LAW-20047 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2023/24

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

LAW-10039 (Legal Essentials)

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2023/24

Intellectual property law provides property rights in creations. These rights, by their very nature, are exclusionary - they allow the right holder to prevent others from enjoying their creation without the requisite permission. Over the past decades, these rights have expanded around the globe, where they have clashed with the desire to deliver social goods, particularly in developing countries. Intellectual property rights have the potential to limit access to medicines, prevent public health restrictions on tobacco and alcohol, and limit access to educational resources. This module explores the impact of the intellectual property system on these social goods.

Students who select this module will be introduced to the key aspects of intellectual property rights, and the global context in which they exist. Included within this will be discussions around the themes of: social goods; public health; the open science movement; access to education; Free Trade Agreements; the role of the international intellectual property system in governing trade.

This module aims to introduce students to:
the notion of intellectual property;
intellectual property law in the UK and the rights it guarantees;
the theories underpinning the existence of intellectual property rights; and
critical examination of the moral/ethical implications of such rights.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1
1
1

Study hours

11 x 2 hour workshops = 22 hours
Seminar preparation = 50 hours
Revision = 50 hours
Formative Assessment Prep = 28 hours

TOTAL = 150 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment