Careers in Courses International Development Municipal Finance This course is designed to prepare students for a wide range of career possibilities within the municipal and public finance space. Students will learn more about the primary ways local governments fund projects, explore the various career paths available, develop baseline skills, practice their job search skills, and begin establishing their network. Industry InsightLearn about key organizations and roles being recruited for in public finance through employer partner-led lectures, discussions, and office hours.Applied Skill Development Gain exposure and practice with key skills required for a variety of career paths within the industry.Career PreparationCraft a professional resume, sharpen your interview skills, and develop a personalized strategy for internship and job searches.Professional NetworkingConnect directly with employer partners in the field through structured networking opportunities.Who Should EnrollThis course is ideal for Harris students interested in careers related to municipal finance, whether that be in government, non-profit, or private sector.No prior experience is required—just curiosity, commitment, and a desire to grow.While not required, this course complements the Municipal Finance specialization.Course SyllabusWEEKCATEGORYTOPIC1BackgroundIndustry Overview - Learn what municipal finance is and why it's crucial for local governments. Discuss the role of municipal finance in funding public projects like schools, roads, and infrastructure.2Organizations & Career Paths – Explore roles available across various sectors: public sector (government finance departments, budget offices, public authorities), private sector (investment banking, financial advisory, rating agencies), and consulting (municipal advising, debt management, infrastructure financing).3Bond Market Overview4 Skill BuildingFinancial Statements & Analysis for Governments & Non-Profits5 Excel Functionality Course6Career DevelopmentLanding the interview (resumes, networking, informational interviewing)7 Preparing for the interview (employer partner panel discussion)8Practice Interview with employer partner9NetworkingNetworking Reception with employer partnersWeeklyOffice HoursEmployer partners will hold “office hours” for an additional industry touchpointEmployer PartnersWe are grateful for the generosity and support of our employer partners in the municipal and public finance industry. To get involved or request a resume book, contact us at harriscdo@uchicago.edu. Platinum PartnerGold PartnersLoop CapitalPTMA Financial SolutionsSilver PartnersBronze PartnersAdajePractical ExperiencesApplied ExperienceInternship ProgramSummer internships are a critical component in your professional development — a chance to use your new skills towards real-world problems.Learn more about the Internship ProgramExperiential LearningHarris Policy LabsHarris Policy Labs is a unique initiative in which teams of second-year Harris students apply their rigorous core education to real-time public policy challenges facing client organizations.Learn more about Harris Policy LabsOpportunities & ResourcesSpecializationMunicipal FinanceThe Specialization in Municipal Finance prepares students for careers with local and state governments as well as private-sector financial and consulting firms. Learn more about the Municipal Finance specialization Centers & InstitutesCenter for Municipal FinanceThe Center for Municipal Finance (CMF) enables students and faculty to engage the major financial issues of the day facing state and local governments in the United States and around the globe.Learn more about the Center for Municipal FinanceFacultyResearch ProfessorJustin MarloweJustin Marlowe is a Research Professor in the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Municipal Finance. His research and teaching are focused on public finance, with emphasis on public capital markets, infrastructure finance, state and local budgeting, and financial disclosure. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Municipal Finance Journal, and he co-hosts the Public Money Pod, a podcast produced by the Center for Municipal Finance.Read Justin Marlowe's BioWilliam J. and Alicia Townsend Friedman Professor; Director, Mansueto Institute for Urban InnovationChristopher BerryChristopher R. Berry is the William J. and Alicia Townsend Friedman Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and the College and director the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, at the University of Chicago. He was the inaugural director of the Center for Municipal Finance and is a current faculty affiliate.Read Chris Berry's BioSenior LecturerPaula WorthingtonPaula R. Worthington is a Senior Lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where she also serves as academic director of the School’s Policy Labs program and faculty lead on its MPP program. At Harris, Worthington teaches courses in state and local government and cost-benefit analysis and advises students completing applied projects for public and nonprofit sector clients. She is consistently recognized for excellence in teaching, having received nine teaching awards since joining Harris in 2004.Read Paula Worthington's BioAssociate ProfessorDamon JonesDamon Jones is an associate professor and associate director of the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He conducts research at the intersection of three fields: public finance, household finance, and labor economics.Read Damon Jones's BioAssociate ProfessorPeter GanongPeter Ganong is an economist who studies the effect of public policies on people facing difficult financial circumstances. In his research on the foreclosure crisis, he found that most borrowers defaulted due to insufficient liquidity and that many foreclosures could have been averted through liquidity-focused modifications to mortgages. He also has found that unemployment benefits play a crucial role in sustaining the consumption of unemployed workers. In ongoing work, he is studying the effects of racial wealth inequality and income volatility within employment relationships.Read Peter Ganong's BioAssistant ProfessorDmitri KoustasDmitri Koustas is an Assistant Professor at Harris Public Policy. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2018. His research covers a variety of topics in labor economics and macroeconomics.Read Dmitri Koustas's BioMcCormick Foundation ProfessorBruce D. MeyerBruce D. Meyer, the McCormick Foundation Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, studies poverty and inequality, tax policy, government safety net programs such as unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, food stamps, and Medicaid, and the accuracy of household surveys. His most recent work includes research on trends in poverty and inequality, the consequences of disability, the effects of Medicaid, and the accuracy of household surveys.Read Bruce D. Meyer's BioAssociate ProfessorLesley TurnerLesley J. Turner is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, faculty research fellow of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and CESifo research affiliate. Her research broadly considers the roles that government should play in providing, financing, and regulating education.Read Lesley Turner's Bio