Degree | Type | Year |
---|---|---|
Criminology | OT | 4 |
Law | OT | 4 |
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Language requirements
To successfully follow the course, students are expected to have an advanced level of English, as both the lectures and the reading materials will be entirely in this language. In addition, a working knowledge of Spanish and/or Catalan is recommended to ensure effective collaboration in group assignments.
Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This course contributes directly to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably:
The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the core issues of international criminal law, as well as the scope and content of the legal responses developed by the international community to protect individuals from abuses of power. Topics covered include human rights, war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, aggression, victims, reparation, justice, and international tribunals. The course seeks to ensure that students acquire an in-depth and nuanced knowledge of these areas, while also developing academic skills through the analysis of codified international crimes, legal responses, and victim-oriented approaches, both in theory and in recent practice.
NOTE: The required readings for session preparation, as well as the topics and/or questions to be prepared, will be indicated on the virtual campus (Moodle) according to the class schedule. All documentation will be in English.
PART ONE: GENERAL FRAMEWORK
topic 1: (Introductory): the individual and the international system
Topic 2: Conceptualization, Synergies, and Differences among International Legal Regimes Directly Addressed to Individuals
Topic 3: The Distinction Between Prosecution (of Crimes) and Protection (of Human Rights): Two Independent but Complementary Forms of Responsibility
Topic 4: The Determination of Victim Status in Relation to International Crimes and/or Human Rights Violations
Different conceptions of "victim" within and across legal regimes and their relation to locus standi for reparation
PART TWO: THE INTERNATIONAL NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Topic 5: The International Normativization of Human Rights
Topic 6: The Development of Certain Specific Rights at the Universal Level
Topic 7: The Unequal Development of Specific Rights at the Regional Level
PART THREE: INTERNATIONAL CRIMES
Topic 8: Challenges Regarding the Crime of Genocide
Topic 9: The Special Case of Crimes Against Humanity
Topic 10: War Crimes Today
Topic 11: The Dual Nature of the Crime of Aggression
PART FOUR: INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Topic 12: Non-Judicial Mechanisms for the Protection of Human Rights
Topic 13: Judicial Mechanisms for the Protection of Human Rights
PART FIVE: MECHANISMS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMES
Topic 14: Specific International Judicial Solutions: Ad Hoc and Hybrid Tribunals
Topic 15: The Permanent International Proposal: The International Criminal Court (ICC)
Topic 16: The Prosecution of International Crimes in National Systems and Transitional Justice: Case Studies
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Seminars | 19.5 | 0.78 | 2, 8, 4, 3, 6, 5, 12, 13 |
theoretical classes and participation | 19.5 | 0.78 | 2, 8, 4, 3, 12, 13 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Tutoring for the supervision of readings | 0.5 | 0.02 | 4, 3, 10, 6, 1 |
Tutoring on the final project and the required book reading | 0.5 | 0.02 | 2, 8, 10, 6, 1, 12 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Book | 25 | 1 | 2, 3, 6, 9, 11 |
Research paper | 50 | 2 | 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 1, 11 |
Session preparation | 35 | 1.4 | 2, 8, 10, 6, 9, 11 |
NOTE: The required readings to prepare each session, as well as the topics and/or questions to be addressed, will be indicated on the virtual campus (Moodle) following the class calendar. All materials will be provided in English.
Continuous assessment and attendance
The course is based on a continuous assessment system, which requires active and regular attendance at in-person sessions. Students who attend less than 80% of classes will not be able to pass the course. Absences will only be excused in cases of illness or other force majeure circumstances, as well as for academic reasons previously approved by the teaching staff. Mere physical presence without active participation will not be considered as meeting the attendance requirement. Classes begin and end punctually; therefore, except in justified cases, late entry after the session has started or leaving before it has ended will not be permitted.
Each week, students are expected to prepare for the session in advance by completing the assigned readings or engaging in the designated activities/research tasks posted on the virtual campus (Moodle). Every session will include a practical component that relies on this prior preparation.
During the first week, students will be assigned to permanent working groups to facilitate the implementation of practical activities throughout the course. However, all assessment will be conducted on an individual basis.
Each group will give short presentations (approximately five minutes each) using a poster (PowerPoint presentations are not permitted). These presentations are designed to bridge theoretical concepts with practical application. Following each presentation, there will be a Q&A and group discussion to deepen understanding of the key concepts addressed in the session.
In addition to group work, each student will carry out an individual research project on a topic related to the course content. With the guidance of the teaching staff, studentsmust formulate a research question, which will require prior approval from the instructor. The project will be assessed in two parts:
Additionally, during the first third of the course, small group seminars will be held in the Department’s office to discuss the compulsory reading book in a more interactive setting.
Citation and authorship guidelines
All written assignments must include proper referencing of all sources used (quotations, bibliography, and references). Failure to provide this information will negatively impact the final grade of the respective task.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
ACTIVITIES (PREPARATION + DEVELOPMENT IN CLASS) | 40% | 0 | 0 | 2, 4, 3, 10, 6, 5, 9, 1, 11, 12, 13 |
CLASS PARTICIPATION | 5 % | 0 | 0 | 8, 4, 10, 6, 9, 1 |
LITERARY SEMINAR | 10 % | 0 | 0 | 4, 10, 6, 1, 11 |
POSTER | 15% | 0 | 0 | 4, 7, 1, 12, 13 |
RESEARCH | 30% | 0 | 0 | 2, 8, 3, 6, 5, 7, 9, 1 |
1. Research Project (30% of the final grade)
Based on the analysis of an official document (e.g. judgment, report, etc.), students are expected to investigate a specific issue related to the course themes. Under no circumstances will a mere summary of the selected official document be accepted as a valid submission. The document is to serve solely as a reference or starting point for identifying the issue under examination. Prior approval from the teaching staff is mandatory before beginning the research.
Assessment of the research project will consist of two components:
The written report must be uploaded at least one week prior to the examination. The report, with a maximum length of two pages (excluding bibliography), must include at minimum:
The report must also include the complete list of references used (excluded from the page count). Both the written report and the final examination may be submitted in Catalan, Spanish, or English.
Note: To be considered for evaluation, the research project must receive a minimum score of 3.6 out of 10.
Assessment criteria for the research project:
Points |
Written Report – Criteria |
|
0.5 |
Structure and research process |
|
0.5 |
Use of sources and bibliography |
|
1.5 |
Application and handling of course concepts |
|
1.5 |
Final critical reflection |
|
1.0 |
Academic rigour |
|
5 |
Subtotal: Written Report |
|
Points |
Examination – 3 to 4 questions related to the student’s research |
|
5 |
Subtotal: Oral/Written Exam |
2. Course Content Activities (40% of the final grade). As this is a continuous assessment course with no final exam, students are required to prepare each session in advance based on the materials and instructions posted on the virtual campus. Evaluation will be based on:
The final score for this component will be calculated using the average of the top 80% of these activities and tests completed throughout the course.
3. Poster Presentation (15% of thefinalgrade). This consists of:
Each student or group will select (or be assigned) a topic at the beginning of the course. The poster must progressively integrate course concepts and insights from other presentations. Poster and presentation are assessed separately from the Q&A and debate sessions.
4. Literary Seminar (10% of the final grade). Students must participate in a thematic seminar based on one of the following books, submitting a summary sheet beforehand:
a) East-West Street. On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity, Philippe Sands, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2016 (387 pages).
— Historical essay on the legal development of international crimes to prosecute Nazism.
b) Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Collins, 2007 (448 pages).
— Historical novel on the Biafran War (1967–1970), set in post-colonial Africa.
c) Monsieur Linh and His Child, Philippe Claudel, Salamandra, 2013 (126 pages) [Original: La petite fille de Monsieur Linh, 2005] and Small Country, Gaël Faye, Salamandra, 2018 (224 pages) [Original: Petit pays, 2016].
— A fable on forced exile and loneliness due to armed conflict, paired with a coming-of-age narrative on the Rwandan genocide from the viewpoint of a child.
5. Participation (5% of the final grade). Active and consistent participation during class sessions is compulsory and accounts for 5% of the final grade. Note: Mere attendance or passive presence does not count as participation.
Non-Evaluable students. A student will be considered evaluable if they have completed a set of activities whose weight constitutes at least two-thirds of the total grade for the course. If the value of the completed activities does not meet this threshold, the course instructor may consider the student as non-evaluable.
SINGLE ASSESMENT. There is the possibility of a single assessment, which will take place on the date scheduled by the Faculty for the final exam. This assessment will consist of:
a) A written exam covering the theoretical concepts studied in class (50%)
b) The resolution of a practical case, provided at the beginning of the course, with questions related to the course content to be asked on the day of the exam (40%)
c) The preparation of a poster, which must be presented and defended orally. The poster should result from the analysis of a current news event or issue, applying some of the concepts discussed in the course (10%)
RE-ASSESMENT (PASS/fALL) For students who have not obtained a minimum grade of 5 from the continuous assessment or single assessment during the course, but have scored over 4, there is the possibility of a re-assessment exam, which will take place on the date assigned by the Faculty. The structure of the exam will consist of 10 short questions related to the course content and a case study. The maximum final grade that can be achieved through re-assessment will be 6.5.
NOTICE: Academic Integrity and Use of AI Tools
NOTE: Mandatory readings for each session will be made available on the virtual campus platform
Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas. (1948, 9 de diciembre). *Convención para la Prevención y la Sanción del Delito de Genocidio*. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-prevention-and-punishment-crime-genocide
Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas. (2005, 16 de diciembre). *Principios y directrices básicos sobre el derecho de las víctimas de violaciones manifiestas de las normas internacionales de derechos humanos y de violaciones graves del derecho internacional humanitario a interponer recursos y obtener reparaciones* (Resolución 60/147). https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/remedyandreparation.aspx
Conferencia Diplomática de Plenipotenciarios de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Establecimiento de una Corte Penal Internacional. (1998, 17 de julio). *Estatuto de Roma de la Corte Penal Internacional y Elementos de los Crímenes*, Doc. A/CONF.183/9.
Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. (1993). *Estatuto del Tribunal Penal Internacional para la ex Yugoslavia (TPIY)*. Doc. S/RES/827 (1993).
Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. (1994). *Estatuto del Tribunal Penal Internacional para Ruanda (TPIR)*. Doc. S/RES/955 (1994).
Corte Especial para Sierra Leona. (2002, 22 de enero). *Estatuto de la Corte Especial para Sierra Leona*. http://www.specialcourt.org/documents/Statute.html
Convenios de Ginebra del 12 de agosto de 1949.
Protocolos adicionales I y II a los Convenios de Ginebra del 8 de junio de 1977.
Protocolo III adicional a los Convenios de Ginebra (2005).
2. Access to Universal and Regional Human Rights Treaties"
Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los DerechosHumanos. (s.f.). *Core International HumanRights Instruments*. https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/coreinstruments.aspx
Consejo de Europa. (1950). *Convenio Europeo para la Protección de los Derechos Humanos y de las Libertades Fundamentales*. https://www.echr.coe.int/
Organización de los Estados Americanos. (1969). *Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos (Pacto de San José)*. https://www.oas.org/es/cidh/mandato/Basicos/convinstrum.htm
Organización de la Unidad Africana. (1981). *Carta Africana sobre los Derechos Humanos y de los Pueblos*. https://www.achpr.org/legalinstruments/detail?id=49
3. Key institutional web sites
Corte Penal Internacional: https://www.icc-cpi.int
Tribunal Europeo de Derechos Humanos – HUDOC: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int
Coalición por la Corte Penal Internacional: https://www.iccnow.org
Oficina del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos de Naciones Unidas: OHCHR International Law
4. Selected Supplementary Academic References
Public international law (general)
International criminal law
5. Selected NGO's web sites
Global Rights A human rights advocacy group that partners with local activists to challenge injustice and amplify new voices within the global discourse
Human Rights Watch A global independent organisationdedicated to defending and protecting human rights.
Amnesty International A global charity which campaigns for internationally recognised human rightsfor all
Save the Children International Charity which campaigns on behalf of children
The International Committee of the Red Cross An organisation dedicated to the protection of the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other violence.
Index on Censorship Organisation promoting freedom of expression
Minority Rights Group, International International organisation working to secure the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples
World Organisation against Torture A coalition of non-governmental organisations fighting against torture, summary executions and other inhumane treatment
www.iccnow.org/ coalition for the International Criminal Court coalition of non-governmental organizations lobbying in favor of the ICC
International Women's Rights Action Watch (IWRAW) organized in 1985 at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi, Kenya, to promote recognition of women’s human rights under the United Nation’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the CEDAW Convention), an international human rights treaty
Freedom House Independent nongovernmental organization that supports the expansion of freedom in the world.
http://www.bayefsky.com/bystate.php This free website includes an extensive documents library organized by country and subject matter. You can find information on ratification, reservations and declarations, state reports, and other key documents.
See the Virtual Campus (moodle)
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
---|---|---|---|---|
(SEM30) Seminaris (30 estudiants per grup) | 1 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
(SEM30) Seminaris (30 estudiants per grup) | 2 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
(TE) Theory | 1 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |