I’m not fully sure what you’re asking, but I’ll do my best. I know that when applying to UC Berkeley you must choose only one program to apply for. You can’t choose multiple degree programs in hopes that you’ll be accepted into at least one and make your decision from there.
Having said that, it’s about following what you feel your professional passion is. I chose the MUD at Cal over the MLA because it’s the aspect of LA I want to pursue professionally. It’s probably a bias, but I feel the MUD program is more versatile in the world of environmental design if you already have a LA background.
The MLA faculty at Berkeley is fantastic and progressive. The MUD faculty is awesome, knowledgeable and a bit more “old fashioned” — but not in a bad way at all. They’re bringing in a new wave of faculty right now it seems as the mainstays begin moving towards retirement, so it’s a great balance.
The MLA program (studio classes) tends to be a bit more theoretical in nature, while MUD is rooted in real world design issues/factors and is intended to prepare you for the working world by the time you leave the door.
MLA for you would be 2 years. MUD is one continuous, no breaks kind of program that runs for about 16 months including thesis work.
Cant’ go wrong with either really. Hope it helps some.
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