Program overview
Intellectual Property (IP) sounds a bit high-end, but it's actually very down-to-earth—it teaches you how to protect 'intangible assets' like ideas, inventions, and brands. For example, if you write software, design a logo, or develop a new drug, how do you prevent others from stealing it? That's what IP is all about. Core courses include patent law, trademark law, copyright law, trade secret protection, as well as IP management and international IP rules. Many Chinese universities (such as East China University of Political Science and Law, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, and China University of Political Science and Law) have dedicated IP schools, and the curriculum incorporates plenty of real-world cases, even taking you to court hearings or corporate internships. This major is especially suitable for those interested in law but not wanting to stick to traditional legal studies, or for those with a science or engineering background (e.g., computer science, chemistry) who want to use law to protect technology—it's a perfect match.