Intellectual property may be thought of as different forms of legal rights over creativity or innovation. Within Australia, the main forms of intellectual property protected, and the focus of this course, are statutory rights relating to Copyright, Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, as well as rights relating to confidentiality and unfair competition. Intellectual Property is also a major global concern, with complex interrelationships between the different forms of intellectual property, treaty law and the process of reform of those rights. In doing so, this course will provide opportunities for students to explore key policy themes: the globalisation of trade; the rise of information technology; the scientific revolutions in agriculture, medicine and biotechnology; the development of personality rights; enrichment of a Creative Commons; and the protection of traditional knowledge and culture.
Intellectual Property is an incredibly dynamic and controversial area of law. Being able to sift through the commentary and recent developments to gauge their effect is vital. This course will therefore also attempt to ensure students are equipped to understand and respond to changes in intellectual property and are able to contribute to the process of reform.
To develop their knowledge and skills, students will engage in a range of learning activities, including interactive seminars covering case studies, problem solving, discussion and debates, which give students the opportunity to develop their oral communication skills. The course is also designed to advance and develop research and writing skills.?
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critically reflect on legal issues across different domains of intellectual property and develop strategic and inclusive insights (in particular, Indigenous Peoples’ diverse perspectives) to advise businesses and communities on protecting their intellectual assets.
- Solve complex intellectual property problems by synthesising and evaluating principles of intellectual property law.
- Critically evaluate debates about cutting-edge IP issues and their potential impact on societies.
- Propose directions for legal and regulatory reforms at the societal, national and international levels.
- Plan and conduct intellectual property research and communicate findings in oral and/or written form.
Indicative Assessment
- The proposed means of assessment for this course will provide students with at least two pieces of assessment, including one piece during the semester. More information about the means of assessment, including the relationship between the assessment and the learning outcomes of the course, will be available in the Class Summary and on the course WATTLE page. (100) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
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Workload
- Classes offered in non-standard sessions will be taught on an intensive base with compulsory contact hours (approximately 26 hours of face to face teaching). The course will also require advanced preparation through assigned readings. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.
- Classes offered during semester periods are expected to have three contact hours per week. Students are generally expected to devote at least 10 hours overall per week to this course. In total, it is anticipated that the hours required for completion of this course (class preparation, teaching and completion of assessment) will not exceed 120 hours.
- Click here for the LLM Masters Program course list
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Alternatively, this information will be published in the Program course list when known.
Preliminary Reading
Students must rely on the approved Class Summary which will be posted to the Programs and Courses site approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 34
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $5280 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6720 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Summer Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1428 | 20 Jan 2025 | 07 Feb 2025 | 07 Feb 2025 | 28 Mar 2025 | Online | View |