Postgraduate Module Descriptor


LAWM044: Trademarks

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims are as follows:

  • To develop an awareness of the importance of the trade mark system and its implications for the development of business in both a theoretical and practical way;
  • To encourage engagement with research and scholarship in relation to trade mark law and protection;
  • To stimulate critical analysis and evaluation about the operation of the current operation of trade mark law and in particular whether any reforms are needed;
  • To encourage evaluation of the respective interests of right holders, authorised licensees, competitors and consumers and whether the current law balances those interests fairly and equitably;
  • To encourage a practical awareness of the operation of the registration system in real business situations;
  • To consider potential abuses of trade mark rights and the relationship of such trade mark rights to other key rights such as freedom of expression (e.g. parodying trade marks) and freedom of competition.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Demonstrate a deep and systematic knowledge and understanding of the law in relation to the protection of trade marks and geographical appellations and an extensive range of major concepts, values and principles relevant to the application of the law;
2. Undertake complex critical evaluations of the main legal rules, institutions and procedures relevant to trade mark law using specialist literature and current research;
3. Compare, analyse and synthesise innovatively the principle rules and theories relating to the scope of protection of trade marks and geographical appellations;
4. Identify, explain and evaluate key issues in trade mark law critically and comprehensively and to apply relevant rules and a range of theories systematically;
5. Demonstrate deep and critical awareness of a wide range of legal and contextual implications of the areas of trade mark law studied;
Discipline-Specific Skills6. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of legal concepts, values, principles and institutions and procedures and the ability to evaluate systematically the relationships among them as well as their limits;
7. Apply detailed and comprehensive legal knowledge and understanding to a problem/case study and to argue alternative approaches/to propose solutions innovatively;
Personal and Key Skills8. Interact effectively, confidently and proactively within a team/learning group to share information and ideas to clarify, plan and undertake tasks confidently and independently, individually and with others, to reflect critically on the learning process and to make use of feedback efficiently; and
9. Work independently and effectively and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessments.