Masters Degrees in Property Law

Programme description

This general LLM programme is the ideal choice for students wishing to expose themselves to diverse areas of advanced legal scholarship.

Edinburgh Law School offers a very wide range of specialist courses, many taught by internationally recognised experts in their fields.

At present, key areas of research and teaching include:

international law

commercial and corporate law

criminal law

international economic law

international banking and finance

medical ethics

criminology

intellectual property

information technology law

European law

private law

comparative law

human rights

public law.

This allows students on the general LLM to take courses which make up a diverse and challenging curriculum and through which they will be able to develop a broad expertise in cutting-edge legal scholarship.

Programme structure

To ensure a programme of general interest there are no mandatory courses, however you may only select a certain number of credits (60 per semester) from particular fields. This is indicated in the course options list below. Please note that courses in bold are mandatory courses for other programmes and therefore may have waiting lists in operation.

Commercial Law

Choose a maximum of 40 credits:

Company Law (40 credits, full year course)

Contract Law in Europe (40 credits, full year course)

The Law of International Trade (40 credits, full year course)

Corporation Law and Economics (20 credits, semester 1)

International Commercial Arbitration (20 credits, semester 1)

Principles of Corporate Finance Law (20 credits, semester 1)

The Law of Secured Finance (20 credits, semester 1)

Comparative Corporate Governance (20 credits, semester 2)

Corporate Social Responsibility and the Law (20 credits, semester 2)

European Labour Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Insolvency Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Principles of Insurance Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Criminal Law and Evidence

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

General Principles of Criminal Law (20 credits, semester 1)

Current Issues in Criminal Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Sexual Offending and the Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Criminology

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

Criminological Research Methods (40 credits, full year course)

Theoretical Criminology (20 credits, semester 1)

Criminal Justice and Penal Process (20 credits, semester 1)

Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, semester 1)

Cybercrime (20 credits, semester 2)

Mental Health and Crime (20 credits, semester 2)

Responding to Global Crime and Insecurity (20 credits, semester 2)

Surveillance and Security (20 credits, semester 2)

EU Law

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

EU Competition Law (40 credits, full year course)

EU Constitutional Law (20 credits, semester 1)

EU Fundamental Rights Law (20 credits, semester 2)

IP, Media and Technology Law

Choose a maximum of 40 credits:

Intellectual Property Law 1: Copyright and Related Rights (20 credits, semester 1)

International Intellectual Property System (20 credits, semester 1)

The Legal Challenges of Information Technologies (20 credits, semester 1)

Robotics and the Law (20 credits, semester 1)

Contemporary Issues in the Law and Policy of e-Commerce, the Digital Economy and International Information Governance (20 credits, semester 2)

Data Protection and Information Privacy (20 credits, semester 2)

Information: Control and Power (20 credits, semester 2)

Intellectual Property - Law and Society (20 credits, semester 2)

International and European Media Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Law and New Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Risk and the Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Law of E-Commerce (20 credits, semester 2)

Managing Intellectual Property (20 credits, semester 2)

International Law

Choose a maximum of 40 credits:

Fundamental Issues in International Law (40 credits, full year course)

International Criminal Law (40 credits, full year course)

International Environmental Law (40 credits, full year course)

WTO Law (40 credits, full year course)

History and Theory of International Law (20 credits, semester 1)

International Climate Change Law (20 credits, semester 1)

International Human Rights Law (20 credits, semester 1)

International Investment Law (20 credits, semester 1)

International Law of the Sea (20 credits, semester 1)

Advanced Issues in International Economic Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Diplomatic Law (20 credits, semester 2)

EU Climate Change and Energy Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Inter-State Conflict and Humanitarian Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Legal History and Legal Theory

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

Traditions of Legal Inquiry (20 credits, semester 1)

Reasoning with Precedent (20 credits, semester 1)

Law and the Enlightenment (20 credits, semester 2)

The Anatomy of Public Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Medical Law

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

Fundamental Issues in Medical Jurisprudence (20 credits, semester 1)

Risk and Regulation: Health and the Environment (20 credits, semester 1)

Contemporary Issues in Medical Jurisprudence (20 credits, semester 2)

Life Sciences, Society and Law (10 credits, semester 2)

Medical Negligence (10 credits, semester 2)

Private Law

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

Comparative Property Law (20 credits, semester 1)

Delict and Tort (20 credits, semester 1)

Principles of International Tax Law (20 credits, semester 1)

Comparative and International Trust Law (20 credits, semester 2)

EUCOTAX Wintercourse (20 credits, semester 2)

Family Law in Comparative Perspectives (20 credits, semester 2)

International Private Law: Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgments (20 credits, semester 2)

Principles of European Tax Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Public Law

Choose a maximum of 60 credits:

Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (20 credits, semester 2)

Human Rights Law in Europe (20 credits, semester 2)

The Anatomy of Public Law (20 credits, semester 2)

Learning outcomes

By the end of this programme, you should have acquired a more sophisticated understanding of your chosen subjects, including the diverse functions of law in contemporary society, differing approaches to the subject and a greater familiarity with research materials and methods.

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The Kent LLM (and associated Diploma programme) allows you to broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of law by specialising in one or more different areas.

This specialisation in Intellectual Property Law equips postgraduate students with the necessary in-depth knowledge to practise intellectual property law or work in creative industries. It also provides an excellent foundation for students who may wish to pursue a research degree in the field.

The specialisation provides students with a detailed insight into the dynamic and growing area of intellectual property law by taking a distinctively contextual approach: delineating its histories, materialisations and practices, as well as analysing their conceptual foundations and dilemmas.

The students will be introduced to critical, practical and socio-historical approaches to the framing and studying of intellectual property related problems. Such a contextual and critically informed approach to the study of intellectual property is unique in the UK and international postgraduate degree programmes. The modules are taught by distinguished academic specialists who cover a large and diverse range of subjects within the field.

Studying for a Master's in Law (LLM) at Kent means having the certainty of gaining an LLM in a specialist area of Law. The Kent LLM gives you the freedom to leave your choice of specialism open until after you arrive - your specialism being determined by the modules you choose.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/1217/law-and-intellectual-property-law

About Kent Law School

Kent Law School (KLS) is the UK's leading critical law school. A cosmopolitan centre of world-class critical legal research, it offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating place to study postgraduate taught and research degrees.

In addition to learning the detail of the law, students at Kent are taught to think about the law with regard to its history, development and relationship with wider society. This approach allows students to fully understand the law. Our critical approach not only makes the study of law more interesting, it helps to develop crucial skills and abilities required for a career in legal practice.

The Law School offers its flagship Kent LLM at the University’s Canterbury campus (and two defined LLM programmes at the University’s Brussels campus). The KLS programmes enable you to gain expertise in a wide range of international and domestic subjects and to develop advanced, transferable research, writing and oral communication skills. All of our LLM and Diploma programmes allow you to broaden and deepen your understanding and knowledge of law.

Our programmes attract excellent law graduates from around the world and are also open to non-law graduates with an appropriate academic or professional background who wish to develop an advanced understanding of law in their field. You study within a close-knit, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with academic staff. KLS uses critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of this specialisation stream. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation and student demand. Most specialisation streams will require you to study a combination of subject specialisation modules and modules from other specialisation streams so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

Intellectual Property 1: Copyright and Breach of Confidence

Intellectual Property 2: Patents and Trade Marks

Contemporary Topics in Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual Property and Industry Practices

World Trade Organisation (WTO) Law and Practice 1

Privacy and Data Protection Law

Law, Science and Society

Cultural Heritage Law

Economic Sociology of Law

Assessment

The postgraduate programmes offered within the Law School are usually taught in seminar format. Students on the Diploma and LLM programmes study three modules in each of the autumn and spring terms. The modules normally are assessed by a 4-5,000-word essay. Students undertaking an LLM degree must write a dissertation of 15-20,000 words.

Programme aims

This programme aims to provide:

1. LLM: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) advanced research, writing and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.
PDip: The opportunity to develop (a) expert knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of particular areas of law; (b) written and oral communication skills of general value to postgraduate employment.

2. LLM: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of particular areas of law.
PDip: A sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the institutional structures, key principles of law and policy and influential ideas, theories, assumptions and paradigms of the subjects studied.

3. LLM & PDip: A degree of specialisation in areas of law and policy chosen from the LLM option streams available and an opportunity for students to engage with academic work at the frontiers of scholarship.

4. LLM & PDip: A critical awareness of the operation of law and policy, particularly in contexts that are perceived to be controversial or in a state of evolution.

5. LLM: The skills to undertake supervised research on an agreed topic in their specialisation and to encourage the production of original, evaluative analysis that meets high standards of scholarship.

6. LLM & PDip: Critical, analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to a wide range of contexts.

7. LLM & PDip: The skills of academic legal research and writing.

8. LLM: A sophisticated grounding in research methods.

Careers

Employability is a key focus throughout the University and at Kent Law School you have the support of a dedicated Employability and Career Development Officer together with a broad choice of work placement opportunities, employability events and careers talks. Details of graduate internship schemes with NGOs, charities and other professional organisations are made available to postgraduate students via the School’s Employability Blog.

Law graduates have gone on to careers in finance, international commerce, government and law or have joined, or started, an NGO or charity.

Kent has an excellent record for postgraduate employment: over 96% of our postgraduate students who graduated in 2014 found a job or further study opportunity within six months.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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About the course

The Brunel International Intellectual Property Law LLM (available full-time and part-time) is one of the most comprehensive programmes in the UK in the field of intellectual property.

The programme provides students with extensive knowledge on the fundamentals of intellectual property, as well as the opportunity to develop specialised skills through a wide range of elective modules, covering both policy and practical technology-related issues.

Intellectual property, especially at international level, is a fast-growing area of law largely due to the impact of technology. The widespread use of the Internet and other cross-border communications and commercial technologies has led to a comprehensive and complex legislative framework at international level (WTO, WIPO, EU). With the undisputed relevance of intellectual property in innovation and access to knowledge, the demand for structured study of the area has increased.

The LLM in International Intellectual Property Law keeps ahead of the 'curve' in thinking in this area, due to our highly active Intellectual Property research centre, which in addition to providing direction and support to students’ study, regularly hosts seminars and workshops, as well as international conferences.

The programme is available full-time:
September (12 months)
January (15 months, due to dissertation submission requirements)

And also part-time:
September (24 months)
January (27 months, due to dissertation submission requirements)

Aims

You will develop an expertise in the corpus and complexities of intellectual property law.

You will acquire critical and analytical skills in the complex field of intellectual property law.

You will be able to produce original research, apply knowledge and demonstrate practical and critical understanding

You will gain valuable professional skills required to develop a successful career.

You will be able to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the legislative framework at international level (WTO, WIPO, EU).

This Master's course is designed for graduates from anywhere in the world who wish to develop a specialist knowledge on intellectual property law and related areas.

Course Content

The LLM consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory modules:

Term I
Philosophical Foundations of IP 1

Term II
International Intellectual Property Law 1

PLUS, EITHER

Term I
Patent Law and Practice 1

OR

Term II
Trade Marks and Allied Rights 1

Optional modules:

Term I

EU Competition Law 2
Privacy and Data Protection 2
Media Law and Regulation 1 or 2
Internet Law I - Substantive Legal Issues 2
Patent Law and Practice 2 (if not taken as a compulsory module)
Trade Marks and Allied Rights 2 (if not taken as a compulsory module)

Term II

Internet Law II - Resolving Internet-related Legal Issues and Disputes 1 or 2
International Commercial Litigation 1 or 2
Copyright, Design and Allied Rights 1 or 2
Managing Intellectual Property 1 or 2

Term I and II
EU Intellectual Property Law 2

* The superscript 1 or 2 indicates which year of study each module will normally take place in for part-time students.

Teaching

The faculty places great emphasis on the creation of a unique learning experience.

In addition to attending seminars and preparing coursework and exams, students will also learn by participating in research centre activities and research trips, contributing to newsletters, making oral presentations, attending law film screenings as well as participating in debating events and reading group sessions. On average there are 16 hours of teaching per credit module, delivered through a combination of teaching methods.

This is a challenging programme that is at the forefront of thinking in International Intellectual Property Law. It is taught by leading academics with a wide range of expertise in internet law, copyright, patents and competition law.

Assessment

For each module you will be assessed twice, first by way of a written essay and then by way of a "seen" or "pre-release" examination, where the question paper is released a short time before the day of the exam.

Each assessment is worth 50% of the overall mark.

Special Features

Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University is a well-established area of teaching and research. It is highly rated for the quality of its staff publications, research projects and teaching standard.

Lecturers at the International Intellectual Property Law LLM include academics and practitioners with recognised expertise in all areas of intellectual property law.

Flexible start times and learning options
The course is available in full-time and part-time mode, with start dates in September and January. Students gain greater flexibility with this programme because Brunel Law School offers smaller 15 credit modules, which provides its students a range of options to tailor study and provide additional flexibility in study arrangements.

Research and Research Centres
The Law School benefits from active research centres which regularly host research seminars and workshops, as well as international conferences.
The Law School is equally particularly proud of its various events that are offered on Intellectual Property, there is a diverse programme which supports the learning of our students and LLM students will be expected to actively participate.
At Brunel Law School we believe that an active research community is important in providing postgraduate with the latest thinking in human rights. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework
(REF2014) we were ranked 14th in the UK for REF Intensity in Law.

Extra-curricular activities
The Law School offers students numerous opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities, including a Reading Group, a Law Film society, mooting and debating societies, research workshops, and study visits. All students are expected to play a leading role in participating in these activities.

Research skills
The Law School offers an elaborate scheme of research and writing skills sessions designed to facilitate students’ learning and to equip them with appropriate transferable skills.
Some of the modules in this programme also integrate skills training, for example on how to answer essay questions, make use of electronic legal databases and cite legal authorities.

Career Support
Students benefit from the University’s award winning Professional Development Centre which offers specialist workshops, interview skills, and one-to-one advice sessions to help prepare graduates for their chosen career.

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Overview

Intellectual Property Law has become an interdisciplinary field comprised of law, engineering, medical science, economics, and numerous other fields. The MSc in Management of Intellectual Property explores the foundations of this area of law with relation to patents, trade marks and the other core areas within this field.

This Masters of Science is primarily aimed at science and engineering graduates who wish to pursue a career as patent or trade mark attorneys, though it is also open to graduates from all academic backgrounds who wish to study Intellectual Property (IP) at postgraduate level.

There is continued need for expertise in intellectual property law and management in industry, commerce and the innovative and creative industries, and this MSc gives you the opportunity to study IP to a high level. The programme offers a professional stream (for science and technology graduates), and a business stream, available to graduates from all fields looking to expand their knowledge of the application and management of IP.

Professional stream
The professional stream is directed towards graduates (primarily sciences and other technical industries, but also from all other backgrounds) seeking qualification as patent and trade mark attorneys.

Business stream
Students on the business stream will gain profound knowledge of the law and its operation with a view to working in areas such as the press and media, the entertainment industry, the internet and software industries, or the luxury goods industries. Further sectors where knowledge in Intellectual Property and related areas is seen as a particular advantage include governments, international organisations, universities or non-governmental institutions.

This programme will:
◦Give you a choice of two streams to suit your background; a professional stream for science and engineering graduates, and a business stream for graduates of other disciplines.
◦Offer science and engineering graduates the opportunity to gain professional exemptions from Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA).

What is Intellectual Property (IP) law?

Intellectual Property Law has become an interdisciplinary field comprising law, engineering, medical science, economics, and numerous other fields. This programme teaches the foundations of this area of law with relation to patents, trademarks and the other core areas within this field.

Why study Intellectual Property law?

The MSc Management of Intellectual Property programme was developed as we recognised the increasingly important role of intellectual property in our modern economy. There is an emerging need in industry, in commerce and in those professions concerned with intellectual property law, for science and technology graduates who have studied intellectual property law to a high level. In industry, particularly in small and medium-sized firms involved in research and development, where there is no in-house lawyer or patent agent, there is often a need for an intermediary between the firms and the external lawyer or patent agent for example; or for an executive to handle the inward or outward licensing of technology, to negotiate research and development contracts (where ownership of intellectual property is usually central to the bargaining) or generally to have a basic knowledge of current developments in the field of business law (eg. contract law, product liability law) insofar as these may relate to the firm's present or future activities.

With the introduction of the new business stream we also offer a distinct avenue for graduates from all backgrounds to gain valuable knowledge of intellectual property.

Structure of the MSc in Management of Intellectual Property

Classes usually commence mid-September with examinations in May/June. Courses are taught during the day at Queen Mary University of London campuses and usually take place between 9.00am and 5.00pm.

There is an initial Basic English Law examination which takes place two weeks after the start of the programme. Students then select which stream they wish to undertake.

Compulsory modules:

◦Study project (45 credits)
◦Basic principles of English law, evidence and practice (non-credit bearing but all students must pass this module at the start of the programme)

All students require 180 credits in total.

Professional stream students have core modules plus one free choice half module of 22.5 credits. In addition to this, professional stream students also sit two additional papers to gain exemption from the foundation papers of CIPA and ITMA, both papers must be passed to gain the exemption for either institution.

Business stream students have a free choice of 135 credits (three full modules or six half modules, or a combination of the two.)

All students are required to study the core subject units: Patent law, Copyright and designs law, Law of trade marks and unfair competition, Competition law, and Basic principles of English law, evidence and practice in term one. Occasional additional second semester options may be available.

]]Modules:]]

Read the full module descriptions on the QMUL web site.

Modules which run annually:
◦The law of copyright and design I (Compulsory for Professional stream)
◦The law of patents I and II (Compulsory for Professional stream)
◦Trade mark law I and II (Compulsory for Professional Stream
◦Study Project (Core Module for all students)
◦The law of competition I
◦Media law
◦Trade mark law I
◦The law of patents I
◦Intellectual property in food, biotechnology and agriculture
◦Intellectual property in the United States.

Modules which may run but cannot be guaranteed:
◦Competition law and licensing I and II
◦The law of copyright and design I and I
◦Information technology law
◦Intellectual property transactions
◦Licensing practice.

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This programme provides an opportunity to develop an advanced knowledge of the law of the European Union, with particular emphasis upon its commercial aspects. If you are new to European law, there is a (compulsory) foundation course providing a solid grounding in the subject. Having completed your choice of taught modules, you will then undertake an extended dissertation on a European law topic of your choice, supervised by a member of staff with expertise in their chosen subject area.

Teaching is by a mixture of lectures and smaller, student-led, seminar or tutorial groups. The dissertation is pursued by independent research with individual supervision. Students attending the programme are drawn from a broad range of countries, and their previous academic or professional experiences enrich the programme

The School is host to the Durham European Law Institute, and you are encouraged to participate in its many activities. The Library, which includes a European Documentation Centre, has extensive holdings of European materials.

Course Structure

Students must study modules in Introduction to EU law, and Applied Research Methods in Law. You must also choose a number of additional taught modules, from a large body of optional modules. Finally, a dissertation must be completed, on a topic chosen by you in consultation with your allotted supervisor.

Core Modules

-Introduction to EU Law (unless you have previously studied such a module)
-Applied Research Methods in Law
-Dissertation (of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 words)

Optional Modules

Please note: not all modules necessarily run every year, and we regularly introduce new modules. The list below provides an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
-Advanced Issues in International Economic Law
-Advanced Issues in the Constitutional Law of the EU
-Advanced Issues of International Intellectual Property Law
-Advanced Law of Obligations
-Advanced Research in EU Law
-Carriage of Goods by Sea
-Commercial Fraud
-Comparative and Transnational Law
-Comparative Corporate Governance
-Comparative Insurance Law
-Comparative Private Law
-Corporate Compliance
-Corporate Social Responsibility
-Corporations in an EU Context
-Current Issues in Commercial Law
-Current Issues in Company Law
-Current Problems of International Law
-Domestic Anti-Discrimination Law
-Electronic Commerce
-Environment Law and International Trade
-EU Competition Law
-EU Trade Law
-European Discrimination Law
-Free Speech Problems in International and Comparative Perspective
-Fundamentals of International Law
-International and Comparative Advertising Law
-International and Comparative Corporate Insolvency Law
-International Banking Law
-International Commercial Dispute Resolution
-International Co-operation in Criminal Matters
-International Human Rights Law
-International Human Rights Law, Development and Commerce
-International Investment Law
-International Law of Human Rights
-International Perspectives on Law and Gender
-International Sales Law
-Introduction to Corporate Governance
-Introduction to Intellectual Property Law
-Introduction to International Criminal Justice
-Introduction to Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Introduction to the Law of Oil Contracts
-Islamic Law
-Law of the WTO
-Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Mergers and Acquisitions
-Perspectives on Securities Law and Capital Markets
-Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law
-Rights of the Child
-Selected Issues in Competition Law
-Selected Issues in European Law
-Selected Issues of Intellectual Property Law
-Takeover Regulation in the EU
-Tax Law and Policy
-The Community Legal Order
-The European Union and International Trade
-Unjust Enrichment

Learning and Teaching

This programme involves both taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. Taught modules are delivered by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Although most lectures do encourage student participation, they are used primarily to introduce chosen topics, identify relevant concepts, and introduce the student to the main debates and ideas relevant to the chosen topic. They give students a framework of knowledge that students can then develop, and reflect on, through their own reading and study.

Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. Students are expected to carry out reading prior to classes, and are usually set questions or problems to which to apply the knowledge they have developed. Through class discussion, or the presentation of student papers, students are given the opportunity to test and refine their knowledge and understanding, in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The number of contact hours in each module will reflect that module’s credit weighting. 15-credit modules will have, in total, 15 contact hours (of either lectures or seminars); 30-credit modules will have 30 contact hours. Students must accumulate, in total, between 90 and 120 credits of taught modules for the programme (depending upon the length of their dissertation).

In addition to their taught modules, all students must produce a dissertation of between 10,000 and 20,000 words. This is intended to be the product of the student’s own independent research. Each student is allocated a dissertation supervisor, and will have a series of (usually four) one-to-one meetings with their supervisor over the course of the academic year.

Finally, all taught postgraduate students on this programme, are encouraged to attend the various events, including guest lectures and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law, and Durham European Law Institute.

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The LLM in Intellectual Property Law programme allows students to study introductory and advanced intellectual property (IP) and technology law and to scrutinise the policies affecting intellectual property and technology law under the guidance of leading scholars in the field. Students will be able to study a wide range of topics from the protection of inventions, products, trade marks, creative works and designs to the global policy surrounding the law.


Modules:


To specialise in this area, you must select 90 credits of modules from this list and do your compulsory dissertation in the field of Intellectual Property Law (45 credits). The additional 45 credits of taught modules can be in this area or can be unrelated and therefore selected from the full list of LLM modules.

All modules are 22.5 credits unless otherwise stated.

Note: Not all of the modules listed will be available in any one year and semesters listed can be subject to change. Any modules not available in the forthcoming academic session will be marked as soon as this information is confirmed by teaching academics.

The updated module list below represents the result of our ongoing modularisation of the LLM which is intended to offer students greater flexibility and choice of module options.

◦ QLLM025 E-Commerce Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM076 Media Law (45 credits)
◦ QLLM095 Intellectual Property and the Creative Industries (45 credits)
◦ QLLM145 Intellectual Property in Business (45 credits)
◦ QLLM162 Intellectual Property Taxation (Sem 2)
◦ QLLM178 Competition Law, Intellectual Property and Innovation (45 credits)
◦ QLLM308 Civil Enforcement of Intellectual Property (Sem 1) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM309 Criminal Enforcement of Intellectual Property (Sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM314 Transnational Law and Governance (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM315 Transnational Law and Governance in Practice (Sem 2)
◦ QLLM328 Digital Intellectual Property Law (sem 1)
◦ QLLM329 Informational Technology Transactions (sem 2)
◦ QLLM330 Comparative Copyright Law (sem 1)
◦ QLLM331 International Copyright: International Treaties and Cross-Border Litigation (sem 1)
◦ QLLM332 Comparative Law of Patents and Trade Secrets (sem 1)
◦ QLLM333 International Law of Patents and Related Rights (sem 2)
◦ QLLM334 Licensing Intellectual Property (sem 1)
◦ QLLM335 Intellectual Property and Fashion: Art and Design (sem 1)
◦ QLLM336 Intellectual Property and Fashion: Business and Law (Sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM337 Design and Intellectual Property: EU and US
◦ QLLM338 International and Comparative Law of Unfair Competition (sem 1)
◦ QLLM339 The Law of Registered Trade Marks (sem 2)
◦ QLLM340 Global Intellectual Property: Fundamental Principles (Sem 1)
◦ QLLM341 Global Intellectual Property: Technology and Policy (sem 2)
◦ QLLM342 Interactive Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law (sem 1)
◦ QLLM343 Interactive Entertainment Law: Contracts and Regulation (sem 2)
◦ QLLM344 The Law of Film (sem 1)
◦ QLLM345 The Business of Film (Sem 2) (Not running 2016-17)
◦ QLLM346 EU Copyright Law (sem 2)
◦ QLLM347 The Law of Geographical Indications (GIs) (sem 2)
◦ QLLM348 Music Industry Contracts (sem 2)
◦ QLLM349 Transnational Mooting (sem 1)
◦ QLLM389 Copyright and Trademark in China (sem 1)
◦ QLLM390 Patent and Design in China (sem 2)
◦ QLLM400 United States Energy Law, Regulation and Policy (sem 1)

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This programme offers students from a wide variety of backgrounds the opportunity to develop their legal knowledge and skills in some of the most intellectually challenging and practically relevant areas of trade and commercial law. The course has a particular emphasis upon the international aspects of these areas of legal knowledge and practice.

During the first two terms of the programme, students study taught modules drawn from a wide variety of topics on international trade and commercial law. Students then complete their studies by writing a dissertation on a topic chosen by them, and supervised by a member of staff with expertise in their selected subject area. Teaching is by a mixture of lectures and smaller, student-led, seminar or tutorial groups. The dissertation is pursued by independent research with individual supervision.

Students attending the programme are drawn from a broad range of countries, and their previous academic or professional experiences enrich the programme. The School is host to the Institute of Commercial and Corporate Law, and students on the LLM are encouraged to participate in its activities.

Course Structure

Students must study one compulsory module in Applied Research Methods in Law. You must also choose a number of additional taught modules, from a large body of optional modules. Finally, a dissertation must be completed, on a topic chosen by you in consultation with your allotted supervisor.

Core Modules

-Applied Research Methods in Law
-Dissertation (of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 words)

Optional Modules

Please note: not all modules necessarily run every year, and we regularly introduce new modules. The list below provides an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
-Advanced Issues in International Economic Law
-Advanced Issues in the Constitutional Law of the EU
-Advanced Issues of International Intellectual Property Law
-Advanced Law of Obligations
-Advanced Research in EU Law
-Carriage of Goods by Sea
-Commercial Fraud
-Comparative and Transnational Law
-Comparative Corporate Governance
-Comparative Insurance Law
-Comparative Private Law
-Corporate Compliance
-Corporate Social Responsibility
-Corporations in an EU Context
-Current Issues in Commercial Law
-Current Issues in Company Law
-Current Problems of International Law
-Domestic Anti-Discrimination Law
-Electronic Commerce
-Environement Law and International Trade
-EU Competition Law
-EU Trade Law
-European Discrimination Law
-Free Speech Problems in International and Comparative Perspective
-Fundamentals of International Law
-International and Comparative Advertising Law
-International and Comparative Corporate Insolvency Law
-International Banking Law
-International Commercial Dispute Resolution
-International Co-operation in Criminal Matters
-International Human Rights Law
-International Human Rights Law, Development and Commerce
-International Investment Law
-International Law of Human Rights
-International Perspectives on Law and Gender
-International Sales Law
-Introduction to Corporate Governance
-Introduction to EU Law
-Introduction to Intellectual Property Law
-Introduction to International Criminal Justice
-Introduction to Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Introduction to the Law of Oil Contracts
-Islamic Law
-Law of the WTO
-Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Mergers and Acquisitions
-Perspectives on Securities Law and Capital Markets
-Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law
-Rights of the Child
-Selected Issues in Competition Law
-Selected Issues in European Law
-Selected Issues of Intellectual Property Law
-Takeover Regulation in the EU
-Tax Law and Policy
-The Community Legal Order
-The European Union and International Trade
-Unjust Enrichment

Learning and Teaching

This programme involves both taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. Taught modules are delivered by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Although most lectures do encourage student participation, they are used primarily to introduce chosen topics, identify relevant concepts, and introduce the student to the main debates and ideas relevant to the chosen topic. They give students a framework of knowledge that students can then develop, and reflect on, through their own reading and study.

Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. Students are expected to carry out reading prior to classes, and are usually set questions or problems to which to apply the knowledge they have developed. Through class discussion, or the presentation of student papers, students are given the opportunity to test and refine their knowledge and understanding, in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The number of contact hours in each module will reflect that module’s credit weighting. 15-credit modules will have, in total, 15 contact hours (of either lectures or seminars); 30-credit modules will have 30 contact hours. Students must accumulate, in total, between 90 and 120 credits of taught modules for the programme (depending upon the length of their dissertation). In addition to their taught modules, all students must produce a dissertation of between 10,000 and 20,000 words. This is intended to be the product of the student’s own independent research. Each student is allocated a dissertation supervisor, and will have a series of (usually four) one-to-one meetings with their supervisor over the course of the academic year.

Finally, all taught postgraduate students on this programme, are encouraged to attend the various events, including guest lectures and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law, and Durham European Law Institute.

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Studying an LLM Master of Laws offers unrivalled academic stimulation, the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the law and specialise your knowledge in a particular area, and improved career prospects at the highest level whether that be in practice or academia.

The Exeter LLM is a substantive, rigorous, and genuinely flexible programme of postgraduate study designed for the most ambitious and capable students. Delivered by some of the biggest names in legal research, our LLM allows you to create a bespoke programme of learning addressing your specific academic and professional needs, readying you to fulfil your career ambitions or for doctoral study.

Our faculty is able to teach and supervise an extensive range of international subjects, with particular specialities inspired by our renowned research in the areas of Commercial Law, Public Law, Human Rights Law, and Family Law.

Specialist Pathways

Students can obtain a specialised LLM. Specialisms include International Commercial Law, European Law, Maritime Law, Intellectual Property Law, Insurance Law, International Human Rights Law, and International Law, Conflict and Security.

International Commercial Law

The LLM in International Commercial Law provides a wide range of options. Students may focus on banking and financial law, corporate law or general commercial law. Exeter’s strong links with the legal profession’s top global firms and employers make this LLM a particularly attractive one for students who are looking to go into private practice or to work in banks or financial institutions. This LLM is also an ideal preparation for a career in international business as it covers areas of expertise required to succeed in senior positions in international trading companies. Internships in Europe and further afield, are often advertised to participants in this course, especially those with hard-to-find linguistic or other skills. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/commercial

European Law

This specialism is designed to give students the opportunity to study the constitutional issues which arise from the concept of the European Union, including law making and the relationship between the EU and Member States.

We provide modules which examine the substantive law of the EU and the way in which that law has been implemented in English law. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/european

Maritime Law

The LLM in Maritime Law is designed specifically for students who wish to study shipping and international trade law in detail.

The modules are particularly suited to students who intend to pursue careers in chartering, trade and marine insurance (including Protection and Indemnity Clubs).

English law is widely adopted in other jurisdictions, so a study of English law is particularly important. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/maritime

Intellectual Property Law

The LLM in Intellectual Property allows students to study in depth the substantive areas of law which make up intellectual property such as competition law, copyright, trade mark law, patents and consumer protection.

Much of the law is derived from EU measures, and the modules are taught from both a domestic and EU perspective. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/property

International Human Rights Law

This specialism has been specifically developed to allow you to construct a programme appropriate to private practice or public employment in the field of international human rights law.

http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/humanrights

Insurance Law

Insurance is a key part of commercial law and practice but it is only researched and taught at a few universities. This pathway will allow you to construct a programme that will equip you with the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed to gain a thorough understanding of insurance law, practice and regulation.

The programme is designed for those with a special interest in the wide field of insurance law. While the precise modules available may vary from year to year, typical examples modules for the pathway might include general principles of insurance, consumer insurance, marine insurance, reinsurance, EU motor insurance and financial regulations. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/insurance

International Law, Conflict and Security

Designed with the needs of practitioners in mind, the programme will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of international conflict and security law, including the rules relating to the conduct of hostilities, peacetime military deployments, cyber operations and post-conflict governance. Consistent with its hands-on approach, the LLM will develop your professional and personal skills, including through a simulated command post exercise that will test your knowledge and aptitude in a practical setting. http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/law/masteroflaws/internationalconflictsecurity

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The dynamic world of intellectual property and communications law is a fast changing specialist field.

Our Master of Intellectual Property and Communications Law can assist you to advance your expertise in this dynamic area. You will gain in-depth knowledge of recent developments, including the laws and regulatory frameworks applicable. We are one of the most prestigious law schools in Australia, and teach units accredited by the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys to satisfy the knowledge requirements for registration as a Patent Attorney or Trade Marks Attorney.

This one-year course is designed for non-law graduates and is offered at our Monash University Law Chambers in the heart of the legal district of Melbourne. Our course provides you with the flexibility to choose a program of study to suit your interests, skills and professional goals. Full-time or part-time study options allow you to continue to work as well as meet your personal commitments.

The course offers choice from a broad range of intellectual property, communications law areas, or you can select from across the range of Master's law elective units. Our specialist units cover areas such as copyright, international trade law, competition law, law of the Internet, and cybercrime—to name a few. You will gain a thorough theoretical and practical grounding in the laws regulating intellectual property regimes and the broader fields of communications and technology, and develop the advanced professional skills and specialist knowledge required for work in this complex and dynamic field.

You will investigate contemporary issues in law, practice and scholarship, and evaluate complex issues relevant to the field from theoretical, international and interdisciplinary perspectives. The course also enhances your capacity to undertake independent research, and includes options for a pathway to doctoral studies.

Visit the website http://www.study.monash/courses/find-a-course/2016/intellectual-property-and-communications-law-l6003?domestic=true

Course Structure

The course is structured in two parts. Part A: Intellectual property and communications law knowledge and Part B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research.

PART A: Intellectual Property and communications law knowledge
These studies enable you to develop specialised knowledge and advanced skills in areas of Intellectual property and communications law that suit your interests, skills and career goals.

PART B: Extending specialist knowledge electives and research
These studies will provide you with in-depth knowledge of a wide range of areas of intellectual property and communications law or you can select from across the range of Masters law elective units. You will focus on sources of information relevant to intellectual property and communications law and the application of research methods and specialist discipline knowledge and skills necessary to support work in this field. Depending on your interests and motivation, you can choose a program of study in which you plan and execute a major research-based project with a high level of personal autonomy and accountability.

For more information visit the faculty website - http://www.study.monash/media/links/faculty-websites/law

Faculty of Law

- Who we are

Monash Law is one of the largest and most prestigious law schools in Australia. We have a broad teaching base, strong international links and offer our students a variety of experiential learning opportunities. We are proud to offer a range of Undergraduate, Masters and Research degrees and provide legal education and training to over 3500 undergraduate and postgraduate students at any one time.

- Study with us

Studying a Law degree with Monash, your qualification will be internationally recognised as one of the world's best. We have a long established reputation as one of Australia's leading law schools and are a member of the prestigious Group of Eight universities, recognised globally for excellence in research, teaching and scholarship.

When you commence your Law degree with us, you commence your study of Law from day one. You can gain tangible, real legal experience in our two Clinical Legal Education Centres or undertake an international law program in Italy and Malaysia. Whatever your choice, a Law degree from Monash equips you with practical and transferable skills that you can take to your future career.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.study.monash/courses/find-a-course/2016/intellectual-property-and-communications-law-l6003?domestic=true#making-the-application

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This programme gives you the widest choice of modules. Modules can be selected from those available for students studying in International Trade and Commercial Law, and European Trade and Commercial Law, as well as in areas falling outside those commercial law subjects, such as in International Co-operation in Criminal Law, or International Human Rights.

Having completed your taught modules, you will undertake an extended dissertation of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 words in length, under the supervision of a member of staff who is an expert in your chosen field of research. Teaching is by a mixture of lectures and smaller, student-led, seminars or tutorial groups. The dissertation is pursued by independent research.

Students attending the programme are drawn from a broad range of countries, and their previous academic or professional experiences enrich the programme. The Law School hosts a number of research centres, including the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law, the Durham European Law Institute, the Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice and the Human Rights Centre. Students are encouraged to participate in all their activities.

Course Structure

Students must study one compulsory module in Applied Research Methods in Law. You must also choose a number of additional taught modules, from a large body of optional modules. Finally, a dissertation must be completed, on a topic chosen by you in consultation with your allotted supervisor.

Core Modules

-Applied Research Methods in Law
-Dissertation (of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 words)

Optional Modules

Please note: not all modules necessarily run every year, and we regularly introduce new modules. The list below provides an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
-Advanced Issues in International Economic Law
-Advanced Issues in the Constitutional Law of the EU
-Advanced Issues of International Intellectual Property Law
-Advanced Law of Obligations
-Advanced Research in EU Law
-Carriage of Goods by Sea
-Commercial Fraud
-Comparative and Transnational Law
-Comparative Corporate Governance
-Comparative Insurance Law
-Comparative Private Law
-Corporate Compliance
-Corporate Social Responsibility
-Corporations in an EU Context
-Current Issues in Commercial Law
-Current Issues in Company Law
-Current Problems of International Law
-Domestic Anti-Discrimination Law
-Electronic Commerce
-Environment Law and International Trade
-EU Competition Law
-EU Trade Law
-European Discrimination Law
-Free Speech Problems in International and Comparative Perspective
-Fundamentals of International Law
-International and Comparative Advertising Law
-International and Comparative Corporate Insolvency Law
-International Banking Law
-International Commercial Dispute Resolution
-International Co-operation in Criminal Matters
-International Human Rights Law
-International Human Rights Law, Development and Commerce
-International Investment Law
-International Law of Human Rights
-International Perspectives on Law and Gender
-International Sales Law
-Introduction to Corporate Governance
-Introduction to EU Law
-Introduction to Intellectual Property Law
-Introduction to International Criminal Justice
-Introduction to Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Introduction to the Law of Oil Contracts
-Islamic Law
-Law of the WTO
-Media Freedom under the Human Rights Act
-Mergers and Acquisitions
-Perspectives on Securities Law and Capital Markets
-Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law
-Rights of the Child
-Selected Issues in Competition Law
-Selected Issues in European Law
-Selected Issues of Intellectual Property Law
-Takeover Regulation in the EU
-Tax Law and Policy
-The Community Legal Order
-The European Union and International Trade
-Unjust Enrichment

Learning and Teaching

This programme involves both taught modules and a substantial dissertation component. Taught modules are delivered by a mixture of lectures and seminars. Although most lectures do encourage student participation, they are used primarily to introduce chosen topics, identify relevant concepts, and introduce the student to the main debates and ideas relevant to the chosen topic. They give students a framework of knowledge that students can then develop, and reflect on, through their own reading and study.

Seminars are smaller-sized, student-led classes. Students are expected to carry out reading prior to classes, and are usually set questions or problems to which to apply the knowledge they have developed. Through class discussion, or the presentation of student papers, students are given the opportunity to test and refine their knowledge and understanding, in a relaxed and supportive environment.

The number of contact hours in each module will reflect that module’s credit weighting. 15-credit modules will have, in total, 15 contact hours (of either lectures or seminars); 30-credit modules will have 30 contact hours. Students must accumulate, in total, between 90 and 120 credits of taught modules for the programme (depending upon the length of their dissertation). In addition to their taught modules, all students must produce a dissertation of between 10,000 and 20,000 words. This is intended to be the product of the student’s own independent research. Each student is allocated a dissertation supervisor, and will have a series of (usually four) one-to-one meetings with their supervisor over the course of the academic year.

Finally, all taught postgraduate students on this programme, are encouraged to attend the various events, including guest lectures and seminars, organised through the School’s research centres, including the Institute for Commercial and Corporate Law, and Durham European Law Institute.

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This programme will give you specialist and in-depth knowledge of increasingly important and fastmoving areas of law. By dealing with intellectual property and information technology law together, you will obtain a deeper understanding of the interrelationship between these topics.

See the website http://www.ucd.ie/law/graduateprogrammes/llminipanditlaw/

Your studies

Modules available on this programme include: Patent Law; Trade Mark Law; Principles of Copyright Law; Innovation Law and Policy; Information Technology Law; Media Regulation; Online Regulation; and, a general Intellectual Property Law course. You will also have an opportunity to complete modules from other UCD Graduate Schools. You will complete a supervised dissertation and will have international exchange opportunities during the programme.

On completion of this programme, students will be able:
- to understand and think critically about various facets of Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law and their inter-relationship;
- to apply their knowledge and understanding of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law to real and hypothetical factual situations; and,
- to conduct independent research and write coherent, well-structured papers.

Studying abroad

The School affords its students the opportunity to spend a semester abroad as part of the Comparative, International and European Law (CIEL) Graduate exchange programme with our partner Universities in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. Students participating in the programme will have their dissertations jointly supervised by staff in UCD and in the institution which they are visiting. Successful completion of the semester abroad will lead to the award of a Certificate in Comparative, International and European Law.

Your future

This programme will allow you the opportunity to receive the knowledge, skills, and capacity required to work in the area of intellectual property and information technology law. You will be enabled to work domestically or internationally, as a practising lawyer, in house legal adviser, policy maker or researcher.

Features

The Sutherland School of Law offers a wide range of modules for the Masters programmes. Modules of especial interest to those undertaking this programme include:

- Digital Investigations and the Law deals with the legal framework governing the activities of persons involved in Information Technology security and forensics, for example, the role of digital evidence in litigation.

- Innovation Policy and the Law explores the relationship between law and innovation theory and policy considering a variety of important issues attendant upon this relationship such as the economics of IP law and the WIPO development agenda..

- Online Regulation considers the legal, regulatory and technical framework within which internet activities take place and examines how particular areas fit within that framework.. It will also examine the growth in technological responses which may bypass the legal system.

- Patent Law covers issue such as novelty and inventive step; industrial application and excluding subject matter; construction and infringement; transactions in patents, including compulsory licences; and, patent prosecution at the European Patent Office.

CIEL

Any student admitted to an LLM programme in the Law School also can apply on a competitive basis to spend their second semester at one of our sister Law Schools:
- University of Antwerp
- Maastricht University
- The University of Mannhein
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
- Universite de Toulouse 1 – Capitole

Students must score 6.5 in IELTS or 90 in the internet TOEFL exams in the relevant language of instruction (English, French or German). Spaces are allocated on a competitive basis. Students who are accepted onto this programme graduate with an LLM and are awarded a certificate in International and Comparative Law (CIEL).

Careers

The aim of this programme is to equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and capacity to work in the area of information technology and intellectual property law, whether domestically or internationally, as a practising lawyer, in-house legal adviser, policy maker or researcher.

We have an excellent Careers Development Centre here at UCD, designed to help you with information regarding future employment or studies. UCD hold a number of graduate events throughout the year including a dedicated law fair at which at which many of the big Law firms will be in attendance. The School of Law has a dedicated careers advisor on it’s Academic staff, Dr. Oonagh Breen, and a staff member from the careers office will be in attendance at the School of law on a number of occasions throughout the academic year. To see the full range of services offered by the careers office go to http://www.ucd.ie/careers/

See the website http://www.ucd.ie/law/graduateprogrammes/llminipanditlaw/

Find out how to apply here http://www.ucd.ie/law/graduateprogrammes/llminipanditlaw/apply,80083,en.html

Scholarships

The University and UCD Sutherland School of Law have a list of scholarships that are open to Irish, EU and International applicants.
For further information please see http://www.ucd.ie/scholarships
International students may wish to visit: http://www.ucd.ie/international

Why you should choose UCD

In the state-of-the-art UCD Sutherland School of Law, graduate students engage in advanced study with internationally renowned specialists to develop the transformative potential of law.

The School is ranked by the authoritative QS World University Rankings as Ireland's number one law school and amongst the world's 100 leading law schools. Students benefit from the School’s strong links with university partners; businesses; NGOs; and, domestic, EU and international governments.
We place particular emphasis on the quality and breadth of our graduate programmes across Diploma, Masters and Doctoral levels. Our graduate degrees are available on a full-time or part-time basis, beginning in either January or September.
We also offer part-time Diploma programmes and single subject certificates with the possibility of securing CPD points and building study up to achieve diploma or masters awards.

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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.

You’ll benefit from the expertise of leading academics in a stimulating research environment. Our research groups include:

• Law & Emerging Technologies (LET) Research Group
• Centre for Business Law and Practice (CBLP)
• Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (CCJS)
• Centre for Law & Social Justice(LSJ)

Course content

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.

If you study with us, you’ll also benefit from our academic skills programme. This 10-week programme runs alongside your taught academic programme, and is specifically designed to meet the needs of home and international students in the School of Law. It allows you to refine and develop the academic and transferable skills to excel during your taught postgraduate programmes, as well as prepare for professional roles after graduation.

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

As a part-time student, you’ll take four compulsory modules in your first year and two optional modules. In your second year, you’ll carry out your dissertation and study two optional modules.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Postgraduate Legal Research Skills 15 credits
• Trade Marks, Geographical Indications, Designs and Trade Secrets 15 credits
• Patent Law 15 credits
• Copyright Law 15 credits
• Dissertation 60 credits

Optional modules

• Cyberlaw: Regulation of Cyberspace 15 credits
• International E-Commerce Law 15 credits
• Intellectual Property Management 15 credits
• Digital Environment: Law, Technologies & Human Rights 15 credits
• Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property: Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expressions 15 credits
• Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property: Health, Food and Biotechnology 15 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Intellectual Property Law LLM Full Time in the course catalogue

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.

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.

Careers support

The School of Law offers career and personal development support through the School of Law Careers Advisor. The School also arranges career development workshops, seminars and one-to-one sessions for students on all postgraduate programmes.

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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This programme is designed to equip students with a comprehensive and specialist education in a range of areas within International Intellectual Property Law. The course will enable students to master the basic principles of the four main ‘pillars’ of IP Law, namely, Copyright, Patents, Trade marks and Industrial Designs. The four main components of IP Law will be examined from three distinct perspectives: domestic (UK), EU and International (global treaties/conventions) and will encompass analysis of legislation, case law (common law and civil law) and specific legal concepts. Where possible, comparative analysis will be carried out as between for example, specific EU IP Law developments and those of third country States e.g. India, Pakistan and China. In addition, certain third countries with well-developed, mature IP systems (e.g. the U.S., Canada and Australia) will be examined for a comparative assessment. The distinct themes of how the Internet has brought about new thinking in the IP world and, possible overlapping forms of IP protection (e.g. copyright and patent protection of computer software) will be examined.

Through carefully designed course work and varied teaching approaches, students from both a common law and civil law background will acquire the intellectual open-ness, technical expertise and critical thinking abilities that are necessary for effectiveness in a globalising world. The programme will equip students to respond effectively to the wide range of intellectual and professional challenges facing contemporary intellectual property lawyers. The LLM in International Intellectual Property Law will equip them to deal with both case work and policy making.

Employment Opportunities
Employment opportunities for graduates of the programme will include work with international law firms, patent and trade mark attorneys, local Intellectual Property Offices (e.g. the UK Intellectual Property Office, Chinese Patent and Trade Mark Office and the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in India),international organisations such as the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations and specialist bodies within the EU e.g. the Office for the Harmonisation of the Internal Market (OHIM) and the European Patent Office (EPO). Directorate-General Internal Market and Services of the European Commission deals with IP matters and is also a potential employer. Other potential employers include international courts and tribunals, think tanks and research centres (e.g. the specialist Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property and Competition Law (Munich), non-governmental organisations and government (eg. Ministries of Justice; Business, Innovation and Skills and; Foreign Affairs). Having taken one of our programmes, there will, of course, also be possibilities for academically inclined students to pursue careers in teaching and research.

Compulsory Modules:

Legal Research Methods
Intellectual Property Law
Data Protection Law
Dissertation on any topic within International Intellectual Property Law
Optional Modules (choose 4)

International Criminal Law
International Human Rights Law
Children’s Rights in Domestic and International Law
European Human Rights Law
EU Internal Markets Law
Competition Law
Global Trade Law
Comparative Corporate Governance
International Banking Law
International Commercial Arbitration
International Law of Armed Conflict
Dealing with the Legacies of the Past
Structure
January intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of January to June and September to January and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.

September intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of September to June and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.

Teaching will mostly be seminar-based which will promote group and individual interaction, which also ensures that every individual student is encouraged to contribute to discussions. Seminar-based teaching enables lecturers and students to discuss issues and investigate topics in greater depth, and develops critical thinking and solution-based learning skills in students; whilst also allowing the course teachers to monitor closely each individual’s progress. Emphasis will be placed on the use of virtual learning through the mechanism of the Blackboard computer-assisted learning system and databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis. Throughout all modules, comparative elements with other legal systems will be emphasised.

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The international masters in Law and Technology offers students the chance to develop cutting-edge and interdisciplinary expertise within the burgeoning field of technology regulation.

Strongly multidisciplinary and incorporating both European and international law, the masters in Law & Technology offers you the chance to develop both multidisciplinary knowledge and an area of specialised expertise within the field of Law and Technology - giving you more options to pursue the career of your choice.

The program is closely affiliated with the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology and Society (TILT), an institute consistently ranked amongst the top in Europe for both research and education by the Legal Research and Education Assessment Committees. The masters in Law and Technology is consistently rated one of the best international masters program within Tilburg Law School.

Learning is informal, highly interactive and closely connected to professional practice, with lawyers from international offices systematically involved in the lectures. Students also have the opportunity to take part in internships during their studies.

Program Law and Technology

The masters in Law and Technology offers education in close relation to innovative research in the field of Law & Technology. It gives students the opportunity to develop their own specialized area of expertise within the field of Law & Technology.

Legal+

The masters in Law & Technology equips you with the multidisciplinary knowledge essential for responding to the possibilities and risks presented by new technologies. Content covers regulatory issues in the public and private spheres, as well as subjects such as comparative law, jurisprudence, ethics and public administration, in addition to traditional legal doctrine. Students develop a broad, contextual awareness of additional modalities of regulation such as social morality and economic self-arrangement.

Specialization

The Law and Technology program offers you the opportunity to develop a specialization in a particular subject area thanks to a curriculum that covers everything from intellectual property law to biotechnology or ICT. You can focus on traditional legal areas such as private law or European law, or develop a broader overview that combines, for example, private law, criminal law and human rights law.

International perspective

Technological developments generally cross borders, with the Internet perhaps the most obvious example. While internationalization offers opportunities and possibilities, it also gives rise to a host of issues from a regulatory perspective. The Law and Technology masters ensures you are well-prepared to operate in an international context by continuously applying an international perspective to the issues at hand.

No background in science or technology required

Prospective students do not require background knowledge in technology or science. Of more importance is your affinity with the social aspects of technology. Students with backgrounds in areas other than law can apply if at least 90 ECTS of the courses in their bachelors were similar to those of the bachelors at Tilburg Law School. A premaster program (currently only in Dutch) is available for students who do not meet this criteria.

Interactive and close-knit learning environment

Learning in the Law and Technology masters is interactive, informal and cross-cultural. You join an international student body, within which students regularly work in international teams, participate in discussions and present their ideas on legal concepts and issues. Students are strongly encouraged to interact with their TILT lecturers, made possible by numerous extracurricular events such as seminars and workshops.

Good practical training opportunities

TILT has excellent contacts with government and semi-government agencies, companies, and law firms. TILT is frequently approached by these professional bodies about practical training opportunities and internships and, together with students, actively endeavors to find appropriate trainee projects for students. You will be taught how to write web policies, position papers, and policy documents as preparation for your future career.

Education coupled with pioneering research

Students learn from scholars from the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology and Society (TILT) - scientists engaged in innovative research recognized at a national as well as international level. These scholars come together from diverse disciplines including private law, public law, criminal law, international law and human rights, ICT law, social and political studies amongst others. Education is interlaced with academic insights from these new research lines. When possible, TILT actively involves students in its research projects.

Challenging and creative

We encourage Law and Technology students to develop and substantiate their own opinions and ideas on the content presented. Within the program, teaching methods encourage critical debate and active participation.

Career Perspective Law and Technology

Legal experts in the field of law and technology are in high demand within many industries and sectors. Your area of specialization can also prepare you for more specific roles within the field.

A wide variety of future career paths are available to graduates of the masters in Law & Technology. You will be qualified to pursue a leading position as a consultant, researcher, policy-maker, or lawyer specialized in law and technology in various types of centers, including large international law firms, in-house legal departments of large firms, the civil service (including the EC civil service), and transnational organizations (both for-profit and non-profit).

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The LLM in International Commercial Law covers the core issues relevant to the resolution of commercial disputes together with contractual principles.

This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the area of corporate law with subjects specifically pertaining to e-commerce, intellectual property, contracts and more.

Why study International Commercial Law at Dundee?

The International Commercial modules that we offer will provide you with a detailed understanding of core issues relevant to the resolution of commercial disputes and an appreciation of contractual principles.

Central to this are the courses in International Business Transactions, Problems in International Commercial Litigation and International Dispute Resolution. These modules are complemented by the comparative contract law course, Principles of International Contract Law.

What's so good about International Commercial Law at Dundee?

In the Times Good University Guide 2012 Dundee Law School was placed 7th in the United Kingdom law school rankings, and we were ranked 1st in Scotland in the 2011 National Student Survey (NSS).

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise Dundee Law School was one of only two law schools in the United Kingdom to achieve a 100% international standard classification, with half of our submissions being graded internationally excellent or world leading. Our commitment on is to provide high quality instruction, with a focus on matters of practical relevance, to prepare students for a successful legal career, whether at home or abroad.
Postgraduate culture

Dundee Law School prides itself as being a friendly Law School where all members of staff are accessible and students are treated as individuals and valued members of our legal community.

We offer all new students an induction programme at the start of each semester, to ensure that all students have the necessary understanding of the UK and European legal systems as well as core principles of public and private law.

We seek to integrate all LLM students into the life of the Law School, and invite you to all guest lectures and seminars. We also have an annual reading party to a beautiful country house location, where you are joined by senior staff and can work on academic skills and dissertation preparation.

"Studying at Dundee University helped me develop my legal writing, speaking, and analytical skills and as a result to become a real specialist in the legal field."
Margarita Khegay, LLM 2009

Who should study this course?

This course is designed for individuals with a background in law, i.e. a good honours degree in law (acquired or anticipated to have by the expected start date), or in exceptional circumstances non-law graduates with a considerable amount of relevant legal experience.

This course has January and September start dates and can be taken part time and full time.

How you will be taught

Students are taught through a mix of lectures, seminar discussions and tutorials.

What you will study

Core modules

Principles of Corporate Law
Competition Law
Corporate Governance
International Taxation Law
Intellectual Property Law

Candidates for this programme must take at least two of the following modules:

International Business Transactions I
Principles of International E-Commerce
Principles of International Contract Law

Private International Law (Common Law Perspectives)
International Insolvency Law
International Dispute Resolution

How you will be assessed

Substantive modules: continuous assessment plus end of semester examinations in December and March/April. Compulsory dissertation: 12-15,000 words.

Careers

Dundee graduates have reached the highest levels of success in the profession as senior partners, Queen's Counsel, judges and front bench politicians.

We have close links with employers and we offer programmes to support and develop the employability of our students. Our good reputation throughout the profession and close links to employers help Dundee graduates find employment.

The Law School runs an annual Law Fair which attracts law firms and employers from around the UK and further afield. Law firms also regularly visit the law school on an individual basis for recruitment purposes.

While many students study law in order to qualify to practise, the skills acquired in a law degree are also attractive to many prospective employers in professions such as:

The Police
Banking
Journalism
Management
Civil service

Find out more about legal careers from our Careers Service.

"At present I do work at Deloitte TCF, LLP as a legal consultant in Tax and Legal Department. Our Department deals with clients from various professional fields: construction, telecommunications, energy resources and others. In future I ... hope to be able to draw on my good experience and skills from the School of Law of Dundee University and make my own contribution on the commercial issues in my country, on the development of International Commercial Law in Kazakhstan."
Margarita Khegay, LLM 2009

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