Intellectual Property Law

This course offers a detailed insight in law, management and policy relating to patents, copyright, trademarks and other intellectual property rights.

It provides international and comparative perspectives that cover not only traditional intellectual property issues like industrial property, artistic works and brands, but emerging areas of policy including the digital economy and biotechnology.

This programme reflects the growing importance of international developments in intellectual property, and confronts growing controversies such as the relationships between intellectual property and human rights norms, access to knowledge, new technologies and economic development. 

You’ll explore the international norms and institutions relating to intellectual property such as the World Trade Organisation’s TRIPS Agreement, and consider the wider social and economic implications of intellectual property for health, culture, education, technology, innovation and economic development.

Career Opportunities

This programme, which is also accessible to non-lawyers, provides essential knowledge and skills should you wish to embark upon a career in the legal professions, and in knowledge-intensive commercial sectors. These include the technology and creative industries as well as their representative organisations. 

The degree will attract employers in other occupations where in-depth understanding of intellectual property is considered economically or strategically important. These include government service as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations.

The compulsory modules studied will give you an opportunity to:

• study the key principles and features, rules and court decisions concerning patents, copyright and trademarks
• examine the key cases that have shaped intellectual property rights law in the major legal jurisdictions
• discover other rights such as designs and geographical indications
• learn about how business acquires and deploys intellectual property rights.

These compulsory modules will also enable you to hone your legal research and writing skills, which you’ll be able to demonstrate in your dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.

You’ll also benefit from our optional Support in Academic and Personal Development programme. This runs alongside your taught academic programme in semester one and is specifically designed to complement the School’s induction activities and ongoing academic skills support for students. The programme may include wellbeing activities, careers talks, assessment query sessions as well as additional language support for non-native English speakers.

The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a mixture of related subjects of interest to you.

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in law. Applicants with good degrees in other subjects will be considered.

English language requirements

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) an overall band of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in each component skill
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) of 92 with no less than 21 in listening, 21 in reading, 23 in speaking and 22 in writing
• Pearson (Academic) of 64 overall with no less than 60 in any component
• Cambridge Advanced English (CAE), or C1 Advanced, of 176 overall with no less than 169 in any component
• Trinity College Integrated Skills in English of a Pass in ISE II or above (if taken in the UK)
• GCSE English Language or Cambridge IGCSE English as a First or Second Language at grade C

Documents and information you will need include

• Original or certified copies of your transcripts
• Original or certified copies of your degree certificate
• Original or certified copy of your IELTS/TOEFL results (if English is not your first language)
• Details of two referees.

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Learning and teaching

Our compulsory and optional modules are taught through a range of weekly seminars, lectures and workshops. 

You’ll need to prepare for your seminars and lectures, undertaking any exercises that might be prescribed in advance. Independent study is integral to this programme – not just to prepare for classes but to develop research and other critical skills.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed using a variety of methods but for most modules you’ll be required to write an essay at the end of each module. You’ll also be expected to write a final dissertation.