Courses and Training

About

As the largest
university-based local
government training,
advisory, and research
organization in the United
States, the School of
Government serves more
than 12,000 public officials
each year.

Browse by Role

The School provides
content and resources for a
wide array of local
government and judicial
officials in North Carolina.

Select your role to explore
all related content.

Browse by Topic

The School provides content
and resources on a wide array
of topics in local government
and judicial administration in
North Carolina.

Select a topic to explore all
related content.

Courses

The School of Government
offers up to 200 courses,
workshops, webinars, and
professional conferences
each year.

Publications

The School of Government
publishes essential books,
manuals, reports, articles,
bulletins, and other print and
online content related to state
and local government.

Blogs

Faculty write for a number
of School of Government
blogs providing timely
updates on emerging issues.

Resources

The School of Government
offers information and
services related to a wide
range of topics relevant to
government and judicial
officials—in-person and on a
variety of platforms.

Blog Posts

Timely updates on emerging issues

Centers and Services

Specialized training/research hubs and consulting services

Frequently Asked Questions

Aggregated answers to common questions on a variety of topics

Knapp Library

Print and online materials and research expertise

Legal Summaries

Brief descriptions of legal cases, bills, or legislative activity

Listservs

Information exchanges for peers and faculty experts

Microsites

In-depth or aggregated content for local government and judicial officials

Tools and Apps

Online and mobile tools for employees on-the-go

Master of Public
Administration Program

The UNC MPA program prepares public service leaders. The program is offered in two formats: on-campus and online.

For more information, visit mpa.unc.edu

Giving

The School of Government depends on private and public support for fulfilling its mission. Your gift will make a lasting impact on the quality of government and civic participation in North Carolina.

Knapp Library

The Joseph Palmer Knapp Library houses a large collection of material on state and local government, public administration, and management to support the School's instructional and research programs and the educational mission of the Master of Public Administration program. Reference and research services are available to all residents of North Carolina, and additional assistance is available to state and local government personnel, both elected and appointed.

The School of Government offers a range of courses and training focused on planning and development regulations, from multi-week professional development courses to on-demand workshops. While the structure and format of the courses have evolved in recent years, the core content and emphasis on practical knowledge continues.

PDR: Planning and Development Regulation Course and CZO Exam

The PDR Course equips local government officials to serve as planning and zoning administrators in North Carolina and prepares them for the Certified Zoning Official Examination. The course covers the legal authority and limits for development regulation in North Carolina, the procedures and practical considerations of development decision-making, and the details of development inspections and enforcement.

PDR combines the content previously offered in Foundations, Zoning Practice, Subdivision Practice, and the CZO course.

Offered in the fall each year, the course is divided into three 1-week session (one in September, on in October, one in November). PDR was offered remotely in 2020 and 2021. Future offerings likely will include a mix of remote and in-person sessions.

For more details, check out the PDR Course Page.

Board Workshops

The School of Government typically offers workshops each spring for board members handling quasi-judicial and legislative zoning decisions.

On-Demand Training

The School of Government is in the process of updating our on-demand training. Please check back for more information on short videos focused on procedures of rezoning decisions, quasi-judicial zoning decisions, and more.