Intellectual Property Law Course Structure

Intellectual property is an increasingly important generator of economic, social and cultural growth and development. A clear understanding of the intellectual property system has, therefore, become a necessity for all those associated with creative and innovative endeavor – from policymakers and business executives to educators and archivists, as well as artists and inventors themselves. A solid grasp of the mechanics of the system and a keen awareness of its enormous potential and power are key in leveraging the opportunities it offers – at all levels.The potential impact of intellectual property assets is so great that it is certain to have a considerable effect on national and international economic development in the future. Despite this, the area of IP education is relatively new to many academic institutions, and principles and methods in teaching IP are still evolving.The Globalization and the rapid proliferation of technology, coupled with the intangible nature of intellectual property create challenges for those businesses wishing to protect their inventions and technological breakthroughs, brands, and business methods in domestic and foreign markets. With this spurt in the R&D activity, the number of patents being filed internationally and in India has also gone up. The filing and litigation in other IPs, such as Trademarks, Copyrights, and Designs etc. is also rising. India is ranked as the fastest emerging economy and a major global player in the years to come. The country has the largest scientific and technical human resources among top five countries in the world. With the advent of WTO regime, it has integrated its IP legislations in compliance with TRIPS agreement and is poised to be a destination for research and innovation. Such transformation requires capacity building in the field of IPR human resources. Acquisition of patents, prosecution and protection require training and skills of IP law for legal professionals.This is an overview course covering the basics of intellectual property law -- trade secrets, patents, copyrights, and trademarks, as well as selected other state intellectual property rights. This course is designed both for those who are interested in pursuing IP as a career, and those who are looking only for a basic knowledge of the subject. There are no prerequisites, and a scientific background is not required.Students consult the syllabus regularly to ensure that you are reading the relevant cases. They are also expected and encouraged to attend and participate in all sessions of the class. The course will be graded primarily on the basis of continuous evaluation and finally on the basis of the end term exam.