the sources used in practice.
Program of the Specialisation Certificate
The programme consists of a compulsory core area (10 ECTS) and an elective area (of at least 8 ECTS), in which students can choose from many advanced and specialised courses. In total, 18 ECTS are required to receive the specialisation certificate. We aim to offer core area courses totaling at least 10 ECTS each semester. In addition, there will be many elective courses available each semester.
Please always check whether courses are part of the core or elective area and note how many ECTS credits they are worth. Courses of the core area must be taken at the Faculty of Law of the University of Vienna and cannot be substituted by courses taken at other universities.
Core Area
The courses forming the core area of this specialisation certificate normally cover international trade and investment law, the law of international organisations, international human rights law, international environmental law and international dispute resolution.
Elective Area
Students may choose from a variety of courses to set an individual focus. In doing so, they have the option of selecting both practice-oriented and research-oriented specialisations.
Building on the principles of international law, the elective area offers a more in-depth specialisation by covering topics such as space law, international criminal law and refugee law, as well as providing more specialised courses on topics already addressed in the core. Current developments of international law are also addressed. Students who wish to gain practical experience can participate in international moot courts or practice-oriented courses. Seminars may also be taken as part of the elective track, provided they concern international law.
Furthermore, students have the option of having an internship count toward the electives of the specialisation certificate. A four-week internship consisting of 40 hours per week is worth 2 ECTS credits. The internship can be completed at an international organisation, a diplomatic or consular mission in Germany or abroad, a foreign trade office, or an NGO. Students must contact the program coordinator (Univ. Prof. Dr. Ursula Kriebaum) before the start of the internship to ensure that the internship will be recognised.
Interns must provide a certificate or confirmation from the place of internship stating that they have successfully completed the internship (including information on the hours worked, a description of the activities, and the intern’s level of involvement, etc.). Internships must be validated in advance by the Study Service Center and recognised as an elective course. Here are the guidelines with all the information: Leitfaden_Validierung_DIPL_REWI__fuer_Studierende.pdf.
Once an internship has been recognised as an elective course, students should contact the person responsible for the specialisation to request credit for the internship toward the specialisation certificate, submitting the original certificates and the letter of recognition.