Course information
Who Should Attend?
City and county managers, department heads, and other city or county officials whose responsibilities require an understanding of functions beyond individual areas of specialization.
When and Where?
All sessions of Municipal and County Administration are held at the Knapp-Sanders Building, home of the School of Government on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The course is offered in two sections, of which participants will choose one based on their preference of schedule. Section 1 classes typically begin at 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays and end at 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Section 2 classes typically begin at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays and end at 12:00 p.m. on Fridays.
Dates for Municipal and County Administration, Section 1:
September 11-13, 2008; October 2-4, 2008; October 23-25, 2008; November 13-15, 2008; December 11-13, 2008; January 8-10, 2009; January 28-31, 2009; March 5-7, 2009; April 2-4, 2009; April 21-23, 2009
Dates for Municipal and County Administration, Section 2:
September 8-12, 2008; October 20-24, 2008; December 8-12, 2008; January 26-30, 2009; March 2-6, 2009; April 21-23, 2009
What Will It Cost?
The course fee is $1,500, which covers texts, instructional materials, class events, refreshment breaks, and lunches. The course fee does not cover travel expenses. Please do not send payment until notified of acceptance.
Scholarships
Alumni Association
The Alumni Association of the Municipal and County Administration Course offers up to two full scholarships to qualified applicants and their units of government. Since these scholarships have historically been designed to help colleagues who might not otherwise be able to attend the course, financial need will weigh heavily in the award decision. Other factors that will be considered are the number of individuals in a particular unit that have already graduated from the course and how critical the course is to the governmental unit and the applicant’s future career goals. The deadline for applying for this scholarship is the same as the course application deadline. Click here to download an application.
Local Government Federal Credit Union
The Local Government Federal Credit Union sponsors a School of Government Scholarship Award program. Click here for further information and to download an application.
How To Apply?
Click here for information on how to submit an application.
Certificate & Completion Requirements
To satisfactorily complete the course and qualify for a School of Government certificate, participants must attend at least 80 percent of all classes and complete quizzes and assignments.
Continuing Education
For participants seeking credit for CLE, CPE, or other continuing education or certification programs, you will be provided with the necessary paperwork and attendance verification at the conclusion of the course.
We are also pleased to offer the option of receiving UNC course credit. Each participant, if they apply, will receive 4.0 hours of course credit from UNC, which may be applied to other existing graduate or undergraduate degree programs, subject to their approval. There is an additional tuition fee of $984 for North Carolina residents and $1,968 for non-residents, plus an administrative fee of $32, for which you will be billed separately by the University. Please note that this tuition fee is subject to change.
Major Course Subject Areas
Local Government Law broadly encompasses a variety of critical topics including open meetings and public records laws and purchasing and contracting laws, as well as laws covering the disposal of public property. It also includes laws governing elections and the court system in North Carolina.
Organization & Management takes an extensive and in-depth look at the basic functions and structure of local governments in North Carolina and the United States and at complex intergovernmental relationships, including aspects of regionalism, which guide the way we govern. It also covers important topics such as risk management, emergency management, and ramifications of public information.
Finance & Budgeting explores the constitutional and statutory aspects of government finance in North Carolina in addition to the tax and public finance systems that furnish the foundation for public administration. Students participate in budget preparation during case study work, which presents the opportunity to consider user fees and alternative sources of revenue. Additional topics include property tax administration, capital planning and finance, debt policies and procedures, street financing, cost accounting, and auditing.
Public Employment Law impacts every aspect of local government administration and management. Topic areas include performance appraisal, discipline and discharge, and diversity in the workplace. Additionally, significant attention is given to federal and state laws and case law governing public personnel administration in North Carolina local government.
Planning & Regulation of Development delves into issues and implications of the municipal and county planning functions together with environmental law and planning, housing and community development, economic development law, and administration and zoning, subdivision, and building regulations.
Municipal & County Services investigates the laws and issues relevant to organizing and providing municipal and county services in North Carolina local government. This includes, but is not limited to, law enforcement, fire protection, solid waste collection and disposal, public health, mental health and social services, public schools, and jails.
Teaching Methods
The Municipal and County Administration Course makes significant use of case studies. The case studies reflect the experiences of cities and counties of different sizes and give course participants the opportunity to work in small groups to apply and discuss material covered in class. The final course sessions consist entirely of small-group work on case studies that weave together the variety of subjects covered in the courses. |
