Law - Intellectual Property Law

Overview

The LLM in Intellectual Property Law is an innovative programme that offers a unique focus on the intersections between globalisation, creative industries, health and life sciences, new technological challenges, and fundamental rights in the field of intellectual property law. The programme will provide students with a general overview of IP law through three core modules and a flexible structure, which allows students to tailor their studies to their specific interests and career goals with three major tracks, including IP and global trade, IP and digital tech, global innovation and the public interest. The programme provides a global perspective on the legal issues involved in protecting and promoting intellectual property rights, as well as an in-depth exploration of the ways in which these rights intersect with technological challenges, competing fundamental rights, and the social function of IP.



Through a combination of coursework, seminars, and practical training opportunities, students in this programme will develop a deep understanding of the legal principles and issues involved in protecting and promoting intellectual property rights in a global context.



This programme is an excellent base for students who wish to find employment as in-house legal specialists in the high-tech, life-science and creative industries or as IP litigators, patent lawyers, trademark attorneys, or licensing executives, among other roles. Students may also work in the public sector, advising government agencies on intellectual property law matters or working for non-governmental and inter-governmental organisations focused on intellectual property issues. The broad understanding and the ability to think critically about the field that this programme is meant to provide can also be a great advantage for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree and a future academic career.



Course Structure

Students may enrol on a full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years) basis. Students must complete core modules (80 CATS points), optional modules (40 CATS points) and a research dissertation (60 CATS points).



The Masters is awarded to students who successfully complete all taught modules (120 CATS points) and a research dissertation (60 CATS points).

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.



Year 1

Core Modules

• Approaches to Legal Research (10 credits)

• Innovation & Creativity Clinic: Project Based Learning (10 credits)

• Dissertation (Intellectual Property Law) (60 credits)

• Intellectual Property and Creative Industries : Copyright, Designs and Trademarks (20 credits)

• Global IP Law, Trade and Technology (20 credits)

• Foundations of IP Law, Theory, Economics & Policy (20 credits)



Optional Modules

• Business and Human Rights (20 credits)

• Advanced International Trade Law and Policy (20 credits)

• Dissertation in Practice (60 credits)

• (Metaverse Law) Copyright, Trademarks & Immersive Technologies (10 credits)

• Platform Regulation:IP Enforcement & Content Moderation (10 credits)

• Artificial Intelligence and the Law (20 credits)

Graduate

Applicants with a primary Law degree: Normally a strong 2.2 Honours degree in Law (with a minimum of 55%) or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree in Law with less than 55% (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) along with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience may be considered.



Applicants with a primary degree in a relevant/cognate subject: Normally applicants with a 2:1 Honours degree or above (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in Social Sciences, Humanities, Life Science, Computer Science or a cognate discipline.



Applicants with a minimum of a 2:2 Honours degree (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) along with a minimum of 2 years relevant experience may be considered.



Exemption from these requirements may be considered for those applicants who hold a Master's degree in a relevant subject (or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.



Admission under Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) may be considered for this course. The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicy for more information.



International Students

Please see International Student's link below.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 29th August 2025.



In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal.



Notifications to this effect will appear on the application portal against the programme application page.

1 year (Full Time)

2 years (Part Time)



Contact Teaching Hours

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

8 (hours maximum)



In addition to 6-8 hrs of teaching per week , students should set aside 10-12 hours per module for reading and preparation to engage meaningfully in classroom discussions, group work and other forms of active engagement.

Entry Year: 2025/26

Career Prospects

Introduction

This employer focused programme places employability skills at the core of the student experience (including problem-based learning and leadership modules), introducing students to the interplay of and interfaces between IP law, creative industries, technological development and global public interest policy challenges.