Intellectual Property Law LLM
Year of entry 2026
- Start date
- September 2026
- Delivery type
- On campus
- Duration
- 12 Months (Full time)
- Entry requirements
- A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons)
Full entry requirements - English language requirements
- IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component
- UK fees
- £13,750 (Total)
- International fees
- £28,750 (Total)
- Contact
- pglaw@leeds.ac.uk
Course overview
Gain detailed knowledge and skills in intellectual property rights law, management and policy to embark on an exciting career at the forefront of innovation and development.
As the pace of change accelerates, intellectual property experts are crucial for guarding the rights of creators and companies, and for ensuring consumer protection.
Explore traditional intellectual property topics such as industrial property, artistic works, and brands, as well as emerging policy areas including the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology.
You’ll explore international norms and institutions related to intellectual property and consider the broader social and economic implications. You’ll be able to tailor your course to your specialism too – across areas as diverse as health, culture, education, technology, innovation, and economic development.
Global in nature, the programme also reflects the growing importance of international developments in intellectual property and confronts the surrounding controversies. These include the relationships between intellectual property and human rights norms, access to knowledge, new technologies and economic development.
Leeds is a centre for legal research excellence and benefits from close ties with industry and our global alumni network. Our teaching is informed by cutting-edge thinking and delivered by experts in the field. And all this means you’ll be set up for career success across law firms, corporate legal teams, government or academia.
“The University of Leeds has some of the best teaching facilities in the world, and my teachers have a wealth of academic research in the field of intellectual property law. All of this has attracted me to the University of Leeds Law School to enhance my academic research and provide me with a good foundation for my future career path.”
Why study at Leeds
Practical teaching linked to the profession: The renowned Centre for Business Law and Practice is known for its strong expert and industry connections that directly inform your teaching.
Learn from expert academics: Our internationally recognised researchers and qualified legal professionals provide valuable critical evaluation and insights into the real‑world application of global property law.
Flexible, bespoke module options: Tailor your studies across international intellectual property law fields in line with your interests and specialism.
Gain up-to-the-minute legal insight: Experience regular professional speaker events, conferences, and seminars.
Diverse campus community: Join students and staff from over 130 countries.
Dedicated employability officers: Benefit from personalised career support for the legal profession.
Be supported to succeed: Benefit from small tutorial groups and regular one-to-one meetings with academic staff to ask questions and discuss your work.
Graduate from one of the universities most targeted by the UK’s top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2026).
Course details and modules
Compulsory modules will give you the opportunity to:
study the key principles and features, rules and court decisions concerning patents, copyright and trademarks
examine the key cases that have shaped intellectual property rights law in the major legal jurisdictions
discover other rights such as designs and geographical indications
learn how businesses acquire and deploy intellectual property rights.
They will also enable you to hone your legal research, public speaking skill through group presentations, and writing skills, which you’ll be able to demonstrate in your dissertation – an independent piece of research on your chosen topic.
The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a mixture of related subjects of interest to you.
Our School-based Skills Team will help you to develop the key academic skills necessary to thrive on your course. Through one-to-one appointments, we offer individual skills development advice for your module assessments, dissertation and wider studies. Moreover, our workshop series offers training in key skills areas including critical thinking, researching, planning, time management and editing. These skills will help you both during your studies and in the workplace.
The wide-ranging list of optional modules means that you can explore a mixture of related subjects of interest to you.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Legal Research Skills | 15 |
| Trade Marks, Geographical Indications, Designs and Trade Secrets | 15 |
| Patent Law | 15 |
| Copyright Law | 15 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
You will also choose 60 credits from the below:
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Intercultural Business and Organisational Communication | 15 |
| Cyberlaw: Regulation of Cyberspace | 15 |
| International Competition Law | 15 |
| International Tax Law and Policy | 30 |
| Intellectual Property Management | 15 |
| Digital Environment: Law, Technologies & Human Rights | 15 |
| Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property: Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expressions | 15 |
| Contemporary Issues in Intellectual Property: Health, Food and Biotechnology | 15 |
| Central Issues in Arbitration | 15 |
| World Trade Organisation Law | 15 |
| International E-Commerce Law | 15 |
Learning and teaching
At Leeds we use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies and develop the specialist skills that will become indispensable in your career. These include a range of weekly seminars, lectures, online learning and workshops.
You’ll need to prepare for your seminars and lectures, undertaking any exercises that might be prescribed in advance. Independent study is integral to this course – not just to prepare for classes but to develop research and other critical skills.
On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
Assessment is undertaken by a variety of methods but typically involves the writing of an essay at the end of each module. We assess the dissertation through your submission of a written piece of work of up to 10,000 words.
Applying
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons).
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Law (6 weeks) and Language for Social Sciences and Arts: Law (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
If you intend to apply for funding, you should submit an application for a place on your chosen course at least one month before any specific scholarship deadline.
The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Documents and information you will need include:
- original or certified copies of your transcripts in English and the original language
- original or certified copies of your degree certificate in English and the original language
- original or certified copy of your IELTS/TOEFL results (if English is not your first language) or an equivalent English language test.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2026
This course is taught by
Contact us
School of Law Postgraduate Admissions Office
Email: pglaw@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:
Fees
UK: £13,750 (Total)
International: £28,750 (Total)
Read more about paying fees and charges.
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Additional cost information
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
Scholarships are also available to help fund your Masters. Find out more and check your eligibility below:
- Scholarships for International students
- Scholarships and funding for UK students
- Your subject area may also offer scholarships
The School of Law usually offers a number of scholarships each year.
Find out more on the School’s scholarships page.
Career opportunities
From day one, we encourage you to think beyond your time at Leeds and reflect on a meaningful career.
This course, which is also accessible to non-lawyers, provides essential knowledge and skills should you wish to embark upon a career in the legal profession and in knowledge-intensive commercial sectors.
The degree will also attract employers in other occupations where an in-depth understanding of intellectual property is considered economically or strategically important.
Where this degree could take you
Recent graduates have gone on to work in a range of sectors and professions, including:
- academia
- technology
- government services
- creative industries
- law firms
- charities
- intellectual property specialists
- intergovernmental organisations
- non-governmental organisations.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying at Leeds. Whenever I had a problem and asked a teacher a question, they were very helpful. There were also additional dissertation writing training sessions at the law school. The tasks assigned by the teachers have also taught me how to find relevant literature and think critically. This has given me a better understanding of professional knowledge.”
Learn more about the careers our students have pursued – read alumni profiles from the School of Law.
Top 10 most targeted for 10+ years
by the UK's leading employers
Careers support
At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one – that’s one of the reasons Leeds law graduates are so sought after by employers.
- Dedicated employability officer – gain quality advice, guidance and information to help you choose a career path. From CV and cover letter writing to supporting you with job applications, our School’s dedicated employability officers and careers consultants are on hand to discuss your career aspirations and help maximise your capabilities through a process of personal development and career planning.
- Extracurricular activities – the School of Law organises community engagement (pro bono) activities, work experience opportunities, career development workshops, careers fairs, and guest speaker events throughout the year. These are designed to help you develop new skills, enhance your career prospects, and network with potential employers.
- Employability and networking events – we run a full range of events, including careers fairs and industry talks in specialist areas and across broader industries, with employers who are actively recruiting for roles, giving you the opportunity to network and engage with industry sponsors. Upon graduation, you’ll become a part of the University’s alumni network, further extending your professional reach.
- Careers service – in addition to the school-specific careers support, you’ll also have access to the University’s award-winning Careers Service. It offers one-to-one appointments, advice on starting your own business, careers events, mentoring schemes and support with your CV, applications and interviews.
- Employability skills training – to support your success in the workplace, we embed training in a range of key transferable skills valued by employers in all our programmes.
- MyCareer system – on your course and after you graduate, you’ll have access to a dedicated careers portal where you can book appointments with our team, get information on careers and see job vacancies and upcoming events.
- Opportunities at Leeds — there are plenty of exciting opportunities offered by our Leeds University Union, including volunteering and over 300 clubs and societies to get involved in.