Vanderbilt MLS Director Christopher Serkin spotlights different factors to consider.
A Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree is a postgraduate program designed to provide individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds with a comprehensive understanding of law and legal systems without the intention of becoming practicing attorneys. Online MLS programs afford a level of flexibility and choice that help working professionals maintain a balance between work, life, and school. Online MLS degrees may look very similar, but they come in many different flavors.
Christopher Serkin, director of the Vanderbilt MLS degree, helps explain some of the differences and what prospective students should consider in their search.
Who designed the MLS degree?
Many programs rely on content developed by adjunct professors who have been hired to build the program. These adjunct professors have sufficient knowledge to provide the content and structure, but they are not full-time professors who teach law students in residential programs at the university.
Programs built by the full-time faculty members, like the Vanderbilt MLS, offer material with a high educational quality that students can more closely associate with the school offering the degree.
“We have Vanderbilt faculty who have designed the material, who have recorded videos, and put everything together and given real thought to what these classes look like,” says Serkin.
Look at the faculty listed on the program website to learn more about their affiliation with the law school.
MLS specialization
Some MLS degrees focus on specific industries. These specialty programs offer curriculums with a narrower focus that may be preferable for certain students. “If you work in healthcare, a healthcare MLS may be a very appealing degree,” Serkin says.
He notes that while more general MLS degrees, including the Vanderbilt MLS, do not go into detail on industry-specific regulations, they do provide an education on how such regulations are developed and interpreted, which is useful for professionals in any field. He uses healthcare again as an example.
“If you really want to learn details about HIPAA, you’re not going to get that in our MLS,” he says. “But if you want to understand where HIPAA comes from, how agencies develop the rules that govern how HIPAA is interpreted, and how you should think about guidance that you’ll get from lawyers interpreting HIPAA, this is the master’s for you.”
MLS formats
There are some residential MLS programs, but many are delivered online. Online programs deliver synchronous and asynchronous content, and students interact with professors and their classmates in different ways.
Serkin encourages prospective students considering an online MLS to thoroughly understand the delivery method before enrollment. He notes that the Vanderbilt MLS, an online program, offers a blend of asynchronous and synchronous content designed to keep your attention and maximize interactions with faculty and fellow students. “The asynchronous material is not boring, extended videos where you’re sitting and watching lectures, which is essentially like watching YouTube,” he says. “The lectures are usually between 90 seconds and 3 minutes long.” He also points to discussion board posts and other activities designed around reading material as differentiators. “It is a multidisciplinary, engaging educational experience.”
To learn more about the Vanderbilt MLS, visit our program page.
About Vanderbilt Law School
Vanderbilt Law School has prepared students for exceptional careers throughout the United States and around the world for 145 years.
Located on the Vanderbilt University campus in Nashville, Tennessee, the law school combines the advantages of a stimulating university community, a top-tier research faculty, award-winning teachers, and a vibrant student body.
Known for its rigorous academics in a collegial, supportive atmosphere, Vanderbilt Law School attracts students and faculty seeking a first-rate education within a nurturing community.
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To learn more about the online Master of Legal Studies and download a brochure, please fill out this form. You can also reach an admissions advisor directly by calling 844-723-9010 (toll-free).