Political Sciences: International Organizations

Course Description

Description
This course on International Organizations contributes to the development of the jurist´s professional profile, providing with knowledges and insights of the international organizations as relevant actors in a global and multi-polar world.This subject deals with the study of international organizations not only in its legal dimension, but also from a sociological and political perspective.

Contents
Unit I. The international organizations
1. Concept and nature
2. Classification
3. Competencies
4. Organs
5. Decision-making procedures

Unit II. The United Nations
1. The creation of the United Nations Organization
2. The United Nations Charter and its amendments
3. Structure: the United Nations system
4. The General Assembly
5. The Security Council
6. The International Court of Justice
7. The Secretary General
8. The Economic and Social Council

Unit III: The origin of the European Union (EU)
1.The European Communities as international organizations of integration
2.La EU as a new stage in the process of European integration (Maastricht, 1993)
3.La EU as an international organization (Lisbon, 2009)

Unit IV: The European Union institutions
1.The European Council
2.The Council
3. The Commission
4.The European Parliament
5.The Court of Justice
6. The Court of Auditors.
7.The European Central Bank

Methodology
The teaching - learning process is mainly based on the following methods and techniques:
a) Activities in the classroom
1. Presentations and development of contents by the teacher
2. Students´ activities
b) Activities outside the classroom
1.Texts reading and support book study
2. Preparation, realization and delivery of activities
3. Tutorials
4. Exam

Assessment
The development and achievement of competences is assessed according to the following criteria:
Objective test on knowledges, application and critical judgement competences (75%)
Attendance and active participation (5%)
Exercises and papers prepared by the student and evaluated by the teacher along the course: (20%)