Curriculum
All students take the MRP core curriculum, four courses in their area of specialization, and a set
of electives usually consisting of 5 courses. There are three areas of specialization within economic
development: Urban and Regional Economic Development, Development Finance, and Community
Economic Development. The latter is jointly offered with the housing, real estate, and community
development focus area.

Urban and Regional Economic Development focuses on the dynamics of metropolitan and broader
regional economies, and how various kinds of policy and programmatic interventions can alter the
path of their development. Development Finance deals with community development financial
institutions and with the array of financing instruments they use to help build wealth in cities, rural
areas, or low-resource communities. The Community Economic Development area of specialization
looks at the process of generating and revitalizing jobs, enterprises, work skills, and institutional
capacities at a community or neighborhood level, working with and through community-based
organizations.

The areas of specialization may be thought of as branches of a tree. All economic development
students take two common courses, PLAN 261 (Urban and Regional Economic Development
Planning) and PLAN 263 (Development Planning Techniques). These two courses provide foundation-
level concepts, techniques, instruments, and knowledge of institutional settings for the three areas
of specialization. In conjunction with their advisor, students choose two additional economic
development courses to complete the course requirements for the area of specialization.
Examples of course sequences are listed below.

Urban and Regional Economic Development
Plan 261 Economic Development Policy. Spring.
Plan 263 Development Planning Techniques. Spring.
Plan 264 Urban and Regional Development Seminar. Fall.
Plan 226 State and Local Public Finance. Spring.

Development Finance
Plan 261 Economic Development Policy. Spring.
Plan 263 Development Planning Techniques. Spring.
Plan 264 Urban and Regional Development Seminar. Fall.
Plan 267 Development Finance. Fall.

Recommended:
Busi 185 Financial Institutions and Markets
  OR
Econ 185 Financial Markets

Community Economic Development
Plan 261 Economic Development Policy. Spring.
Plan 263 Development Planning Techniques. Spring.
Plan 266 Community Development Planning. Spring.
Plan 251 Real Estate Investment and Affordable Housing. Spring.
Plan 268 Techniques in Neighborhood Revitalization. Fall.

Complete DCRP Course List

All students work closely with their advisor to select a set of elective courses so as to complement
their economic development coursework in such a way so as to maximize professional and career
options. Students are able to schedule sequences of course to gain knowledge in more than one of
the areas of specialization, and with strategic selection of elective courses, to gain depth in another
focus area, such as land use or environmental planning. Others will seek to gain added depth in
particular skills. Many students take additional relevant courses offered in the departments of
economics, business, public policy, public administration, and geography. Elective courses may
be chosen from within DCRP, from other departments at UNC-CH, or from other universities located
within the Research Triangle area.

Recommended Electives
Plan 254 Development Dispute Resolution
Plan 258 Seminar on Community Capitalism
Plan 232 Public Investment Theory and Techniques
Plan 246 GIS for Planners
Plan 270 International Development and Social Change

In addition, all economic development students take a workshop course in their second year on a
client-sponsored topic that provides the opportunity to synthesize the various skills learned in their
courses.

There is also a required law course, which can be chosen from several alternatives. Recommended
law courses include Administrative Law, Labor Law, and Race and Gender Law.