Copyright – the Basics gives an overview of how copyright works within the publishing industry. The focus is on UK law, with a brief review of how it operates on a European and international level.
This half-day course covers ownership of print and digital copyright – what rights copyright provides, how rights may be licensed, what you can do with other people’s copyright-protected work, and current issues. There will be time for discussion and questions during the course. Course content is regularly updated to keep pace with changing laws and uses real-life cases and examples.
The course is ideal for anyone who works with copyright in their role, or is interested in the topic. It will increase your understanding of, and confidence in discussing, copyright issues. With legal fees often costing £300 per hour or more, it represents excellent value for money.
Who is it for?
Anyone who is involved in the creation and publication of copyright material and use of services and content online. This includes:
- editorial assistants or editors
- marketing assistants, executives or managers
- publicity assistants, executives or managers
- rights assistants, executives or managers
- social-media assistants, executives or managers
- website assistants, editors, executives or managers
What will you achieve?
On completing this course you’ll be able to:
- understand how rights in content are created and owned
- understand how ownership of work can be protected
- secure the rights needed for particular exploitation
- understand the relevance and importance of certain contractual clauses
- understand when permission is needed for use of material
- understand when consent is needed for use of personal data.
Programme
- What copyright protects – regulations, economic and moral rights, originality
- Ownership of copyright – law, length
- Copyright licences – Crown copyright, Creative Commons, contractual
- Infringements – and how to remedy them
- Non-infringements – exceptions, fair dealing, fair use
- Current situation – personal data, online, social media, Brexit
Course format
- Virtual classroom
- 9.00am to 12.30pm
- 2 x 1½-hour sessions plus break
Date information for future sessions
October 2025
- Date: 1 October 2025
- Times: 9.00am to 12.30pm
December 2025
- Date: 3 December 2025
- Times: 9.00am to 12.30pm
April 2026
- Date: 29 April 2026
- Times: 9.00am to 12.30pm
October 2026
- Date: 1 October 2026
- Times: 9.00am to 12.30pm
What you will need
To join the course, you will need access to a computer, tablet or laptop with a camera and microphone. You will need to activate a free Zoom account to join the course. This takes 2 minutes and does not require any payment. It is purely for administrative purposes.
How the course is delivered
The course is broken down into 2 x 1½-hour sessions, with a break in between. It will run during the morning from 9.00am to 12.30pm. To join the course, you will need access to a computer, tablet or laptop with a camera and microphone. The course will be delivered via Zoom Pro with attendant security levels. You will need to activate a free Zoom account to join the course. This takes 2 minutes and does not require any payment. It is purely for administrative purposes.
Any information to be completed beforehand will be sent via email.
Accessibility
Please contact us at with any accessibility or special requirements, for example having in-session captions or the learning materials sent to you in advance.
If you have any concerns about technical requirements or access please contact us on or telephone +44 (0)20 8874 2718.
In-company training
This course is also available for in-company training, either virtually or in person at your office. Course content is tailored to suit your requirements. Group sizes range from 5 to 12 attendees. To find out more, email or telephone +44 (0)20 8874 2718.
What is included?
Certificate
Upon successfully completing the course you will receive a completion certificate from the PTC.
Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) points
Completing this course is worth 2 non-core points towards upgrading your CIEP membership.
Delegate feedback
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course. It was extremely engaging and I’ve gained a much clearer understanding of the subject.” Harriman House delegate (in-company training)
“This course expanded my understanding of clearing text permissions for educational publishing. It was beneficial that the tutor kindly offered us another half hour to ask questions.” Editorial Project Co-ordinator, Hachette UK
“A very enjoyable course and expertly delivered. I have a better understanding of how to challenge clients’ views on rights in the area we work in.” News Licensing delegate
“An excellent course which has given me a broader understanding of the basics of copyright, particularly how complex each situation can be." Witherby Publishing Group delegate
“Leslie was engaging and knowledgeable. We learned a lot, but it wasn't overwhelming. I have a more thorough understanding of the basics of copyright law and now feel confident about what I need to look for, and where, if I encounter a potential copyright issue. It's also helpful to have the slides for future reference.” SQA delegate
“The course was excellent – Leslie was an expert, a fantastic presenter! So much information, a good balance of information, questions and interactivity. Really liked the summary of key points. I’ve gained a basic understanding of current copyright issues and the confidence to advise people.” Harriman House Publishers delegate
“I loved the course! The trainer showed that copyright can be fascinating and fun, and the creative examples (like Darth Vader or the Eiffel Tower) really helped me to visualise complex concepts. The course was well-structured, with a good amount of 'pop quizzes' and 'breaks' to make the lessons more digestible. I now have a better understanding of copyright issues.” Mac Keith Press delegate
“I enjoyed the quizzes which made it more interactive, and the use of accessible user-friendly examples. I’ve learned about the need to be aware that copyright is an issue and to ask questions where I'm not sure – and the answer always depends!” Kapow Primary delegate
About the tutor(s)
Leslie Lansman has a BA (UK), Juris Doctor (US) and Masters in Law (UK). She has almost 20 years' copyright experience in both the UK and US across business, legal and academic spheres. She began her career as an intellectual property (IP) lawyer in New York, returned to London to work in academia and copyright policy development. Her current role is managing copyright permissions for the publisher Springer Nature.
Leslie is also co-chair of the Copyright Committee of the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP).
Related courses
The PTC offers virtual classroom courses, self-study distance-learning courses, and a range of e-learning modules. See below for those that complement or build on this course.
Virtual Classroom Courses
- Applying AI: Tools, Ethics and First Practical Steps
- Advanced Copy-Editing
- Building a Successful Online Content Strategy
- Copywriting for Publishers
- Editorial Project Management
- The Fundamentals of Public Speaking
- Grammar and Punctuation – the Basics
- Introduction to Editorial Skills: Copy-Editing and Proofreading
- Introduction to Project Management
- Line Editing Workshop (Fiction or Non-Fiction)
- Online Presentation Skills
- Progress in Editorial Skills: Copy-Editing and Proofreading
- Publishing Strategy Toolkit
- Working with Authors
- Writing for Online Audiences
e-Learning Modules
For more information about any of these courses, please email or sign up to receive our newsletter for updates on these and our other offerings.
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