Copyright is an aspect of intellectual property law that gives authors the exclusive right to make copies of an original creative work, typically for a period of years or even decades. The type of works eligible for copyright include novels, movies, paintings, songs, educational materials, computer software code, and more. Copyright protections are very important for supporting cultural development as well as innovation, as they enable creators in all fields to earn a living from their work.

Like culture itself, copyright law has had to quickly evolve to keep up with the changes of the information age. For example, in the music business, there have been numerous controversies in recent decades over whether the use of samples of other songs in recorded music is a violation of the fair use doctrine, which allows for the unlicensed use of copyrighted works under certain circumstances. Copyright is also becoming increasingly relevant for start-up businesses, as copyright laws are one of the most important legal protections for software programs.

If you’re a visual artist, writer, musician, songwriter, playright, or even a computer programmer, understanding copyright law is essential to your career. Creators can spend months or years developing a single work, but without copyright protections this work could be reproduced and sold by others without their consent. By providing enforceable legal protections against this scenario, copyright and intellectual property law enables creative professionals to earn a living.

The challenges of navigating intellectual property law has also created demand for lawyers with expertise in this field. Lawyers working in the world of entertainment and culture as well as the tech industry need to have a deep understanding of copyright law and its evolving applications, particularly when it comes to emerging fields such as digital art and music as well as technology and software start-up businesses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers earned a median annual salary of $122,960 in 2019, making intellectual property law a highly-paid as well as interesting and rewarding career path.

Yes! There are many opportunities to learn about legal topics on Coursera, including courses and Specializations spanning multiple courses on copyright and intellectual property law. Whether you want to understand how copyright is applied in the music business and other creative fields, the world of education, or innovation in start-up businesses, you can learn from top-ranked schools like University of Pennsylvania, Emory University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Berklee College of Music. Regardless of your goals, Coursera lets you learn at a significantly lower cost than on-campus students, ensuring you’ll get a great deal on this valuable education.