Course description
The course focuses less on specific English legal issues and more generally on critical analysis, legal theory and background information.
This has been very useful for a broader understanding of the subject, especially as I will not be working in the UK.
Johannes Rost / Intellectual Property Law LLM Graduate
The LLM in Intellectual Property Law gives you an in-depth understanding of the law concerning intellectual property and patents in modern business.
Our experts take you through the economic, social and philosophical aspects of intellectual property law development and you will be encouraged to critically analyse the current legal framework.
You will gain advanced knowledge in intellectual property law and concomitant policy, and learn about national and international grant enforcement and defence of intellectual property rights on a multi-jurisdictional basis.
Aims
Our course aims are to develop your understanding of the law concerning intellectual property and patents in modern business.
With experts in intellectual property law, you examine the economic, social and philosophical aspects of IP law development, advancing your knowledge in intellectual property law and concomitant policy.
You will also learn about national and international grant, enforcement and defence of intellectual property rights on a multi-jurisdictional basis.
You will connect the wider profession to important industry sectors such as life sciences, healthcare, communications and information technology.
Special features
Our award-winning careers service offers you year-round dedicated postgraduate support including employability sessions, and advice for those aspiring to a PhD and career in academia.
Teaching and learning
We use various teaching methods across the course to enable you to participate in debate and hone the analytical and reasoning skills vital to legal and business professionals.
Coursework and assessment
Most course units are assessed by standard methods, either:
- one unseen written examination;
- one coursework essay;
- or a combination of these two methods of assessment.
The assessment method of each individual course unit is listed in the course unit description on the website.
The course has a compulsory research component, you will have to submit a 12,000 word dissertation (60 credits).
The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semesters one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills.
For specialised streams, your dissertation topic must be within those streams, for general LLM dissertation topics, your dissertation must be within one of your chosen course units.
Course unit details
You will be doing 180 credits in total, 120 of which will be taught course units and the remaining 60 credits in the form of a dissertation.
The LLM course typically offers around 30 different course units in any one year, and will always reflect a wide range of subjects across the legal spectrum.
There will usually be course units offered on diverse topics, such as:
- international trade and corporate law;
- financial services regulation;
- European law;
- international economic law;
- intellectual property law;
- human rights law;
- corporate governance;
- law and finance in emerging markets.
Course units are worth 15 or 30 credits each. You will be required to select course units to a total of 120 credits, so you will choose a minimum of four course units or, you may be able to choose a maximum of eight course units to make up your course of study. This involves taking one core course unit (International Financial Services Regulation) of 30 credit value, and the remaining 90 credits from an approved list of commercial law options.
The course has a compulsory 12,000 word dissertation (60 credits). The taught element of the degree course will total 120 credits and the research element will total 60 credits, you will study 180 credits for a full master's course. The dissertation must be within the area of one of the units you have chosen. The research element of the course is supported by weekly research methodology lectures delivered throughout semester one and two, designed to improve your legal writing and research skills.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Mark Law and Policy | LAWS70261 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Patent Law and Policy | LAWS70271 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Copyright Law and Policy | LAWS70292 | 30 | Mandatory |
| LL.M Dissertation | LAWS70990 | 60 | Mandatory |
| Academic Skills for Legal Studies | LAWS50000 | 0 | Optional |
| Postgraduate Competition Law in an International Context | LAWS60172 | 30 | Optional |
| The Principles and Practice of Corporate Governance | LAWS70362 | 30 | Optional |
| International Investment Law | LAWS72042 | 30 | Optional |
| International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Law | LAWS77082 | 30 | Optional |
Scholarships and bursaries
Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme:
The Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme offers a £3,000 reduction in tuition fees to University of Manchester alumni who achieved a first-class bachelor's degree and are progressing to a postgraduate taught master's course.
Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship:
The University of Manchester is proud to offer scholarship awards to exceptional international students commencing their postgraduate studies across subjects in its Faculty of Humanities from September 2022
Manchester Master's Bursary:
The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study and allocates 75 awards of £4,000 each year.
Postgraduate loans for master's students
If you're coming to Manchester this year to begin postgraduate study, you could qualify for a loan from the UK government.
For more information on our awards, see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
What our students say
Facilities
You will be supported by the first-class resources you would expect of a top law school.
In addition to the networked study spaces, you can access a specialist moot courtroom, enabling you to hone your debating skills in a realistic court setting.
There is also The University of Manchester Library , which houses a substantial collection of law books and periodicals, including texts to support all the degrees we offer.