The Rural Economic and Community Vitality Certificate requires a minimum of 12 credit hours: six hours of required core courses and six hours of electives selected from the list below:
Core Courses
- CDEV 814 Community and Regional Economic Analysis (3 cr, Fall)
- CDEV 820 Economic Development Strategies and Programs (3cr, Fall)
Electives
- CDEV 816 Nebraska Rural Government Law Fundamentals (1 cr, Fall, Session 1)
- CDEV 817 Nebraska Rural Government Finance Fundamentals (1 cr, Spring, Session 1)
- CDEV/ALEC 818 Community Engagement (1 cr, Fall, Session 2)
- CDEV 819 Community Action Strategies (1 cr, Fall, Session 3)
- CDEV 825 Sustainable Economic Development (1 cr, Spring, Session 3)
- CDEV 827 Community Workforce Development (1 cr, Spring, Session 2)
- CDEV 894 Capstone Project (1 cr, F/S)
Fall Sessions
- CDEV 814 Community and Regional Economic Analysis (3 cr) Daniela Matos, Full semester
- CDEV 816 Rural Government Law (1 cr) Dave Aiken Session 1, Aug. 26 - Sept. 29, 2024
- CDEV 818 Community Engagement (1 cr) Charlotte Narjes Session 2, Sept. 30 - Nov. 03, 2024
- CDEV 819 Community Action Strategy (1 cr) Marilyn Schlake Session 3, Nov. 04 - Dec. 15, 2024 (Thanksgiving week off)
- CDEV 820 Economic Development Strategies and Programs (3 cr) Daniela Mattos, Full semester
- CDEV 89 Capstone Project (1 cr) Contact dmattos2@unl.edu
Spring Sessions
- CDEV 817 Rural Governance Finance (1 cr) Dave Aiken Session 1, Jan. 26 - Mar. 02 2025
- CDEV 827 Community Workforce Development (1 cr) Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel Session 2, Mar. 03 - Apr. 6, 2025 (includes Spring Break)
- CDEV 825 Sustainable Community Economics (1 cr) Daniela Mattos Session 3, Apr. 07 - May 18, 2025
- CDEV 894 Capstone Project (1 cr) Contact dmattos2@unl.edu
CDEV 814 Community and Regional Economic Analysis
Daniela Mattos
Fall
3 credits
Syllabus
A firm grounding in the reality of the local economy is necessary for successful programs in community economic development and for designing successful state and local policy and programs in economic development. The course introduces concepts of communities and regions, theories of economic growth, drivers of economic growth, the economic base of a community sources of growth or decline in the community, roles of local government and institutions, analytical tools, and strategies for local economic development.
CDEV 816 Nebraska Rural Government Law Fundamentals
Dave Aiken
Fall (Session 1)
1 credit
This class will give you a practical introduction to county and rural community government in Nebraska. Topics include state law and local governments; local government functions; land use regulation and zoning; drinking water and wastewater regulation; and local government taxes and spending. While the class focuses on Nebraska rural government law, the issues raised are common to rural governments throughout the United States (except possibly Hawaii). For example, we will learn what local governments’ officials are in Nebraska and what their functions are. The official’s titles may vary in other states (county register of deeds vs. county recorder of deeds, for example) but the functions will be very similar. Thus the course is relevant to students outside Nebraska as well as inside Nebraska.
CDEV 817 Nebraska Rural Government Finance Fundamentals
Dave Aiken
Spring (Session 1)
1 credit
This class will give you a practical introduction to county and rural community government finance in Nebraska. Topics include: sources of Nebraska local government revenue and spending; a history of Nebraska property taxes; property tax assessment and collection; role of property taxes in Nebraska K-12 education funding; regional and national trends in K-12 education funding; Nebraska property tax relief programs and options; and Nebraska economic development incentive programs. While the class focuses on Nebraska rural government finance, the issues raised are common to rural governments throughout the United States (except possibly Hawaii). For example, we will learn what state and local revenue officials are in Nebraska and what their functions are. The official’s titles may vary in other states (Nebraska Tax Equalization & Review Commission vs. State Board of Equalization, for example) but the functions will be very similar. Thus the course is relevant to students outside Nebraska as well as inside Nebraska.
CDEV 818 Community Engagement
Charlotte Narjes/Lindsay Hastings
Fall (Session 2)
1 credit
This course will provide a foundational knowledge of community engagement. This will include understanding a community’s readiness to change; strategies to engage community’s members and strategies to determine goals and indicators to achieve change. Participants will review and critique various community engagement and readiness processes, gaining an understanding of approaches advantages and limitations. Through case studies, experiential learning and discussions, participants will develop a skillset for community engagement processes that lead to long-term change.
CDEV 819 Community Action Strategies
Marilyn Schlake/Daniela Mattos
Fall (Session 3)
1 credit
The course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of community action planning. Participants will review and critique various community action planning processes, gaining an understanding of process advantages and limitations. Through case studies and discussions, participants will develop a skillset for community planning that clarifies what will be done and resources needed to accomplish the goals for long-term impacts.
CDEV 820 Economic Development Strategies and Programs
Daniela Mattos
Session TBD
3 credits
The course will cover the most widely used strategies and programs for economic development within an action planning process. Retention and expansion of business and industry, retail development and downtown revitalization, incubating new firm creation, industrial attraction, and tourism development all will be covered. These are both strategies and programs that utilize all forms of capital from all sources, the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Students will study the organized efforts to plan, build, and manage each program.
CDEV 825 Sustainable Economic Development
Daniela Mattos
Spring (Session 3)
1 credit
This course provides an overview of the connections between communities and their local systems and how they work together in affecting long-term community and economic development. Students will be introduced to the complex issues facing local communities, from human capital and environmental concerns to infrastructure and economic development. Tools and strategies for addressing these issues will be a focus of the course lectures and readings.
CDEV 827 Community Workforce Development
Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel
Spring (Session 3)
1 credit
The course is designed to expand the student’s awareness and knowledge of current workforce issues and trends and then apply the new knowledge to a real-life community situation. The course project, which will be identified by the participant, is a way to add meaning, to problem-solve and also reflect on the new learning in an integrated manner. The course will engage participants through the use of group online discussions and invited speakers.
CDEV 894 Practicum/Creative Component/Thesis in Community Development
Daniela Mattos
Spring/Fall
1 credit
Because of the variety of career and academic opportunities that may result from this degree program, students have considerable leeway in choosing projects that suit their programs of study and also fit their future professional or academic goals. Students can complete a 1 credit hour capstone project in the area of their choice.