McGeorge School of Law’s recent webinar explored a common question for prospective graduate students: What’s the difference between the MSL, MPA, and MPP, and which one is right for me?
While these programs often attract professionals with similar interests, law, policy, government, and public impact, each degree is designed for a different type of career path and skillset.
To help clarify these differences, the webinar featured two faculty members who also teach within these programs:
- Dean Jeff Proske, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Experiential Learning and Director of the MSL Business Law concentration
- Dr. Brandon Phillips, Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration and Director of the Public Policy Programs
Program Snapshot: MSL, MPA, and MPP at a Glance
Before diving into the Q&A, here’s a quick overview of each program:
- Master of Science in Law (MSL)
26-unit degree with optional concentrations including Business Law (online), Government Law and Policy (online), Water and Environmental Law (online), Health Law (hybrid), and Human Resources (hybrid). - Master of Public Administration (MPA)
30-unit program (or 36 units with an optional concentration), typically completed in 2–3 years. Delivered in a hybrid format. Concentrations include areas such as water and environmental policy, public policy advocacy, nonprofit and social capacity management, local government, and policy analysis. - Master of Public Policy (MPP)
39-unit program (33 core units + 6 concentration units), also completed in 2–3 years in a hybrid format. Students must choose a concentration from options such as local government, public policy advocacy, nonprofit and social capacity management, or water and environmental policy. This program centers on the development, analysis, and assessment of policy.
Below are key questions from the session, along with insights from Jeff and Brandon to help you better understand how these programs differ and which might be the right fit for you.
What Are the Differences Between These Programs?
Jeff: The MSL program is for people who may already be in a profession and don’t necessarily wish to represent clients or be attorneys. The degree grants them the ability to conduct legal analysis and understand the legal principles applied in their current career’s day-to-day work.
The MSL program is structured to help students develop expertise in legal analysis across a variety of areas and is designed for busy professionals. It is offered in a variety of formats – online, hybrid, or in-person, depending on the concentration. Online courses are asynchronous, allowing students to progress through module-based content at their own pace, with the option to take some in-person classes on the Sacramento campus.
Brandon: The MPA and MPP have significant overlap, with graduates often working in similar fields. The key difference is that the MPP focuses on writing, creating, and analyzing policy, while the MPA emphasizes policy implementation and the day-to-day management of government and nonprofit organizations.
The public policy programs follow a hybrid format (about 50% online and 50% in person). Students are required to attend 6 to 7 in-person Saturday sessions per semester, with the remainder of coursework online.
What Skills Do MPA, MPP, and MSL Students Learn?
Jeff: We created the MSL program to help students understand fundamental legal concepts in a variety of different areas. They learn legal research, writing, how to communicate legal findings, and a rich understanding of the implications of their legal analysis.
Brandon: The MPA and the MPP emphasize leadership and management, while exposing students to a broad array of ideas on the concept of leadership. We want our students to gain both hands-on skills and the confidence to participate in and contribute to the public policy process. The program will also prepare you to make complex decisions in a way that is consistent with public service and never loses sight of the human component of government.
What are the career outcomes for each of the programs?
Jeff: Many of our MSL students are already professionals in a variety of career paths; the degree will help them advance to higher positions. Current students serve as lobbyists, legislative staff and advocates, water resource specialists, HR coordinators, land use planners, environmental engineers, and environmental consultants, among others.
Brandon: The MPA is the most interdisciplinary degree that exists at the graduate level, and there’s no one thing that defines it. I always like to tell students that no matter what it is that you’re good at, or what you are driven to do, you can do it for the government, and the MPA opens that door for you to do that kind of work. Many individuals with an MPA go on to work in advocacy, government agencies, nonprofits, and more. The MPP is more focused on law, the interpretation of the law, and how it’s applied. Careers may overlap with the MSL, and often necessitate strong analytical and research skills.
How Do These Programs Differ in Practice?
Jeff: The MSL teaches students how to conduct legal analysis, grow the ability to communicate and to be a leader within an organization, and assimilate a broad range of legal concepts. In our program, you learn the specific laws that professionals engaged in those areas encounter on a daily basis. Students become fluent in legal concepts and learn to understand the actual laws that constitute the governing authority.
Brandon: The MPA and the MPP tend to be more of a necessity. Maybe you have entered public service, intergovernment work, nonprofit work, and similar careers and then reached a plateau; these degrees open the next level of opportunity. There is more focus on how law affects people when it’s applied, and on how we, as public servants in government, mitigate the effects of those laws in ways that allow us to best serve our constituents.
How Do You Decide Which Program Is Right for You?
Jeff: Personal career goals are the primary motivator for students to pursue an MSL. For example, you might need an understanding of business law and how it interacts with an organization for an enterprise you’re already a member of or wish to join. Understanding those laws is integral.
Brandon: One of the defining factors of an MPA is the amount of emphasis that’s put on leadership and management. We do a lot of real-time classroom exercises to help you hone those skills in a controlled environment, so you can take them out into the world once you graduate. It prepares you to work with highly diverse situations and handle them with confidence.
The MPP focuses on reading data and statistics, but also talking about the stories behind those numbers and how they affect people. If you’re really driven to be part of the process of creating new policies to address issues that you’re passionate about, the MPP will likely appeal to you the most.
Explore Your Next Step
Choosing between the MSL, MPA, and MPP is about how you want to make an impact—whether that’s through legal insight, policy development, or leadership.
Each program is designed to support working professionals at different stages of their careers, and the right fit depends on your goals, interests, and the type of work you want to pursue.
If you’re ready to learn more, you can:
- Watch the full webinar recording
- Learn more about the programs
- Connect with our admissions team to discuss your background and goals