Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 16 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Seminar | 3 x 1 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Exam | 1.5 Hours Exam Candidates are permitted to take an unmarked copy of Blackstones Statutes on Intellectual Property (any edition) into the examination. Unmarked material which is permitted to be taken into the examination must remain unmarked for the duration of the examination. NO Highlighting, underlining or post-it notes are permitted. | 100% |
| Supplementary Exam | 1.5 Hours Exam Candidates are permitted to take an unmarked copy of Blackstones Statutes on Intellectual Property (any edition) into the examination. Unmarked material which is permitted to be taken into the examination must remain unmarked for the duration of the examination. NO Highlighting, underlining or post-it notes are permitted. | 100% |
Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate an understanding of the way in which intellectual property is regulated by the law with particular reference to the policy issues behind any decisions to protect intellectual property or to consign it to the public domain. Students will acquire knowledge of the statutory provisions and case law relating to copyright, designs, patents and trade marks. From this basis students will develop the ability to critically evaluate the often conflicting interests of the creators, the rights owners and the users of intellectual property. In particular students will develop the ability to interpret and apply statutory provision to a range of situations. The module draws extensively on interpreting current legislation and as such enables the students to develop the ability to apply the substantive provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to practical situations.
In order to achieve the learning outcomes, the seminars and assessment method focus on the skills of problem solving and policy evaluation, plus the assessment and interpretation of source material and its practical application. A considerable amount of material relevant to the module is available electronically and therefore study of the module will also enhance students Information Technology skills particularly in terms of the use of electronic databases and the Internet.
Brief description
Intellectual property law looks at the legal protection of new ideas and new products. It is an area where law is constantly responding to technological change. Intellectual property is used by us all and operates in several layers, with rights and protection arising in a number of ways. For example, Coca Cola Co. has a trade secret in its formula for Coke and a multi-billion pound trade mark. They pay a considerable sum per day to the inventor of the ring pull on drinks cans for the use of his patent. Perhaps of less economic significance, but of no less importance in terms of intellectual property protection, students generate copyrights in all their written work and make constant use of the copyrights of others in books, journals, software, databases and the Internet.
Aims
Lectures, seminars and the assessment method for this module focus on the key skills of statutory interpretation and problem solving, ensuring that students recognise and understand the policies underpinning the law at the national, European and international levels. In doing this the module emphasises the importance of intellectual property protection to industries such as sound recording, film, television, publishing and software engineering, and the public interest in the free flow of information in the digital age.
Through the study of Intellectual Property law, students will be required to critically analyse and evaluate how effective the law is in securing a balance between the interests of the creators, the rights owners and the users of intellectual property.
Content
International and European framework and initiatives
National legislation: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Categories of Works
Criteria for Protection
Authorship
Duration of Copyright
Rights of the Copyright Owner
Exploitation of Rights
Infringement and Defences
Trade Marks - Registered and Unregistered
Designs - Registered and Unregistered
Patents
Novelty
Inventive step
Industrial application
European initiatives
Patentability of computer software
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6