This year's Municipal Finance Certificate program will take place virtually, offering the same University of Chicago programming to participants throughout the country. 

This five day program provides a thorough foundation in municipal finance within the United States, with a focus on urban planning, economic development, and potential funding models for infrastructure.

The program will include half-day courses featuring both live discussions and prerecorded lectures covering the following modules:

• Urban Economics and Growth
• Intergovernmental Fiscal Frameworks, Revenues, Budgeting
• Capital Budgeting/Accounting and Infrastructure Maintenance
• Debt/Municipal Securities 
• Land-Based Finance/Land Value Capture
• Public-Private Partnerships 
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• Financial Analysis for Land Use and Development Decision Making

While the University appreciate international perspectives in all of our courses, this program is currently limited to municipal finance topics within the United States and does not include any content within an international context. Potential students who are interested in additional course topics are encouraged to explore additional University of Chicago and Harris Executive Education courses here. 

Program Agenda

This course will take place Monday April 5 - Friday April 9. The live virtual programming will last approximately 2.5 hours each day. Students are also expected to watch pre-recorded lectures and read introductory materials that correspond to each live module. The total time expected to complete the pre-recordings and readings is 4 to 5 hours.

Municipal Finance Certificate - April 2021 Agenda

Who Should Attend

Space for this certificate course is limited. Individuals who had previously enrolled in either our Chicago or Phoenix certificate courses will be given an opportunity to transfer their previous enrollment to this new program, before enrollment is opened to the general public. If you would like more information to be notified when enrollment is opened to the public, please contact us at munifinance@uchicago.edu. 

This course is for professionals with limited or no knowledge of how public finance works in the United States. The goal of this course is not to teach you to be a finance expert, but rather, to help you understand the field of municipal finance so that you can make better informed decisions in your current or future careers. Those with the following experience will be given preference for admission:

• New to senior-level urban planners who work in both the private and public sectors as well as individuals in the land development industry at large.
• Job titles including:
  • Urban Planners 
  • Community and Economic Development Staff
  • Developers and real estate professionals 
  • Real Estate Attorneys

Benefits of the Program

Participants will learn how to effectively apply tools of financial analysis to make strategic decisions and gain an improved understanding about the interplay among finance, urban economics and public policy as it relates to urban planning and economic development.

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a Professional Certificate in Municipal Finance. 

For planners maintaining their AICP credentials, this course provides Certification Maintenance (CM) credits from the APA.

Cost and Logistics

See the cost and logistics of the 2021 Certificate in Municipal Finance virtual program.