For International Studies majors, taking an international law course is like a christening; you will never truly know International Studies without passing the trials of International law. But, how difficult is international law? This list should tell you how much.

Memorizing Article 38 of the International Court of Justice 
Understanding international law boils down to this small paragraph in the vast contents of the International Court of Justice articles. It is called Article 38. This article tells which sources international law comes from. For an International Studies major, these sources carry huge implications and significant applications in International Court cases.

Learning Latin (and a little bit of English)
An international law course won’t just teach you the fundamentals of law practiced by states; it will also teach you Latin.

Often, students of international law would come across Latin words or phrases that don’t seem to be important. However, later on, these students would realize that knowing the meanings of these Latin phrases is the fine difference between passing and failing the course.

Another thing that sets International Studies students apart from failing the class is the mastery of English. As a class that tests students with essays, grammar and spelling are extremely significant. The smallest and unintended word might give you 0 points on your essay. Unfortunately, many students found this the hard way and will learn to adjust their language throughout the course.

Cases, cases, cases 
In international law classes, reading cases is unavoidable. But, what most students don’t expect is the volume of cases to be read. Assigned to read eight cases that are a hundred pages long, who has time to finish them by tomorrow?

This is where professors teach their students how to read cases. Being law students themselves, professors know that there isn’t enough time to read all the cases before the assigned day. So, these professors teach their students how to skim, where they only pick the parts that are needed and leave the rest be.

Learning through the Socratic method
As a law class, international law courses will be taught using the Socratic method. The Socratic method is a teaching method where the professor assumes that their students know everything – it’s just that it has been forgotten. Thus, the teacher’s task is to help students remember these forgotten things.

For the students, this means thoroughly reviewing the readings and cases before the discussion starts. Recitation is important in International law classes, so students must be as prepared as they can when asked.

Academics VS. Self
International law students don’t just wrangle with the meanings of words and cases. They are also in conflict with themselves.

With the high demands of the course, a student would easily forget about his or her well-being. Every day, they are faced with numerous decisions: to sleep or to read all cases, to eat or to spend time reviewing. Most students would most likely pick the latter choice, but little do they know that taking an international law course requires a good state of health.

Contributed by: Allison Julianne Macasaet
She is a freelance writer on the side, a student of international relations on the other. Interests include fantasy books, international relations, and lifestyle.