The Certificate in Governance and Administration consists of four (4) fully online courses that are designed to help learners navigate local government processes, understand municipal authority, improve service delivery efficiency, and effectively serve council needs. Courses are a combination of self-study as well as live online sessions. All courses can be taken individually. Successful completion of four (4) courses is required to be awarded the certificate.
What Will You Learn?
Students who complete this certificate will:
- gain an appreciation of the main challenges facing local governments today;
- understand the pressures of growth and change, and the impact of these pressures on traditional municipal systems;
- learn about the sources of Canadian law and explain how they interrelate;
- identify the unique challenges facing municipalities in enforcing their bylaws;
- understand municipal governance structures and procedures;
- recognize the roles and responsibilities of corporate officers, directors, managers, and supervisors within the local government context; and
- identify both opportunities and challenges within the corporate local government environment.
Who Should Take This Certificate?
This certificate is for municipal staff interested in advancing their career, and for individuals who would like to transition to a career in local government.
Certificate Requirements
The certificate consists of four (4) courses totaling 90 hours of learning. The required courses are:
- OLCD-LGOV0014 Local Government
- OLCD-LGOV0015 Municipal Law
- OLCD-LGOV0033 Parliamentary Governance, Management and Procedure
- OLCD-LGOV0035 Municipal Corporate Administration Fundamentals
Fees and Schedule
Please see each course for the applicable tuition fee. Courses are offered at least once a year. For assistance or more information, please contact openlearning@dal.ca.
Recognition of Prior Learning
It may be possible to receive advanced standing in this certificate based on your prior learning from work or life experience. We provide two types of recognition of prior learning:
- Prior Certified Learning: Assessment of prior coursework or training through a provider, that is neither a university or college, for the purpose of advanced standing. Examples of certified learning may include military courses, accredited certificates, workplace training programs, etc.
- Prior Experiential Learning: Assessment of previous work and life learning that may be equivalent to learning outcomes of university courses/programs, for the purpose of advanced standing. Relevant prior learning may come from work or volunteer experience, participation on committees or boards, independent study, etc.
To discuss how to use your prior learning to apply for advanced standing, please contact rpl@dal.ca.