Intellectual Property Principles

Welcome

This module is designed to introduce you to the basic principles in intellectual property (IP) law. This is the law that governs how creative works and inventions are owned, protected and managed. The knowledge that you acquire in this module will help you manage the legal and business processes surrounding your own creations. It will give you confidence to collaborate with individuals and organisations in creating products and processes with real world value. There are three topics in this module.

  • In Topic 1, you will be introduced to the core definitions and basic concepts of intellectual property law. You will learn about the different types of IP protection, and how IP law operates in practice. Finally, you will understand why ideas and facts sit outside legal protection, and the point at which they come within the realm of intellectual property law.
  • In Topic 2, you will gain in-depth knowledge about the law that applies to ‘Creative IP’, such as written works, artworks, music, computer software, and design elements. The main area of law here is copyright. You will learn about the scope of copyright protection (what does it apply to?), its duration (how long does it last?), and its application (what uses does it prevent?). You will learn how copyright law might apply to your actions both as a creator and as a user.
  • In Topic 3, you will gain in-depth knowledge about ‘Inventive IP’ – the law applying to inventions, particularly in the fields of science and manufacturing. This area of law is known as a patent law. You will discover the requirements of patent registration, the scope of patent protection, and how patented products can be used by others. You will also learn how to search Australia’s patent register to find out whether an existing invention is covered by a patent.

You will learn through a variety of media, including the written form, images and videos. At the end of each topic, there will be a short (formative) quiz to test your learning.