Continuing Education
Continuing Education
Local Government
Designed for employees of municipal and regional governments in BC, the Civic Governance and Innovation (CGI) program uses case study analysis and applied projects to examine how local governments can and do pursue innovation and risk-taking.
Local governments will have to tackle big issues in the years coming, ranging from new technology demands to climate change adaptation. To take on these challenges, current and future municipal employees, elected officials, and members of the public will need to work together to share knowledge, take calculated risks, and effect change through collaborative, cross-organizational processes.
In the CGI program, you will learn techniques for weighing evidence for decision-making, and methods to analyze ideas for improved outcomes. You will explore how socio-demographic and economic diversity influences public engagement and service delivery.
Participants in the program may also be engaging with your own organization's employees or with other regional governments to tackle these and other questions.
This program is subject to program-specific fees. Tuition for these courses may be higher than for regular academic courses.
CIVI courses may be eligible for Board of Examiners scholarships.
Credential: Certificate
Format: Part-time
Delivery: Hybrid: combination of online and in-person courses
Duration: 2–3 years
Location: Abbotsford — Clearbrook Centre
Tuition*: Approximately $6,500 including fees and texts.
Additional costs: Note: Costs are only an estimate and may vary depending on time taken to complete program.
Start dates: January, May, September
* Tuition subject to change without notice. Textbooks are not included in tuition.
View the official entrance requirements in the UFV Academic Calendar.
Students may enter the program without having previously completed university credits. CIVI 200 (Evidence-Based Decision Making) will serve as the prerequisite for other courses in the program. CIVI 200 does not have prerequisites.
The courses in the CGI program complement other provincial professional training programs in local government and public administration. Students who have completed Municipal Administration Training Institute (MATI) or Public Administration courses at other institutions build on this prior training when completing UFV’s CGI program.
This 18-credit certificate program consists of six courses that examine dimensions of political culture, innovation, and best practices in local governance. For a list of course descriptions, please visit the UFV Academic Calendar.
Your classroom experience in this program will be complemented by other learning opportunities, including webinars, workshops, and other in-person and online experiences.
The certificate program requires completion of 6 courses offered on a rotational basis (some offered more than once per year):
| CIVI 200 | Evidence-Based Decision Making |
|---|---|
| CIVI 202 | Civic Governance in British Columbia and the Fraser Valley |
| CIVI 302 | Changemaking in Local Government Systems |
| CIVI 311 | How Cities Work |
| CIVI 312 | Risk Tolerance and Capacity Building in Local Governance |
| CIVI 400 | Capstone Project in Civic Governance and Innovation |
Each course in the certificate program is awarded university credit through UFV. Courses may be awarded transfer credit at other universities.
Interested in taking individual courses without completing the certificate? Email continuingeducation@ufv.ca for permission.
Local government is among the largest employers in almost every BC community. Local government employees mediate between political decision-making and public demands for increasingly numerous, complex, and professionalized services negotiated through new forms of public engagement.
Local governments are also at the front line of addressing changes reshaping the world around us, from demographic and technological shifts impacting employment and communications to threats to built landscapes and social landscapes associated with climate change.
Most workers employed by local government bodies are hired for their technical skills and training without additional training in local governance processes. The Civic Governance and Innovation certificate program is designed to fill a need in local government education by increasing flexibility, risk acceptance, and innovation in process and public engagement.
Employees (governmental and non-governmental) who may benefit from this program include:
To find your textbooks, use the UFV Bookstore's textbook search tool. Select "CIVI - Civic Studies" as your area of study.
Phone: 604-851-6324
Toll free: 1-888-504-7441 ext. 6324
Email: continuingeducation@ufv.ca
Or ask online