Virginia Government & Politics

Are you perplexed by the way Virginia’s state government works? Want to learn more about the structure and operation of our state government? Or better understand Virginia’s unique political history? Or get to know some of the historic figures that helped shape Virginia’s contemporary political landscape? Join us for this course on Virginia government and politics. 

Course Focus

During this 11-week course, you’ll learn about Virginia’s unique political history, with lectures focusing on the following topics:

  • Colonial Period
  • Revolutionary Period
  • Disruptive Period (Civil War and Reconstruction)
  • Era of Jim Crow and Massive Resistance
  • Modern Period

You’ll also learn about the unique structure and operation of Virginia’s state government, with sessions covering:

  • Executive, Legislative & Judicial Branches
  • State Bureaucracy
  • Budget Process and State Finances
  • Local Government in Virginia

Prospective Student Profile

This course is designed for those want to learn more about Virginia’s unique political history or the structure and operation of Virginia’s state government. The course will appeal to:

  • civic and community leaders and business leaders who work with government agencies;
  • state and local government employees who want to better understand Virginia’s unique bureaucracy; and
  • political party leaders and activists who seek to make inroads into the legislative process in Virginia.

Course Details

  • Cost: $495
  • Dates: TBA
  • Registration: TBA
  • Format: Hybrid live/self-paced remote instruction
    • Weekly self-paced video lectures
    • Weekly live remote sessions via Zoom

Optional Materials

Encouraged, but not required. Not included in the registration fee.

Peter Wallenstein’s Cradle of America: A History of Virginia, 2nd ed. (2014), University Press of Kansas  (ISBN: 978-0-7006-1994-8)

Liliokanaio Peaslee & Nicholas J. Swartz’s Virginia Government: Institutions and Policy (2013), CQ Press (ISBN: 978-1-4522-0589-2)

Instructor

Bill Bolling headshotFormer Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling

Mr. Bolling has served in state and local government in Virginia. His distinguished public service career includes:

  • Member and Chairman of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors (1992-1996)
  • Member of the Virginia State Senate (1996-2006)
  • Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2006-2014)

Bolling served two terms and is the only lieutenant governor in Virginia who has served both a Democratic governor (Tim Kaine) and a Republican governor (Bob McDonnell).