Regional Council Graduate Course
The National Association of Regional Councils’ (NARC) Educational and Professional Support Committee has created an innovative curriculum for a graduate-level course on Regional Councils and the important role they play in the governing and planning process across the nation. This course is particularly applicable for colleges and universities that offer a Masters degree in Regional and City Planning (MRCP) and/or a Masters of Public Administration (MPA). Regionalism is already a salient topic in the world of governance and academia. As such, this course is designed to meet the demands and interests of both the academic and the practitioner. Regions are the now premier geographic unit of the 21 century and a key to long term economic competitiveness and sustainable development policies and practices.
The following items detail why a course on regional councils should be a relevant and necessary part of a MRCP and/or MPA program.
§ As growth throughout the country accelerates, there are many issues that are best addressed at a regional level. Those issues include, but are not limited to: air quality; water—ground and surface; transportation—roads, rails, airports and the movement of citizens; geographic information systems; disaster mitigation planning; business retention and development; revolving loan funds; land use planning; defense conversion; economic development; tourism; services for the elderly; services for workforce issues; and, public safety.
§ Regional councils can react very quickly to local and regional issues that are identified by local governments, the private sector, and others, contingent upon funding availability. This quick response assists local governments by allowing them to not have to deal with a bureaucratic structure that is not always able to respond quickly enough to meet local needs.
§ Regional councils are a valuable asset to state agencies by acting as their extension at the local and regional level on issues such as transportation, aging services, computer mapping, historic preservation, etc.
§ Because far too few people understand regional councils and their mission, offering a graduate level or undergraduate level course on regional councils would fill that gap. An appropriate curriculum would provide instruction on regional councils detailing who, what, when, where and how of how regional organizations function and the roles they play within their regions.
§ A course on regional councils enhances the visibility of such organizations, and hopefully, will spark students’ interest in working for a regional council as there is a shortage of planners entering the profession.
The following are links to additional information regarding this course.
- Map of
For more information regarding the graduate level course on Regional Councils and an already-outlined proposed curriculum, please contact Vernon D. Martin, Executive Director, Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center, vmartin@coastalgeorgiardc.org or (912) 264-7363 ext. 206.
Curriculum Committee Members
Regional Councils
Coastal
Tom Kane, Executive Director
Lyle D. Wray, Ph.D., Executive Director
Capitol Region Council of Governments,
Charles Krautler, Executive Director
James Dove, Executive Director
Northeast Georgia RDC,
Ron Thomas, Executive Director
Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission,
Tim Brennan, Executive Director
James Hassinger, Executive Director
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission,
Academic Institutions
David C. Soule, Ph.D., Associate Director
Center for Urban and Regional Policy,
Dean Jack Crowley
Jim Youngquist, Interim Director
The Fanning Institute –
Dr. Catherine Ross
Center for Quality Growth & Regional Development
Armando Carbonell
Lincoln Institute for Land Policy, Senior Fellow,
NARC Staff
Cameron Moore, Former Executive Director
National Association of Regional Councils,
Lee Schoenecker,
American Planning Association
Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division, Washington, DC
Professional Association Support