LWMTCC-Intellectual Property Law: Copyright and Designs

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded: LWMTCD Copyright and Designs
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Basak Bak
Email: basak.baktezgel@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module provides advanced knowledge of the legal protection that is afforded to creative works and industrial designs. Students will be encouraged to critically assess statutory provisions and common law principles that govern copyright and design law, as well as the rationales justifying particular doctrines and the effects of the practical operation of these fields of intellectual property. Subject to discussion will be emergent topics in the area of copyright and design law, such as online copyright infringement, internet platform liability, artificial intelligence and parallel trade issues.

Aims:

This module aims to provide students with advanced knowledge of copyright and design rights. The module also aims to enable students to appreciate and critically assess both the practical day to day operation of these areas of intellectual property law and the rationales for intellectual property protection. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of the module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the legal protection available under copyright and design rights, and the ability to critically assess topical issues in these legal areas;


2. Identify the main rationales for affording legal protection to creative works and industrial designs;


3. Demonstrate the ability to ascertain the substantial law from legislation, case law and secondary literature, as applied to copyright and designs.

Additional outcomes:

In addition to those listed in the School’s ‘core skills statement’, the module will encourage the development of:

• High-level oral communication skills through reflective, analytical class discussion;


• Advanced critical reading skills in relation to primary and/or secondary sources.

Outline content:

The topics that will be discussed include:

1. Copyright and design: legislative framework, international obligations and EU harmonisation;


2. Subsistence of copyright in literary, artistic, musical & dramatic works, copyright in functional and entrepreneurial works;


3. Copyright ownership, exploitation and moral rights;


4. Scope of copyright protection, infringement and defences;


5. Registered and unregistered design, UK and EU design rights;


6. Scope of protection and infringement, defences, overlaps with copyright.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Teaching in this module is designed to provide students with a range of resources on which they can draw in their learning. The main elements are:

• A list of required and recommended readings, with notes and questions that will be used to guide class discussion and reflection.


• 6 seminars in the Autumn term. Seminars are discussion based classes.


• Assessed work that will be used to develop students' skills and knowledge.
• Discussion on case law will be in some instances supplemented with artefacts that have been involved in litigation. 


• A set of in-class assignments (such as oral presentations, debating, research techniques, legal writing, client communication skills) that aim to enable the development of practical skills alongside the theoretical understanding of core issues.