LLM Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law
Course options
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Laws
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Course Overview
Unlock your future with our cutting-edge LLM Information Technology and Intellectual Property course. On this dynamic programme, you will dive into two of the most pivotal legal questions of our time: the fate of law in the information age and the management and exploitation of creativity, reputation, and innovation in the digital era. You will engage in vital debates and develop a profound understanding of these critical issues.
You will study alongside our team of world-class scholars exploring everything from Intellectual Property enforcement to the rights and risks in the Information Age. We emphasise choice so you can tailor your studies to your career ambitions, and we prioritise small-group teaching, ensuring low class sizes.
Here at UEA, you will join a vibrant, dynamic community of students from diverse backgrounds. We offer placement opportunities and chances to build your CV through extra-curricular activities and the Law School’s unique employability programme. You could benefit from our alumni-mentoring scheme and attend our many career events where you can network with law firms, barrister chambers and alumni. You could also make a difference in the local community by working for the public good (pro bono). In less than five years, our students have recovered more than £7 million for welfare benefits claimants wrongly denied payments. Four times we have won the national LawWorks Best Partnership in Pro Bono award.
You can also have fun by joining in Law Society activities. As well as social events, these include mooting contests where a point of law is debated in a simulated court hearing. Finals are judged by actual judges or barristers. The Law Society also holds negotiation, client interviewing, mediation and legal triathlon competitions, the finals of which are hosted by law firms. In 2016, UEA won LawCareers.Net award for ‘Best Pro Bono’ activities and the 2019 award as the best law society for Commercial Awareness.
Most of all, you will graduate equipped with the specialised legal knowledge and skills essential for a successful career in IT and IP law. You could pursue academic legal research, work with a law reform body, join a legal pressure group, or continue your studies with an MPhil or PhD.
Study and Modules
Structure
You will be introduced to the key principles of internet law, including competing views on its status and its relationship with other legal principles. You will also consider the question of the relationship between law and technology.
Intellectual Property Rights are increasingly pervasive and important in the information age. You will explore different forms of intellectual property within their international legal framework. You will discover their rationales and investigate how these influence current debates and topical issues within intellectual property. Your focus will be global, with particularly detailed consideration of UK, US and European law, where appropriate.
You will then have the chance to choose optional modules designed to explore issues of information technology or intellectual property law in more detail, draw upon the latest research (including that of the teaching team), and consider the commercial, cultural and technological context of legal problems such as copyright enforcement and electronic transactions.
In addition, you can choose optional modules from across the Law School.
You will also take the compulsory non-credit-bearing Postgraduate Legal Skills module at the start of your course and will write a dissertation on an area of specific interest to you during the summer.
With the consent of the Course Director, you can also choose modules from other postgraduate courses offered by UEA, allowing you to personalise your course to your specific interests. For example, you might choose a module from one of UEA’s International Relations, International Development, Business, or Economics courses.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 40)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 60)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
This course gives you an excellent balance of independent thinking and study skills, helping you to grow into a self-motivated learner, expert researcher, and analytical thinker.
Teaching is provided by academics including those who have been in legal practice (often international city law firms) who are specialists in their fields. Teaching formats include interactive lectures and seminars. Whatever the format, you will learn how to listen to and critique the ideas of others, as well as how to present and defend your own theories.
Depending on your module choices, you will have around eight contact hours per week.
Your module organiser will provide you with a list of compulsory and optional further reading material in advance of each class. This means that you can fully prepare for your small class meetings, having identified areas for further discussion. We advise at least 10 to 15 hours preparation per week for each of your modules.
You will develop accuracy and precision in your written work and you will become well versed in time management, graduating as someone who is highly organised and confident in self-directed study.
To make sure you get the most from your studies and to help you reach your full potential, you will have an Academic Adviser who will help you throughout the year.
In addition, our Learning Enhancement team, based in the Student Support Service, are on hand to help in various study areas, including study and writing skills, academic writing (including how to reference) and research skills.
If you have additional needs due to disabilities such as sensory impairment or learning difficulties such as dyslexia, please talk to our Student Support Service about how we can help.
Assessment
You will experience a variety of assessment methods including coursework, but also timed exam-style formats. We believe this enables you to best demonstrate your attainment of the learning objectives, and therefore enhances your performance, aiding your successful completion of your Master’s degree.
Throughout your course, you will be given guidance on your work and constructive feedback to help you improve. This feedback will be on both your formative and summative assessments and can be discussed with your Academic Adviser and your module organiser.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Law
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Law
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall (minimum 6.0 in Writing and Speaking, and 5.5 in Reading and Listening)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
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- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2025/26 are:
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UK Students: £10,675
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International Students: £22,700
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,136 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
You will graduate ready for a variety of exciting legal careers, including legal practice, practice before the bars of various jurisdictions, posts in government and international organisations, and public service. Past LLM graduates have gone into specialist areas of law, finance, the civil service, local government, administration or even teaching.
Alternatively, you might continue your studies with a PhD.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Private practice in local and international law firms
- Academia
- Patents and IP registration positions
- Government legal departments
- International organisations in industry and commerce
Discover more on our Careers webpages.