Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH International Economic Law
School	Birmingham Law School
Department	Law
Module Code	08 29677
Module Lead	Luca Rubini, Maria Anna Corvaglia
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	Law students only
Contact Hours	Lecture-30 hours Seminar-6 hours Guided independent study-164 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	The module will introduce and examine aspects of international economic law. It will provide an overview of the legal foundations of the global economy and the regulatory frameworks governing international economic relations. It will situate international economic law within a broader understanding of its interactions with other international and national, legal and non-legal processes, and its context. The module aims to cover the following topics (non-exhaustive): Introduction to the nature and sources of international economic law. The law of international trade, such as the rules of the World Trade Organisation and preferential trade agreements (PTAs). Global financial regulation and international monetary law, including the activities of the Bretton Woods institutions and sovereign debt restructuring mechanisms. International investment law, including the relationship between foreign direct investment and state sovereignty, substantive standards of protection and dispute settlement mechanisms. International economic law and development, including the role of the United Nations economic agencies, the World Bank and bilateral aid agencies. Multilateral environmental regulation and their impact on international economic law and relations.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Identify the key institutions and processes of international economic law Adopt a comparative perspective on international economic law and an understanding of its inter-disciplinarity, i.e. to situate legal norms and processes within their social, political and economic contexts Demonstrate an understanding of how international economic law interacts with other spheres of international law, namely international law relating to social welfare and development, international human rights and multilateral environmental law Engage in critical debate and analysis of the functions of international economic law, its future and the interplay with other aspects of public international law Apply knowledge of the law to practical situations, both theoretically and empirically
Assessment	29677-01 : Essay : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: 6,000-word essay Reassessment: This is a final year module
Other
Reading List