Intellectual Property Law and Practice

The diploma comprises a two-week residential programme held in September at one of Oxford's colleges and a series of weekend workshops held from October to June in London law firms. Teaching is provided by a mix of practising and academic lawyers and covers the full range of IP subjects, including patents, trademarks, unfair competition and passing off, trade secrets, designs, copyright and moral rights as well as key aspects of litigious and non-litigious IP practice and procedure.

The residential programme is taught by means of a series of lectures delivered in close succession which contextualise the various course elements and make conceptual links between them, and also deal with the more theoretical elements of the course. The workshop sessions involve interactive seminars in which students are taught in small groups by experienced IP practitioners, and help them to build on the theoretical grounding gained from the residential programme.

The diploma is assessed by five written assignments, each of 3,000 words, and two examinations. The assignments are spread throughout the year with each relating to a particular workshop and taking the form of a practical exercise, such as the drafting of statements of case or instructions to counsel. The examinations are held at the end of the year and are each two hours in length.

The great majority of students who take the diploma will be trainees or newly qualified solicitors with law firms and barristers' chambers; and as a result, their normal career path after completing the diploma will be to continue work with the firm and the chambers in question, though with an enhanced professional profile and an expanded skill-set which will enable them to progress to senior positions more rapidly.

The University of Oxford has an excellent careers service with which the faculty has close ties; the Careers Service organises a number of events of specific interest to students wishing to pursue a career in law, and offers one-to-one advice from members of staff with knowledge and experience specific to the legal sector.

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

All graduate courses offered by the Faculty of Law

Bachelor of Civil Law BCL

Criminology DPhil

Criminology and Criminal Justice MSc

Intellectual Property Law and Practice PGDip

Law DPhil

Law MPhil

Law and Finance MSc

Magister Juris MJur

Socio-Legal Research MPhil

Socio-Legal Studies DPhil

Taxation MSc

Next
Entry requirements