The LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in a Nutshell

Olivier Chamard / Geneva Academy

What

The LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (LLM) is:

• An intensive one-year course aimed at educating around 40 highly qualified and open-minded students in the field of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL)
• An in-depth study of the following areas: international law, IHL, IHRL, international refugee law and international criminal law (ICL)
• A focus on topical and emerging issues like the Islamic law of armed conflict, or cultural and identity claims in light of international legal concepts
• A prestigious faculty composed of leading academics and renowned experts and practitioners who are abreast of the latest developments and debates
• An ongoing focus on practice via exchanges with practitioners and military actors, work on concrete case scenarios, participation in public pleadings and the possibility for several students to carry out internships and participate in two moot courts
• A study trip to familiarize with field work
• An international, multicultural and diverse student body with a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, experiences and motivations
• Two annual awards that recognize exceptional academic work
• Access to our events which provide a critical and scholarly forum for experts and practitioners to discuss and debate topical issues in IHL, IHRL and ICL
• An LLM degree conferred by two prestigious academic institutions
• The foundation for a successful career in inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations dealing with IHL, human rights, ICL refugees or migration, as well as public administration, international tribunals or academic institutions

Why

10 reasons for choosing the LLM at the Geneva Academy:

• Leading institution in the field of IHL and IHRL
• The opportunity to gain a solid and unique expertise in IHL, IHRL, international refugee law and ICL and the interplay between them
• A programme that forms high-level professionals qualified to work as academics, staff members or field workers for inter-governmental, governmental, and non-governmental organizations
• Familiarity with a wide range of contemporary contexts and challenges
• Combination of theory and practice
• A personal teaching style that encourages interaction between students and lecturers
• Specialized supervised research for the master’s thesis
• Career counselling and advice
• Ties with leading actors in the humanitarian and human rights fields
• A unique human experience during which all those involved (students, faculty and resident staff) develop long-term bonds

How

• 60 ECTS Credits
• Core courses that provide a firm grounding in public international law, IHL, IHRL, international refugee law, ICL and the interplay between them (42 ECTS Credits)
• Weekly tutorials that allow students to revise and discuss concepts and issues addressed in the core courses
• Optional courses that allow students to deepen their expertise in a particular issue such as counter-terrorism, armed non-state actors, transitional justice, the rules governing the conduct of hostilities or the work of international courts and tribunals (12 ECTS Credits)
• The possibility to carry out internships with leading humanitarian and human rights actors (6 Credits)
• Participation in public pleadings and moot courts like the Jean-Pictet Competition, the Nuremberg Moot Court or the Nelson Mandela Moot Court (6 Credits)
• The writing of a master’s paper (6 ECTS Credits)
• A study trip
• A graduation ceremony