International Relations and International Law, _MSc

Programme Fees

Fee information

Fee category	Cost
EU / International students	£23,000
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year
UK	£11,100
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year

Stage 1

Compulsory Courses

Theories and Concepts in International Relations (IR5001)

30 Credit Points

This course lays the foundations for, explores, and critically analyses the main theoretical paradigms and debates in International Relations, and engages with the complexity of debates on concepts in IR. The theoretical topics to be covered include debates on the international system, cooperation, world order, conflict, development, representation and identity. Students will also be introduced to some of the main debates in epistemology and methodology that apply to the discipline.

Detailed course information

International Law: A Time of Challenges (LS501U)

30 Credit Points

The course analyses recent developments in public international law. It first considers the sources of public international law. The question is then asked whether traditional public international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are: international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, protection of human rights, ethnic conflicts, climate change. The course encourages the participant-student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international dilemmas.

Detailed course information

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS501T)

This course provides students from diverse legal and educational backgrounds with a common understanding of the core research, analytical, and writing skills which will be required for LLM-Taught courses. The course is delivered as a series of five interactive lectures with two individual assessments designed to encourage critical thinking and provide opportunities for early feedback. It also incorporates a library workshop to provide students with hands-on experience with the resources available for course and dissertation work.

Detailed course information

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Stage 2

Optional Courses

Candidates must select at least ONE course from PI electives and ONE from LS electives:

• PI5520: Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism
• PI5521: Chinese Security Issues
• PI5522: International Energy Politics & Security
• LS551G: International Humanitarian Law
• LS553Q: International Watercourses Law & Policy
• LS5549: The Use of Force in International Law
• LS5590: International Human Rights Law

Terrorism and Counter - Terrorism (PI5520)

30 Credit Points

International terrorism and counterterrorism dominate both contemporary scholarly debates in International Relations (IR) and policy discussions. This course examines these debates by focusing, on the one hand, on the (individual and/or structural) causes and different manifestations of terrorism and, on the other hand, on debates on how to respond to terrorism not only effectively but also without violating humanitarian principles and international law. Overall, the course aims to provide students with an overview of current research on international terrorism and counterterrorism in IR and its neighbouring disciplines and to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of core aspects of the issue.

Detailed course information

Chinese Security Issues (PI5521)

30 Credit Points

The focus of this module is the key approaches, institutions, and contemporary issues in global security relating to the rise of China. Set in the context of broader global security issues, this module offers students an introduction to Chinese security policy and approaches to international relations. It lifts the vale on a very misunderstood, controversial, and increasingly critical feature of global security and world affairs. It will explore debates on China's rise, China's growing involvement in international politics, and global security.

Detailed course information

International Energy Politics and Security (PI5522)

30 Credit Points

Topics:

Oil and Security – how oil crises have occurred since 1973, with a focus on the energy demand and supply pressures and the political factors triggering the 1973 and 1979 oil crises. OPEC and IEA. The factors underpinning the oil crisis of 2008 and its relationships to world economic crisis. The role of China in oil politics.

Natural Gas, the EU and Russia. How conceptions of (natural gas) energy security are constructed and implemented in the EU and Russia –Nuclear Power and energy security;– eg Iran .

Climate Security

Detailed course information

International Humanitarian Law (LS551G)

30 Credit Points

The course explores the history, nature and salient features of the principles of ‘the laws and customs of war’, also called IHL; they are enshrined, inter alia, in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977. The principles of distinction, humanity, necessity and proportionality as applied to contemporary armed conflicts are examined. The course emphasises the rules and challenges pertaining to civilian immunity, occupation, legal controls on weapons and how IHL is implemented and enforced. It also clarifies the differences/similarities between IHL and international human rights law and the law on the use of force.

Detailed course information

International Watercourses Law and Policy (LS553Q)

30 Credit Points

There are at least 264 transboundary watercourses in the world. 40 percent of the world’s population depends on them for freshwater needs. Population growth, unfair share and lack of conservation measures, amongst other factors, have led to fierce competition over such resources among states and their communities. The Course explores the normative and policy issues relating to shared transboundary watercourses among states from the perspectives of international watercourses law (IWL), water politics and policies, and to some extent, geosciences. Focusing on the legal aspects of the subject, the course explores relevant theories, the key principles of IWL as enshrined in the UN Watercourses Convention 1997, contemporary issues such as ‘benefit sharing’, ‘the water-energy-food nexus’ and the ‘SDGs’, in light of specific case studies of transboundary watercourses such as the Nile and the Mekong.

Detailed course information

The use of Force in International Law (LS5549)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition of the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the UN Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent recourses to force on the international plane (in particular, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Ukraine).

Detailed course information

International Human Rights Law (LS5590)

30 Credit Points

The course was designed to help students build competence in dealing with the doctrinal issues about international human rights. It involves understanding the place of human rights in public international law, finding one’s way around the foundational human rights documents and the jurisprudence of human rights bodies. The course delivery puts heavy emphasis on classroom discussion on the controversial issues on contemporary human rights law that shape doctrinal development in this field: the justifiability of torture, the limits of freedom of religion, the justiciability of social rights, etc.

Detailed course information

Stage 3

Compulsory Courses

Dissertation in International Relations (IR5901)

60 Credit Points

This is a compulsory element on the MSc International Relations programme.

Detailed course information

Programme Fees

Fee information

Fee category	Cost
EU / International students	£23,800
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year
UK	£11,100
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year

Stage 1

Duration: 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.
Duration (MSc); 9 months full-time or 18 months part-time (PgDip); 4 months full-time or 8 months part-time (PgCert).

Information for part-time students: This route runs over two years. Students can take up to 120 credit points in a single year. The route would run as follows:

• January to August: PD5506, LS553X, and LS551T. Students will also choose one elective from the PI and LS courses (see options in the Stage 1 optional courses).
• September to August: IR5001 or LS510U, one course from the PI/LS electives, and IR5901 (dissertation)
• September to December: IR5001 or LS510U

Compulsory Courses

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS551T)

This course provides students from diverse legal and educational backgrounds with a common understanding of the core research, analytical, and writing skills which will be required for LLM-Taught courses. The course is delivered as a series of five interactive lectures with two individual assessments designed to encourage critical thinking and provide opportunities for early feedback. It also incorporates a library workshop to provide students with hands-on experience with the resources available for course and dissertation work.

Detailed course information

Foundations of International Law (LS553X)

The course introduces students to the basics of International Law. It will describe the international legal system, the sources of International Law and the law of treaties.

Detailed course information

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Optional Courses

In addition, candidates must select at least ONE course from PI electives and ONE from LS electives:

• PI5520: Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism
• PI5521: Chinese Security Issues
• PI5522: International Energy Politics & Security
• LS551G: International Humanitarian Law
• LS553Q: International Watercourses Law & Policy
• LS5549: The Use of Force in International Law
• LS5590: International Human Rights Law

Terrorism and Counter - Terrorism (PI5520)

30 Credit Points

International terrorism and counterterrorism dominate both contemporary scholarly debates in International Relations (IR) and policy discussions. This course examines these debates by focusing, on the one hand, on the (individual and/or structural) causes and different manifestations of terrorism and, on the other hand, on debates on how to respond to terrorism not only effectively but also without violating humanitarian principles and international law. Overall, the course aims to provide students with an overview of current research on international terrorism and counterterrorism in IR and its neighbouring disciplines and to enable them to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of core aspects of the issue.

Detailed course information

Chinese Security Issues (PI5521)

30 Credit Points

The focus of this module is the key approaches, institutions, and contemporary issues in global security relating to the rise of China. Set in the context of broader global security issues, this module offers students an introduction to Chinese security policy and approaches to international relations. It lifts the vale on a very misunderstood, controversial, and increasingly critical feature of global security and world affairs. It will explore debates on China's rise, China's growing involvement in international politics, and global security.

Detailed course information

International Energy Politics and Security (PI5522)

30 Credit Points

Topics:

Oil and Security – how oil crises have occurred since 1973, with a focus on the energy demand and supply pressures and the political factors triggering the 1973 and 1979 oil crises. OPEC and IEA. The factors underpinning the oil crisis of 2008 and its relationships to world economic crisis. The role of China in oil politics.

Natural Gas, the EU and Russia. How conceptions of (natural gas) energy security are constructed and implemented in the EU and Russia –Nuclear Power and energy security;– eg Iran .

Climate Security

Detailed course information

International Humanitarian Law (LS551G)

30 Credit Points

The course explores the history, nature and salient features of the principles of ‘the laws and customs of war’, also called IHL; they are enshrined, inter alia, in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977. The principles of distinction, humanity, necessity and proportionality as applied to contemporary armed conflicts are examined. The course emphasises the rules and challenges pertaining to civilian immunity, occupation, legal controls on weapons and how IHL is implemented and enforced. It also clarifies the differences/similarities between IHL and international human rights law and the law on the use of force.

Detailed course information

International Watercourses Law and Policy (LS553Q)

30 Credit Points

There are at least 264 transboundary watercourses in the world. 40 percent of the world’s population depends on them for freshwater needs. Population growth, unfair share and lack of conservation measures, amongst other factors, have led to fierce competition over such resources among states and their communities. The Course explores the normative and policy issues relating to shared transboundary watercourses among states from the perspectives of international watercourses law (IWL), water politics and policies, and to some extent, geosciences. Focusing on the legal aspects of the subject, the course explores relevant theories, the key principles of IWL as enshrined in the UN Watercourses Convention 1997, contemporary issues such as ‘benefit sharing’, ‘the water-energy-food nexus’ and the ‘SDGs’, in light of specific case studies of transboundary watercourses such as the Nile and the Mekong.

Detailed course information

The use of Force in International Law (LS5549)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition of the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the UN Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent recourses to force on the international plane (in particular, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Ukraine).

Detailed course information

International Human Rights Law (LS5590)

30 Credit Points

The course was designed to help students build competence in dealing with the doctrinal issues about international human rights. It involves understanding the place of human rights in public international law, finding one’s way around the foundational human rights documents and the jurisprudence of human rights bodies. The course delivery puts heavy emphasis on classroom discussion on the controversial issues on contemporary human rights law that shape doctrinal development in this field: the justifiability of torture, the limits of freedom of religion, the justiciability of social rights, etc.

Detailed course information

Stage 2

Compulsory Courses

Dissertation in International Relations (IR5901)

60 Credit Points

This is a compulsory element on the MSc International Relations programme.

Detailed course information

Stage 3

Compulsory Courses

Theories and Concepts in International Relations (IR5001)

30 Credit Points

This course lays the foundations for, explores, and critically analyses the main theoretical paradigms and debates in International Relations, and engages with the complexity of debates on concepts in IR. The theoretical topics to be covered include debates on the international system, cooperation, world order, conflict, development, representation and identity. Students will also be introduced to some of the main debates in epistemology and methodology that apply to the discipline.

Detailed course information

International Law: A Time of Challenges (LS501U)

30 Credit Points

The course analyses recent developments in public international law. It first considers the sources of public international law. The question is then asked whether traditional public international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are: international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, protection of human rights, ethnic conflicts, climate change. The course encourages the participant-student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international dilemmas.

Detailed course information