Commercial Intellectual Property Postgraduate Diploma
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-07-27 | 2023-04-01 |
| 2023-10-01 | 2023-07-01 |
| 2024-01-05 | 2023-10-01 |
| 2024-04-01 | 2024-01-01 |
Program Overview
Introduction:
Why choose this course?
This course is online, at your pace. You choose when, where, and for how long.
If your answer to any of the above is “yes”, then this course is for you.
We have done the hard work for you by identifying what you need to know, how to apply it to practice and advise your client. We keep the law up to date and point you to articles and case law that will facilitate your learning about the nuances of commercial intellectual property.
Why study with Nottingham Law School?
2:17
Program Outline
What you’ll study
The Postgraduate Diploma in Commercial Intellectual Property comprises of three modules designed to take you from the foothills to the peak of commercial IP.
Course modules
Module 1: Introduction to Commercial IP
You will be introduced to the law governing all categories of IP namely:
The module will encourage you to begin to think like an IP lawyer as you examine the relevant law found in statutes and judgments. You will then focus on topics that apply across all categories of IP. Examining them in detail will help you to think laterally when addressing IP issues in preference to a “siloed” approach.
In this context, you will consider:- The duration of IP Rights and how their natural life may be curtailed;
- What is excluded from IP protection?
- Limitations in the enforcement of IP Rights.
Module 2: Key Concepts in Commercial IP
Continuing your journey to think like an IP Lawyer, you will explore some of the more important, and in some cases, challenging elements of IP Law. You will revisit teaching from module one and use it as the starting point for more detailed exploration. This module equips you for progressing to module three where the principles studied in modules one and two are applied in the context of commercial realities.
In this module you will explore in greater depth the concepts covered in module one, to include:
Module 3: Commercial IP Practice
This module is designed to complete the process of setting the knowledge of IP you have developed so far into the context of commerce – the context in which you aspire to provide effective professional guidance.
We aim to do this by:
At each stage you will cement the knowledge you have acquired to date, and deepening your understanding, by re-examining and articulating the legal principles considered in modules one and two.
We develop further your ability to “think like an IP lawyer”. You will continue to become familiar with the concept of reflective learning and reflective practice.
In this module, you will consider:
Re-examination and articulation of the legal principles considered in modules one and two in the context of real-life practicalities of legal practice and the pragmatic application of those principles to include:
How you’re taught
This course is online, studied at your own pace. You choose when, where, and for how long.
Assessment
The delivery of the course online enables NTU to provide you with different forms of learning activities and assessment. Assessment in the form of open book Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) is offered in module one and you will practise them in a formative way during the module. Module two uses the summative assessment method of Patchwork Text where you will “stitch together” the work you will complete during the module. The module also requires the creation of two explanatory leaflets and a 30-minute viva voce based on the content of your leaflets. This is an effective way of helping you to make sense of the complex concepts when dealing with Intellectual Property Rights. Modules one and two will equip you for the more complex application of the law to practice in module three. Assessment in module three focuses on short answer questions (SAQs) which are based on a seen case study used throughout the module, together with the creation of a 30-minute presentation/radio podcast and a prescriptive reflective report. The outcome after successful completion of the 3 modules is that you will begin to think like an IP Professional achieved at your pace and in your time.
Course structure
Registration for the course leading to the Postgraduate Diploma in Commercial Intellectual Property is five years. This is commensurate with registration for other professional courses such as the Professional Certificate in Trade Mark Practice and IP Litigation.
Given that your progress is conducted at your own pace, expectations for completion to facilitate your success within this timeframe is suggested as follows:
| Module | Standard-paced learner | Accelerate-paced learner | Maximum for completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 weeks (3 months) | 6 weeks (1.5 months) | 6 months |
| 2 | 24 weeks (6 months) | 12 weeks (3 months) | 18 months |
| 3 | 48 weeks (12 months) | 24 weeks (6 months) | 24 months |
Completion is expected within four years of registration. This allows for 12 months space where you may take a few weeks/months break in between the modules.
There are three features to supporting your progress and success in the online course:
- The embedding of “nudges” and “unlocking” facilities.
- The academic/personal tutor.
- The diverse methods of formative and summative assessment.
Enrolment dates for module one
4 March 2023
4 April 2023
4 May 2023
4 June 2023
4 October 2023
4 November 2023
4 December 2023
Careers and employability
Your future career
We will kick start your development into experienced, pragmatic and mature specialists. Thereafter, the addition of skill, judgment and authority in addressing the more complex aspects of IP law becomes important for you as a lawyer with ambition in the field of IP.