Innovation, Technology & the Law

The programme aims to promote advanced knowledge and understanding of the relationship between law, technology, commerce and society in the widest possible sense. It explores the role of the law in responding to, regulating and promoting new and emerging technologies, and also emphasises the role of technology in supporting and guiding legal and judicial processes. The programme covers intellectual property law, information technology law and medical law.

The subjects of the degree are intended to provide an advanced knowledge of domains where law engages with technology, laying a foundation for a specialised dissertation. By the end of their studies for this degree, students will have acquired a high level of knowledge in the field of law and technology, a sophisticated awareness of the problems in the area and of the differing approaches to their solution.

This programme offers a uniquely broad range of modules, covering the fields of intellectual property, technology and medical ethics. The flexible structure of the course provides the opportunity to explore a wide range of interests, or select modules to focus on a particular field in greater depth.

Module Information

Students are required to complete a total of 6 modules (120 credit points) and complete a dissertation (60 credit points) over their chosen period of study.

The modules (20 credits each), may be selected from the following:

At least 80 course work credits from

Intellectual Property Law 1 - Copyright and Related Rights
Intellectual Property Law 2 - Industrial Property
Forensic Computing and Electronic Evidence
International IP & IT Institutions, Law and Policy
Information Technology, Investigation, and Evidence
Law & Medical Ethics - Fundamental Issues in Consent and Negligence
Law & Medical Ethics - Start and End of Life Issues
Information Technology Law
Managing Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property and Technology - Developing Countries
International Intellectual Property
International Public Health Law & Security
Information: Control and Power
Biotechnology, Law & Society

Dissertation

Innovation, Technology & the Law

Tuition Fees

Full-Time (Distance Learning)

The tuition fee for 2010/2011 is £13,000 for all full-time students enrolled on the distance learning programmes, whether they reside in the UK, an EU country or elsewhere in the world.

Part-Time (Distance Learning)

Part-time students pay the relevant proportion of the tuition fee in each year of study, depending on the duration of the programme that they have chosen.

So students completing the programme over 20 or 24 months pay half of the tuition fee in their first year, and half in their second year of study. Students completing the programme over 32 or 36 months pay a third of the tuition fee in each of their three years of study.

Please note that the University's tuition fee is subject to an annual increase (of approximately 5%). The proportion of the fee that part-time students pay each year is calculated on the basis of the current year's tuition fee.

For example, students enrolling for the 20-month or 24-month programmes starting in 2010/2011will pay half of the full-time tuition fee that year - so £6,500. In their second year of study, they will pay half of the tuition fee set for 2011/2012 - so £6,825 if the anticipated 5% increase is implemented.