Course Offerings

University of Baltimore School of Law  |  University of Aberdeen School of Law

All students take two 3-credit courses. The courses have no prerequisites. To orient students on Scots laws and institutions, the program includes several field trips and guest speakers.

Current Trends in Criminal Law and Procedure: A Comparative Course (3 credits)

This course will examine issues of current controversy and discourse in the US and the UK, including, government surveillance in the domestic and foreign context; government intrusion and personal privacy during “stop and frisk” encounters; provocation and self-defense, especially the duty to retreat; and the conflicts created by and strategies for effective use of international criminal tribunals. The instruction will balance the rights of the suspect/accused, governmental interests in safety, and the historical theories of punishment and regulation in a common law society.

The Rights of Authors and Inventors:  Comparative and International Perspectives (3 credits)

Dr. Abbe Brown and Prof. William Hubbard

In nearly every developed country in the world, copyright law protects the original works of authors, and patent law protects the discoveries of inventors. International treaties have harmonized many aspects of copyright and patent law among countries, but substantial differences between legal regimes remain. This Course will explore these similarities and differences. The Course will begin by examining the policy goals that underlie copyright law and patent law. Building from this foundation, the Course will explore copyright and patent law from a comparative perspective by contrasting the laws of the United States and the United Kingdom. The course will also address efforts to harmonize copyright and patent laws among countries through treaties like the Berne Convention and The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). No prior coursework in copyright law or patent law is required.