Legal Studies (LGST) 479

Overview

Legal Studies 479 is designed to give students practical knowledge of the legal aspects of local or municipal government in Alberta. This course will be of particular interest to those either employed or interested in local government or who have occasion to deal with local government in their professional, business, or private lives. By the end of this course, students should be able to recognize problems and situations involving local government that require legal counsel.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, students should be able to

• explain the basics of the law relating to municipalities, particularly in Alberta;
• describe the duties, responsibilities, and limitations of municipalities;
• explain the functions of municipalities and the scope of their authority; and
• work effectively with and in municipalities, and other agencies that interconnect with municipalities, such as utility providers.

Outline

Unit 1: Local Government Authority

Unit 2: Municipalities and Changes in Their Status

Unit 3: Municipal Councils and Bylaws

Unit 4: Municipal Finances

Unit 5: Public Utility Services

Unit 6: Transportation in Municipalities

Unit 7: Land Use and Planning

Unit 8: Intergovernmental Relations

Evaluation

To receive credit for LGST 479, you must achieve an overall course grade of at least "D" (50 percent) and receive a mark of at least 50% on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Other Materials

All course materials for LGST 479 are available online.