Postgraduate study
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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.

Saraswathy Vaidyanathan LLM in Intellectual Property Law, 2017
Saraswathy Vaidyanathan               LLM in Intellectual Property Law, 2017

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.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
LLMIntellectual Property Law1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
LLMIntellectual Property Law2 YearsPart-timeProgramme 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 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

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.

In evaluating your application for postgraduate study, greater emphasis may be placed upon results of prior learning in subjects relevant to the intended degree programme.

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 A.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

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. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • 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 five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

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

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
LLMIntellectual Property Law1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
LLMIntellectual Property Law2 YearsPart-timeTuition 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
  • Old College
  • South Bridge
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9YL
Programme start date Application deadline
9 September 2024 21 June 2024

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 2024/25:

Round Application deadline Places awarded by
1 13 November 2023 14 December 2023
2 04 January 2024 20 February 2024
3 04 March 2024 29 April 2024
4 01 May 2024 25 June 2024
5 21 June 2024 17 July 2024

Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2024.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

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
  • Old College
  • South Bridge
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9YL