Media Law & Policy
Private enterprise and governmental institutions increasingly depend on, and are affected by, communications media. As a result, legal representation in both the private and public sectors is enhanced by an understanding of media influence on the development and administration of law and public policy.
KU Law offers a variety of courses that cater to students interested in media law. They can be taken alone or combined for those who wish to earn the Media, Law, and Policy Certificate.
Curriculum
Core coursesCopyright Law and Digital Works
Explores the major copyright issues posed by such categories of digital works as software, data bases containing factual and other public domain content, multi-media materials, computer generated or assisted works and audio recordings containing digital sampling.
Administrative Law
The separation and delegation of powers. The development of administrative function. Administrative discretion, notice, hearing, jurisdiction, conclusiveness of determination, and judicial control. Examination of current problems in various administrative processes.
Media Law
A study of the legal regulation of the media industry and the application of the law to the media and to journalists.
Regulatory Law and Policy
Examines the legal, political and policy bases for government regulation. Includes the regulation of utilities, health and safety regulation, and regulation associated with welfare programs and public education. Emphasizes how lawyers engage in policy analysis when they appear before regulatory agencies. There are no prerequisites, although students may find it helpful to take Administrative Law before enrolling.
Law and the Arts
Provides students with an introduction to the areas of law which they must understand to represent visual artists, collectors and museums. Covers, among other subjects, intellectual property rights in art, licensing of artworks, sales and purchase of artworks, and importation and export of art.
Topics in the Law of Cyberspace
Intellectual Property
An introduction to substantive patent law, copyright law and trademark registration designed (1) to provide background knowledge for those interested primarily in the general law practice and (2) to provide a foundation for future specialization in patents, copyrights and trademarks.
Students may also take any of the following courses that address law and public policy issues:
- Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy
- Law and Economics
- Law Review
- Legislation
- First Amendment Freedoms
- Research Workshop (on a media-related law and public policy topic)
Certificate Program
The Media, Law, and Policy Certificate focuses on legislative challenges, judicial decision-making and administrative policy in an era increasingly shaped by information technologies, global networks and the media. Among the requirements of the program is participation in two of these three clinics: Public Policy Clinic, Legislative Clinic, Media Law Clinic.
Clinical Programs
In the Media Law Clinic, students respond to questions from lawyers, policy-makers, publishers and others concerned with mass communications. The students analyze law, policy, regulations and ethics relating to the First Amendment and diverse media technologies.
Students in the Legislative Clinic are assigned as interns to state legislators during the legislative session. In addition to their fieldwork, interns participate in a seminar on the legislative process and write research reports.
The Public Policy Clinic allows students to undertake thorough, in-depth policy studies in response to requests from public officials. Requests for balanced studies are coordinated through the Legislative Research Department and the Revisor of Statutes Office.
Other Opportunities
Students may pursue a joint degree in Journalism and Law, which allows them to earn a Master’s of Science (M.S.) in journalism and Juris Doctor (J.D.) in approximately three and a half years. The program is designed to offer students academic grounding in both fields to prepare them for professional practice of journalism, law or a combination of media law.
