What do I need to know?

UK copyright law automatically protects literary, artistic, musical and dramatic works of original intellectual creation, as well as films, sound recordings, broadcasts and typographical layouts of publications. Examples of literary works include books and journal articles, as well as song lyrics, software and databases. Artistic works include photographs, collages and buildings. The subsistence of copyright does require literary or artistic merit; merely for the material to comprise an original work of intellectual creation.

Copyright gives exclusive rights to creators and owners of copyright to control how their works are used (copyright restrictions) and sets out limitations to copyright for users in specific circumstances (copyright exceptions).

Generally, the creator of a work will be the first owner of copyright, although works created in the course of employment are normally owned by the employer and authors are sometimes asked to transfer their rights to publishers.

Faculty and postgraduate students should consult the Publishing your work section of this guide and are reminded to read the University’s Code of Practice on Intellectual Property for more information regarding rights in scholarly output and teaching materials.