Intellectual Property Law and Policy
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

The Graduate Certificate Program in Intellectual Property Law and Policy provides graduate students with a general foundation in intellectual property law, exposure to the increasing scope of technologies and products seeking intellectual property protections, and access to advanced courses particularly relevant to their individual field of study.

The objectives of this certificate program are:

• To provide non-law students with a basic foundation in the legal protection of science and technology products;
• To educate graduate students in intellectual property law and policy, with a focus on technology and science, better preparing them for the dynamic technology and business environment;
• To understand the fundamentals of managing technology, researching and developing products, the movement of innovations from research to market, the underlying ethical, business and policy implications of technology transfer, balancing of the interests of creators and end-users, and the application of IP law and policy to science and technology.

Admission Requirements

The IP Certificate Program is available for students, in good standing, already enrolled in any other University of Washington graduate degree programs. Admission to this certificate program must be consistent with the graduate student’s research and career goals. Participation will be dependent upon the student’s receiving permission from their home School or Department. An additional criterion for admission will be the applicant’s potential for successful completion of, and contribution to, the IP Certificate program.

Certificate Requirements

The IP Certificate requires successful completion of a minimum of fifteen credit hours. Students will be required to take: one or more quarters of IP Innovations in Science and Technology (Law E589; 2 credits per quarter); Survey of Intellectual Property Law (Law E567; 2-4 variable credits), and one of the other three core IP courses. (These required courses must be taken for a grade.) Students also will select one or more courses drawn from the list of elective courses to complete their certificate requirements. The IP Certificate students will work closely with their advisor in their home school/department and their IP program advisor in structuring the IP Certificate program to best complement and enhance their educational and career objectives. IP Certificate students will be expected to complete the program during the course of their graduate school program.

Required Courses

• Law E589: IP Innovations in Science & Technology (2 credits per quarter)
  Instructors and guest lecturers will present current controversies in intellectual property law and policy. The seminar will consider the intersection of intellectual property law and policy with innovations in science, research, and technology.
   
• Law E567: Survey of Intellectual Property Law (2-4 variable credits)
  A survey of federal laws of copyright, patent, and trademark and related state
  doctrines of unfair competition, trade secrets, common law copyright, and the right of publicity. The course is designed for law students who do not intend to make intellectual property an area of concentration and non-law students who seek a certificate in intellectual property law and policy.
   
• One of the following Intellectual Property courses:
  Law A522 Copyrights (3-4 variable)
  Law A546 Patents (4)
  Law E588 Trademarks and Unfair Competition (3)
  Law P501 Intellectual Property Law Core (8)

Elective Courses

One or more courses chosen from a cluster of elective courses in:

• Technology Protection and Technology Transfer Strategies
• Biosciences, Public Health and Medicine
• Information Sciences, Communications, Computer, & Internet Regulation
• Comparative & International Law

Application Process

Applications for the certificate program are accepted and reviewed throughout the year and students may apply at any time during their graduate school tenure.

Applicants must submit the following items to: IP Law and Policy Graduate Program, University of Washington School of Law, Wm. H. Gates Hall, Box 353020, Seattle, WA 98195-3020:

1. The completed IP Certificate Program application form [pdf] | [MS Word].
2. Current UW graduate school transcript (available at: http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/transcripts.html)

For additional information, please contact the IP Law and Policy Program Manager at iplaw@u.washington.edu.