International Operational Law – one-year Master’s Programme

This programme is suitable for those wanting to immerse themselves in the specific field of international law that regulates the actions of armed forces and other actors in armed conflict and crises.

Among other things, you will study the law of armed conflict, human rights and the legal frameworks for peace operations.

Degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.)

The programme is an international, practice-informed master’s programme for those who hold a law degree or bachelor’s degree in law specialising in International Law, or an equivalent Swedish or foreign degree. The programme leads to the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) (60 credits) in International Operational Law. All courses are given in English.

Future career opportunities

The programme prepares you for a career in the armed forces, government agencies or ministries with a focus on foreign policy, crisis management, security and defence, international or national humanitarian or crisis management organisations, and civil society organisations.

The programme also gives you an opportunity to specialise before applying for doctoral studies in law.

About the programme

The LL.M. programme in International Operational Law gives you as a student a highly specialised, practice-informed education in the international law that governs armed conflict and other crises.

The programme focuses on studying the legal room for manoeuvre for states and other actors in the areas of crisis management, defence and security. The programme covers the entire spectrum from peace to crisis and armed conflict from an international legal perspective.

You will have the opportunity to study, for example:

• The right of states to use force against other states or against non-state actors.
• The rules of international law applicable to non-state actors in armed conflicts.
  
• How violations of international law, such as war crimes, are regulated and enforced by domestic and international courts.
  
• How cyber operations and hybrid warfare are regulated.
• Which laws govern the way countries deal with, and can support each other in the event of, major crises and natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
  
• How human rights can be affected in the event of crisis or armed conflict through limitations and state of emergency regimes.
  

The programme is practice-informed and contains a high degree of application elements, such as different types of exercises and gaming, as well as Socratic course components in order to create an educational environment that is characterised by a high degree of active participation in the programme. Courses are principally taught on campus, but hybrid solutions may be made available on a case-by-case basis for legitimate reasons such as health.

Your teachers will be internationally acknowledged and highly specialised academics and practitioners who link the programme to both current international research and experience drawn from work in international organisations, the armed forces and in international contexts. The teaching staff and the student group are also characterised by a high degree of internationalisation with links to relevant national and international government agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations. All in all, this creates a dynamic and stimulating educational environment in which students and teachers work closely together.

Outline of the programme

The programme starts with five mandatory courses during the first term, which lay the foundations for the subject of international operational law. This also includes a course on selected aspects of operational law, in which a topical subject will be studied under the guidance of a visiting professor who conducts research in that specific area.

During the second term you will choose two courses, each comprising 7.5 credits, which provide an opportunity for further specialisation, practical application or a broadening towards any of the Swedish Defence University’s other subjects, such as leadership, defence systems or political science. The term and the programme are then completed with the writing of a master's thesis. The thesis course comprises 15 credits.

The teaching of all mandatory courses and the elective courses mentioned below are offered in English.

Application fee and scholarships

Students coming from a country outside the EU must pay an application fee of 900 Swedish kronor and a tuition fee of 105,000 Swedish kronor per year. However, students from outside the EU may also apply for scholarships to cover the cost of tuition. Read more about the scholarships available at the Stockholm Defence University.