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Intellectual Property Law (LAWS20014)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The capacity to create and innovate is both a fundamental characteristic of human beings and the source of humankind's cultural and economic advancement. Being products of the human intellect (i.e. “intellectual property”), creations and innovations, and signifiers of reputation, are intangibles – which makes the transmission of them easy, and the prevention of their use by others hard. This subject is concerned with the law's response to the issues of whether, when, how and by whom creations, innovations and signifiers of reputation can be protected against unauthorised use. In particular, it explores the rationales for, and the operation of, the main intellectual property protection regimes – copyright, patent and trade mark laws – as they apply to the creative arts, the sciences and the business world.
The principal topics covered are:
- Why protect creation, innovation and signifiers of reputation?
- What rights are provided to the creators of literature, art, music and film?
- How may innovators protect their inventions?
- When can a brand owner prevent a competitor from making a similar-named or similar- looking product?
- In what situations can a third party make use of another’s intellectual property?
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should:
- appreciate the cultural and economic objectives and challenges in protecting the products of human creativity and innovation;
- recognise the types of creations, innovations and signifiers of reputation protected by the law; and
- understand the basic features of the protection provided by the law to that intellectual property.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:
- the capacity for close reading and analysis of a range of textual materials;
- the capacity to engage in critical thinking and to bring to bear a range of conceptual analyses upon a given subject matter;
- the capacity for independent thought and reflection;
- the capacity to articulate knowledge and understanding of complex ideas in oral and written form; and
- the ability to confront unfamiliar and challenging issues and to consider appropriate legal and policy responses to them.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
It is recommended that students have completed 100 points of undergraduate study before enrolling in this subject.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Attendance and participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Multiple-choice test | Week 5 | 10% |
Written assignment, due no later than the end of week 6
| Week 6 | 25% |
Written examination
| During the examination period | 55% |
Additional details
The due dates of the above assessment will be available to students via the LMS subject page.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Andrew F. Christie Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours (one 1.5-hour lecture and one 1.5-hour workshop per week) Total time commitment 136 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
136 hours
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Required readings will be available online via the LMS subject page.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Breadth Track Law - Media and Intellectual Property Law - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024