Economic & Community Development
In this concentration, students will be equipped to work at the intersection of public policy and economic development, helping make public policy more effective and communities more successful.
Concentration Courses
HBS 503: Administrative Law and Regulatory Policymaking
Legal foundations of the administrative state. Agency implementation of legislation through rulemaking, enforcement, and adjudication. Legislative oversight, executive control, and judicial review of agency actions.
HBS 544: Planning and Land Use
Regional planning within a legal, regulatory, social, and political context. Environmental and sustainable development. Role for public, private, and nonprofit entities in affecting regional performance. Project evaluation, economic impact analysis, economic development incentives, including tax-increment financing and development impact fees and taxes. Community engagement. Land use regulation and zoning.
HBS 523: Regional Economics
Sources of regional economic growth and development and the spatial distribution of people (including migration) and business. Effects of policy on regional economic activity, urban/rural land use, and the role of public infrastructure. Regional spillovers and policy coordination.
Earn an optional Economic & Community Development Certificate
IAC 504: The Art of the Possible
Conflict, communication, consensus building, and compromise in public policymaking. Emphasis on case studies.
Kaitlyn Bare, Class of 2026
“Because of the support from the MPA program’s faculty and administration, my introduction to public administration has been incredibly welcoming and informative. Not only do I feel more proficient in understanding public administration as a discipline, but I also feel immense gratitude for how the knowledge I have gained here has positively impacted my professional life.
In my current role in higher education, I have relied heavily on the skills I have acquired since beginning my MPA journey. Specifically in the expertise I have built in data analysis, as well as critical thinking skills acquired from well-selected case studies, this program has provided me with a well-rounded, valuable education I am able to apply towards my role as a public servant.”