Copyright Use Tutorial: NCSU Libraries

Students

Who owns the copyright to works created by students?

Generally, the answer to this question will depend upon the relationship of the student with the university and any contracts or agreements in place. The typical student, who has no employment relationship with the university, is the copyright holder to any original works he/she creates. This would generally include papers, tests, emails, theses, dissertations, etc. Keep this in mind before re-using a student's material. If the student is an employee of the university, anything the student creates within the scope of employment will belong to the university.

At NC State University, student ownership of copyrighted material is addressed in the newly adopted NC State Administrative Regulation: Copyright Implementation Pursuant to Copyright Ownership and Use Policy of the University of North Carolina.

Note that, as a condition of enrollment, NC State retains a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to use all student works generated in the course of academic work at NC State for non-profit educational or research purposes (including reproduction, distribution, the making of derivative works, public performance and public display). This university right is subject to the student's privacy rights under federal law.

Graduate students should review the Graduate School's Research Ethics Module on Intellectual Property.