<p>I know of several MS in Biotechnology degree programs which teach courses in IP and patent law in their program (specifically, U Wisconsin-Madison). Are these legal courses taught to help for work in academia, or are they there for those focusing on going through a Master's program prior to becoming a lawyer?</p>
<p>Thank you all for your knowledge in this matter! I am really interested to see if anyone has looked at these types of programs and wondered the same thing.</p>
<p>They are to provide basic information about patent/IP law that anyone with a engineering/science masters degree should know when working for any employer that produces anything that could be patentable. For example if you are running a research lab at a drug maker it will be helpful to know the steps and hoops you have to go through to get anything your unit might create patented and even to just understand when you have created something unique enough to be patentable.</p>
<p>drusba:</p>
<p>I appreciate your comment. Thank you.</p>
<p>This is part of an approach being taken in graduate science education, to include some non-scientific classes in response to needs of employers (both private and universities) that their scientists have some knowledge beyond their scientific knowledge, specifically of how their research relates to the employer’s business needs. It’s also included so that graduate students who may wish to become entrepreneurs will have some business-related knowledge.</p>