Economic Development: Goals, Strategies and Tools

3.0 credits · Undergraduate

This course examines the theory and practice of economic and community development with special attention to understanding the relationship between goals, strategies policy tools for building the local economy and improving economic wellbeing and quality of life for residents. While this course is designed to primarily focus on economic development, it is based on the understanding that community and economic development are highly intertwined. The enhancement of human and organizational productivity is closely interwoven with efforts to strengthen community, shape the physical environment and protect and restore the ecological base on which the community and local economy depends. The course focuses on municipalities and regions, but we recognize that all actors are embedded within state, national and international systems involving public and private entities. We will also talk with practitioners and work with professional policy documents to understand how on-the-ground decisions are made. Finally, we will learn some of the basic skills used by economic development practitioners and some of the fundamental issues facing local governments.