Course overview
This course aims, through a treatment of laws relating to patents, trademarks, confidential information, copyright and other regimes, to examine the protection provided by the law in regard to ideas, inventions, information and other forms of creative effort. The course also aims to explore how the law deals with a particular problem, and how in solving that problem the law must balance interests and protect investment while taking into account the public welfare and technological developments. The course will explore the inter-relationship of the different regimes in the commercialisation or exploitation of intellectual property. Upon completion of the course, students will have a basic grounding in the law of the area, its limitations, policies and objectives, including the basic features of the various systems of protection.
Course learning outcomes
- Have developed a good knowledge of the great variety of intellectual property rights, as well as a comparison of their advantages and disadvantages
- Recognise that in solving these issues the law must balance interests and protect investment while taking into account the public welfare and technological developments
- Have a good understanding of the international context of the various IP regimes
- Be able to recognise and apply intellectual property issues raised in novel contexts and to develop a sustained original research project on an identified topic
- Understand the law relating to these issues and be able to identify and cite relevant primary sources of law (legislation, treaties and cases) and secondary sources (academic writing)
- Be able to demonstrate high level critical thinking and problem solving skills
- Be able to discuss legal and policy issues related to intellectual property with and make a presentation to a group