Chevron Left
Back to Introduction to International Criminal Law

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to International Criminal Law by Case Western Reserve University

4.8
stars
3,659 ratings

About the Course

-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, terrorism, and piracy. We will examine unique modes of international criminal liability and specialized defenses. And we will delve into the challenges of obtaining custody of the accused and maintaining control of the courtroom. -- Course Syllabus -- This course comprises eight units (or "modules"). Each will include an assigned reading, typically an article or book chapter, as well as a simulation designed to bring the readings to life. I will also offer video lectures on each of the topics, accompanied by slides. In addition, there will be online role-play exercises and debates, enabling the students to share their own insights. The order of class sessions will be: (1) History: From Nuremberg to The Hague (2) International Crimes Part 1: War Crimes, Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, and Torture (3) International Crimes Part 2: Terrorism and Piracy (4) Special modes of liability: command responsibility, co-perpetration, and incitement (5) Special defenses: insanity, obedience to orders, duress, and head of state immunity (6) Gaining custody of the accused: extradition, luring, abduction, and targeted killing (7) Pre-Trial Issues: plea bargaining, self-representation, and exclusion of torture evidence (8) Maintaining control of the courtroom -- Recommended Background -- You don’t have to be a lawyer and there are no prerequisites for this course. However, the course will be conducted at the level expected of advanced undergraduate students. Therefore, for all participants, reading and writing comfortably in English at the undergraduate college level is desirable. -- Suggested Readings -- Students should read the assigned online materials for each unit in advance of the class session. In addition, students are invited to subscribe to “War Crimes Prosecution Watch,” a free bi-weekly e-newsletter that summarizes the latest developments in the field of international criminal law. -- Course Format -- This course is made up of eight content units. Each unit is based on an online reading assignment, a video lecture of about one hour in length, and one or more role play exercises to stimulate on-line discussion. The course also offers in-video enrichment quizzes (ungraded) for each unit, a ten question multiple choice midterm diagnostics exam (ungraded), and a ten question True/False Final Exam. -- FAQ-- How will this course be graded? This course is graded on completion. In order to complete the course each student must: (1) finish each module (or “lesson”); (2) write at least one essay response of 200 words or more for at least one simulation throughout the course; and (3) get a score of 6 out of 10 or better on the Final Exam. What resources will I need for this course? For this course, all you need is an Internet connection, and the time to read and discuss the exciting materials available online. What is the coolest thing about this course? The topics we will be discussing are ripped from the headlines. The topics are often controversial and thought-provoking, and always exciting....

Top reviews

AM

Sep 21, 2020

learned so much from this course, absolutely loved it, and the way the professor taught the lessons showed his experience and his knowledge even for fist timers it would be a great course to opt for.

LS

Oct 24, 2020

Extremely well-organized. Really glad to see how all previous examples and history records were referenced to every topic. Neatly explained topics. Every aspect was discussed and explained in detail.

Filter by:

101 - 125 of 929 Reviews for Introduction to International Criminal Law

By Deleted A

Mar 10, 2020

This is a very intense study and lots of lectures that are of excellent quality. A fascinating study!

Dr. Sharf, I think your test mechanism is the best I have ever seen and should be adopted on some part of the MBE.

High Regards!

Steve Joel Moffett, Sr.

By Krish K

Jan 6, 2021

Very good for beginners and you learn a lot from it! Literally perfect and more than I expected from this! The special kind of this course with many texts and one big video per week seemed kind of weird but worked out and I gained knowledge from it!

By SHIVAM B

Jan 1, 2021

Excellent course for both law professionals and students interested in International Law and its various nuances. The course meticulously teaches to critically analyze given problems and come up with a solution. Highly Recommended to do this course.

By Lucas A C

Sep 27, 2020

Este es un curso de primer nivel. El profesor Michael Scharf enseña las competencias básicas del derecho penal internacional con mucha claridad y profundidad. Sin dudas un curso muy útil para aquellos que gustan del derecho internacional público.

By Sharmila V

Jul 28, 2020

To me, as a beginner, this course was extremely enjoyable. The presentation was very clear, concise and well presented with easy to understand examples. The additional simulations and reading material added to an overall enriching experience.

By Kristopher R

Jun 18, 2019

So interesting. Found it a really, really terrific introduction to ICL. Learned so much understanding about how all this works globally. Thank you Professor! Every world leader needs to take this in order to learn more about his/her liability.

By Ivana K

May 24, 2022

The course was very interesting and informing! English is not my first language but I still understood everything thanks to the amazing professor. He managed to explain everything in a way that was not confusing and strange. 5/5 stars from me!

By Nor H Y

Sep 26, 2020

With no law background, I almost wreck up my brain learning this. The instructor was so knowledgeable and I really enjoy this course. Really love Criminal Law, and after this course, I gain a better understanding on International Criminal Law.

By Edith N

Sep 17, 2020

i commend this course to every legal person in any international Tribunal all over the world.

be it a Judge, Lawyer, prosecution, Researchers even clerk for effective and efficiency IF, their area of specialty is not international criminal law.

By Susan M

Nov 26, 2016

I really enjoyed this course. The prof was extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and presented modern, relevant examples to illustrate different aspects of international criminal law. He's obviously an expert and I am going to read his book!

By Claudia X O R

Jun 16, 2017

Me encanto este curso, aprendí mucho con las lecturas, aunque confieso que me costo mucho porque me tocaba traducir párrafo por párrafo, pero me divertí mucho y lo mejor de todo fueron sin duda los vídeos y las simulaciones, muy recomendado

By David M

Jun 24, 2021

muy interesante el curso, aprendí muchísimo sobre una rama del derecho que es una pasión para mi y es el derecho penal! Excelentes profesores y como siempre Coursera es muy recomendado! Es la mejor plataforma que existe para aprender!

By Nikolai D

Dec 22, 2019

This is an excellent course which is both highly informative and interactive. Thank you to Michael Scharf for putting together such a formidable introduction to international criminal law. I wish he had taught more courses on Coursera.

By Elza M

May 7, 2021

The course is excellent, I would recommended to every one. It is a great opportunity to learn something new and to see the new ways of learning. The professor was extraordinary and very good at explaining and it was easy to understand

By Cristina Z

May 24, 2020

I just loved it. The content was very interesting and easy to understand (specially for someone that hasn't studied law). Michael Scharf's explanations and real life examples were just perfect. Strongly recommended and I will do more!

By Yaroslav T

Apr 3, 2022

Decent course. Giving it 5 stars not to drag it's down, but it's more like 4.5 stars. Overall good, but could be organized better. More assessments (graded or not) etc. Also it's almost 10 years old by now, so needs updating ideally.

By Barbara L A

Apr 17, 2020

I found this course really interesting. Although I did not participate in the simulations, the instructor was excellent and the reading material good. I feel like I really learned a lot about International Criminal Law and the ICC.

By Lance y a

May 30, 2020

The course was so awesome because i learn so much and specially professor did a great job at making the questions and the discussions.the online simulation is great we critically think and look at the cases that are assigned to us

By Maria G d l C

Sep 29, 2022

Engaging, easy to understand since its an introduction course, you may just need to know the basics of law and knowledge of Universal History events just to have a better understanding behind the reasoning of International Law.

By Digvijay G

Feb 21, 2021

It is a great pleasure to receive the understanding of international criminal law from an amazing professor who put life in the course. Thank you, Professor Michael Scharf and Coursera to make available this wonderful knowledge.

By Om K

Apr 20, 2021

An excellent and well-prepared course! My acquisition of the knowledge on the International Criminal Law through this course significantly transcends the expectations I had before pursuing the course. Many thanks, Prof. Scharf.

By Camilo A D B R

Jan 24, 2021

Excelente profesor, sus clases magistrales con contextualizaciones de casos reales para explicar los temas fueron de mucha ayuda. Los materiales de lectura fomentan el autoaprendizaje y el razonamiento critico y argumentativo.

By Jorge L d A P

Jul 2, 2020

The course is very rich in details about the International Criminal Court. It is more than an introductory course. It is a wonderful source of research for future work. Congratulations, Dr. Michael Scharf e thank you so much.

By Adrian E I G

Jun 7, 2020

Excelente curso! Aprendí mucho sobre la jurisprudencia internacional, el entendimiento de muchas situaciones a la luz del derecho penal internacional y el desarrollo de los juicios criminales internacionales. Muchas gracias!

By Erick P V

Oct 18, 2015

es un curso muy interactivo y con una malla curricular extensa pero digerible, donde el apoyo visual y de las lecturas es en mi opinión saludable en caso de incrementar conocimientos básicos y retoalimentarse de experiencias