Master’s Degree in Intellectual Property Law

(IPRinfo Special Issue, September 2006)
Dr Marcus Norrgård
University lecturer, University of Helsinki

The Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration (Hanken) in Helsinki and IPR University Center, a joint institute of Hanken and other four Finnish top-tier universities, are launching a Master’s Degree Programme in intellectual property law. The programme is aimed at students having an appropriate Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in law, business or technology/engineering. This is the first Master’s programme in Finnish universities specialising solely in IPR. It will start in autumn 2007. 

The programme combines law and business, and the courses are given in English by internationally renowned academics from both sides of the Atlantic. The emphasis is on European and international IP law. The law courses are complemented with courses in, for example, branding, knowledge management, and languages. 

The studies are planned to make a full-time two-year programme consisting of 120 ECTS credits. 90 credits are programme specific, including a Master’s thesis comprehending 30 credits. The students also have to take language courses amounting to a minimum of 6 credits. The remaining credits the students get by choosing courses from Hanken’s versatile curriculum (accounting, finance, language, law, marketing, management etc.).

A close link with the business community is established through guest lectures, excursions and other forms of cooperation with Finnish and international companies and law firms.

“We believe that it is essential for a lawyer to be knowledgeable in business as well as in law. We also feel that business people and engineers having an in-depth knowledge of intellectual property issues have a competitive edge in the job market”, says Professor Niklas Bruun, who is in charge of the programme.