SOG Courses

Courses for local government managers

School of Government courses for city/county managers and other key staff:

• Municipal and County Administration provides a foundation in North Carolina local government laws and policies.  It is of special interest to new managers in the state.
• Emerging Leaders: Building Your Capacity to Lead
• Public Executive Leadership Academy (PELA) develops participants’ capacities for leading change in their organizations and communities.
• Strategic Public Leadership: Setting Priorities, Getting Results
• Webinars on Demand include a library of timely video presentations on current management and policy issues.

Courses in other substantive areas including:

• A comprehensive local government finance curriculum offers in-depth exploration of raising, managing, and reporting on city and county financial resources.
• Program Management and Evaluation courses provide tools for monitoring and managing service delivery.
• Public Employment Law and Human Resource Management courses provide knowledge and skills for dealing with city and county employees.
• Planning and Zoning
• Community and Economic Development
• Information Technology

School of Government courses for city/county elected boards:

• Essentials of County Government and Essentials of Municipal Government provide board members a foundation in North Carolina local government laws and policies.  These courses are of special interest to newly-elected officials.  But incumbents also find them useful.  Managers often accompany their board members to these orientation sessions. 
• Other courses in the Local Elected Leaders Academy (LELA) are also offered each year in cooperation with the NC League of Municipalities and NC Association of County Commissioners.
• Additional courses include:
  • Building Your Governing Team
  • Essentials of Economic Development
  • Ethics Training for Local Elected Officials
  • Leading Your County Governing Board
  • Leading Your Municipal Governing Board
  • Manager Evaluation and Board Assessment
  • Managing Conflict: Strategies for Elected Officials
  • Resolving Public Disputes I: Situation Assessment and Negotiation Skills
  • Resolving Public Disputes II: Collaboration and Tools for Handling Contentious Stakeholder Groups
  • Resolving Public Disputes III: Managing High Emotion and Contention in Public Hearings
  • Rules of Procedure Workshop
  • Saving Money by Doing Business Together
  • Strategic Planning for Elected Officals

Courses and Resources by Subject

The School of Government offers up to 200 courses, workshops, and professional conferences each year. The state and local government officials who attend these programs find not only expert training but also ample opportunities to network with their peers from across North Carolina. View a list of courses by title. Learn more about the scholarship award sponsored by the Local Government Federal Credit Union. Before registering for a course, please read the cancellation policy.