Intellectual Property Law LLM
Awards: LLM
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Intellectual Property Law
The LLM in IP Law has brilliant lecturers, wonderfully designed courses, stimulating 'intellectual' discussions, and students from all around the world.
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This programme is designed to equip you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of intellectual property law and policy within a domestic (UK), regional (European) and international setting.
It will facilitate learning of both substantive intellectual property law, and the place and role of intellectual property, not just in its legal context but also in its social, ethical, cultural and commercial contexts.
The core courses will cover substantive law on all major intellectual property rights including:
- patents
- copyright
- trademarks
- designs
- common law protection of intellectual property rights
Courses also provide a critical understanding of topical issues and a broad range of perspectives on intellectual property law, practice and policy.
You must complete 180 credits of study - 60 credits are taken in the compulsory dissertation and the remaining 120 credits are taken in taught courses (of which a minimum of 80 credits must be taken from a list of core courses in intellectual property).
Courses will be led by members of the Law School academic community, who are leaders in their field.
You are expected to prepare in advance by reading the required materials and by reflecting on the issues to be discussed.
For the dissertation you will have a supervisor from whom you can expect guidance and support, but the purpose of the dissertation is to allow you to independently design and conduct a piece of research and analysis.
Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
LLM | Intellectual Property Law | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2023/24 |
LLM | Intellectual Property Law | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2023/24 |
The subjects of the degree are intended to equip you with both an advanced knowledge of substantive intellectual property law and of the place and role of intellectual property within a domestic, regional and international context, laying a foundation for a specialised dissertation.
By the end of their studies for this degree, you will have acquired a high level of knowledge in the field of intellectual property law, a sophisticated awareness of the problems in the area and of the differing approaches to their solution.
Having studied the programme, you will emerge with an understanding of intellectual property law, not just in its legal but also social, ethical, cultural and commercial contexts.
During your study you will have access to the results of innovative cross-cutting research of the highest quality. The programme is suitable to prepare you for advanced research.
This programme provides excellent preparation for anyone seeking to work in intellectual property in a legal, business, industry, policy or academic setting, or who wishes to advance their knowledge in the field.
Recent graduates have entered legal practice as specialists in intellectual property law, and are also working in a range of areas such as the creative industries, information technology and life sciences.
These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in law.
We may also consider candidates with a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a non-law subject if they can demonstrate prior high-level study or experience of intellectual property topics.
Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.
Supporting your application
Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.
Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.
Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.
Students from China
This degree is Band B.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 70 in writing and 62 in all other components.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Deposit
If you receive an unconditional offer of admission, you will be asked to pay a deposit of £1,500 within 28 days or by the start of the orientation period, whichever is sooner, to secure your place on the programme.
Find out more about tuition fee deposits:
Living costs
You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.
Tuition fees
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
LLM | Intellectual Property Law | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
LLM | Intellectual Property Law | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 2386
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
- Old College
- South Bridge
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9YL
- Programme: Intellectual Property Law
- School: Law
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
LLM Intellectual Property Law - 1 Year (Full-time)
LLM Intellectual Property Law - 2 Years (Part-time)
Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.
Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2023/24:
Round | Application deadline | Places awarded by |
---|---|---|
1 | 07 December 2022 | 23 January 2023 |
2 | 06 February 2023 | 22 March 2023 |
3 | 31 March 2023 | 05 May 2023 |
4 | 01 May 2023 | 12 June 2023 |
5 | 30 June 2023 | 25 July 2023 |
Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2023.
You must submit one reference with your application.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 2386
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Edinburgh Law School Postgraduate Office
- Old College
- South Bridge
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9YL
- Programme: Intellectual Property Law
- School: Law
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences