In 2018, the Association of American Law Schools conducted a national survey, Before the J.D. According to the survey, the most common (44%) reason for attending law school is it offers a path to a career in government, politics, or public service. 32% chose it to advocate for social change. But lawyers are not the only people who deal with legal matters in these areas. Whether you’re pursuing a career within the legal field or you have legal concerns to handle in your day-to-day business, an MSL degree from McGeorge School of Law can help you advance your career.
How an MSL Degree Differs From a J.D.
Postgraduate legal studies prepare you to handle legal issues in many fields. If you are specifically looking to become a lawyer, a J.D. (Juris Doctor) is a law degree needed before taking the bar exam. But there are several avenues of legal work that do not necessitate becoming a lawyer.
Almost every industry has legal matters that affect the business. If you want to be well-versed in how laws and legal issues influence your field, an MSL (Master of Science in Law) degree is the way to go. An MSL gives you a deeper understanding of legal matters as they pertain to your specific business. It can help you maneuver in the legal world without having to be a lawyer.
About McGeorge School of Law
McGeorge is a leader in preparing its students for the legal field with intensive academic study and experiential learning. It teaches practical real-world, legal and in-demand marketable skills while instilling a sense of service to the community.
The faculty has written more than 125 books, many of which are used at other law schools to teach their students. Our professors are leaders in government, NGOs, private firms, and policymaking. They convey their knowledge and experience to you through a balance of theoretical education and practice-related skills training.
McGeorge offers the best of in-person learning in an online Master of Science in Law program. The MSL is beneficial, whether you’re preparing for a career in government agencies or a highly regulated industry like health care or human resources. If you’re already working in one of the many professions that regularly navigate law-related issues, the MSL program can help you enhance your career.
About the Master of Science in Law Degree
The online Master of Science in Law degrees at McGeorge make advancing a legal career more accessible to working professionals. Also, the Government Law and Policy and Water and Environment Law MSL degrees have many advantages to the working professional.
The MSL programs are part-time and fully online so that you can study when it works best for your schedule. We have an interactive curriculum that uses tools and technology to support engagement with faculty and peers in an online environment. The programs are flexible, so we can help you design a curriculum that meets your individual career goals using our skill-based real-world curriculum.
Many avenues within law exclude becoming a lawyer, where understanding how the law works is most beneficial. A few examples are:
- Legal Consultants
- Compliance Directors
- Court Administrators
- Compliance Coordinator
- Policy Consultant
- Legislative Affairs
- Legislative Aid
An MSL degree from McGeorge School of Law equips you with the ability to review and comprehend contracts, draft necessary legal documents, and understand the regulatory requirements for specific industries.
Students working in heavily regulated sectors such as technology, financial services, healthcare, and human resources can also progress with an MSL degree. These industries interact with law-related issues regularly. Having advanced knowledge of the legal system and how it affects these industries adds value to your current role. It also gives you a competitive edge.
Overall, an MSL degree gives you a greater understanding of how the law interacts with a given industry. And it equips you with the ability to use your legal knowledge in many legal and non-legal professional capacities.
MSL in Government Law & Policy
The MSL in Government Law and Policy is our online program with an in-depth focus on practical training in law and policy theory. Additionally, the depth of knowledge of our McGeorge faculty will guide you and help you gain marketable expertise in government law and policy.
The online MSL is for students looking to advance their skills in the legal field but who do not require a traditional law degree.
You’ll receive a combination of analytical education and practice-related skills training that will help advance you in your legal career. The McGeorge School of Law MSL is a renowned California and federal government law and policy program.
Career Paths
The career path of MSL graduates is wide-ranging. The MSL degree will benefit students in policy consultant, legislative aides, and public agency staff positions. They will be able to advance within these positions or move deeper into government law and policy as policy analysts, lobbyists, and compliance specialists.
How You Will Benefit
One of the main benefits of an MSL degree from McGeorge is your enhanced potential for career advancement. The specialized knowledge in government law and policy will help you understand the implications of legal protocol and how lawyers think. This will help to distinguish you from other professionals in your field.
Catalina Sanchez, an MSL ’17 graduate, says: “I saw that the Master of Science in Law program would help me cultivate and strengthen the skills I needed to advance my legislative career. And it has. The MSL degree was exactly what I needed for my chosen career path.”
“The curriculum gave me the specific focus I wanted to build my foundation on and translate those skills into building and thriving in my career.”
The MSL can help advance the careers of local, state, and federal agency employees, lobbyists, and legislative staff.
MSL in Water & Environmental Law
The online MSL in Water and Environmental Law is based on McGeorge’s world-class Water and Environmental Law program. Furthermore, the master’s degree is taught by experts in the fields of water and environmental law. The faculty, along with the program team and experts, is focused on affecting a positive change in environmental laws and policies. There is also a strong concentration on the social policies that govern water management. McGeorge is one of the few law schools that emphasizes water resources law.
Career Paths
If you are passionate about conserving the environment, the MSL degree will help give you that chance. Clean energy land-use advocacy, natural resource preservation, climate change, water quality, and environmental justice are a few career options where the water and environmental law degree could take you. These are the front lines of environmental legal issues.
There are other positions where interdisciplinary excellence within government, nonprofit, and private enterprise could support environmental causes.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspectors
- Environmental Compliance Agency workers
- Environmental advocates
- Lobbyists
- Land-use Planners
- Engineers
- Environmental Consultants
The area of environmental outreach employs communications specialists, environmental advocates, technical writers, and lobbyists.
In the private sector, environmental companies that create products meant to protect the environment need to be able to navigate the legal effects and validity of their products. The MSL degree would be of great use in this capacity.
How You Will Benefit
The specialized knowledge gained from the MSL in Water and Environmental Law will increase your potential for career advancement.
It will open extensive opportunities in Federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. There is also local government, such as the State Departments of Natural Resources.
Nonprofit organizations like the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy also need legal direction in many capacities. Lastly, there are environmental consulting firms, where consultants need to be familiar with regulatory requirements.
If you’re considering a career in the legal field or a sector primarily driven by the law, an online MSL degree from McGeorge School of Law can propel you into a successful career.
Students build marketable expertise with the guidance of expert faculty chosen for outstanding teaching as well as depth of knowledge in government law, water resources, or environmental law. Courses emphasize real-world knowledge and the development of practical skills. The programs are convenient and are specifically designed for working professionals or students who need flexibility due to career, family, or other obligations, and who want to further their education and advance their career. For more information, contact us at graduatelaw@pacific.edu or 916.739.7019.
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