Nonprofit Management
Overview
Program of Study
Curriculum
Course Descriptions
Notre Dame of Maryland University offers two graduate programs in nonprofit management, the Master of Arts degree and the Graduate Certificate of Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations. Nonprofit organizations strengthen, inspire and protect our communities, heritage, and world as well as offer unique challenges to the manager. Built on a foundation of ethics and mission, Notre Dame's nonprofit management programs combines business methods, management theory and social commitment to prepare dedicated individuals to serve as effective managers in the nonprofit arena.
The Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management degree provides middle- and upper-level managers the opportunity to learn practical strategies, grounded in business theory, in an atmosphere of frank exchange and interaction with other nonprofit practitioners. The Graduate Certificate of Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations is designed for those who seek the challenge of graduate-level exploration, but not necessarily a full degree.
The mission of the Nonprofit Management program is to offer people of commitment the opportunity to develop the skills and background necessary to lead effectively and efficiently toward the fulfillment of their nonprofit organization's mission. The program exposes managers to six areas of exploration:
- The unique environment of the nonprofit sector
- Management and leadership
- Resource management
- Strategic positioning
- Program development and evaluation
- Integrated capstone project
Taken together, these skill sets combine the essentials for leading in a time of change. Managers explore the rapidly evolving environment of nonprofits, responding to new social and policy challenges, funding stream patterns, and technology. They examine the changing relationship between nonprofits and government, the evolving strategic alliances among corporations – nonprofit and for-profit. This curriculum prepares people of commitment to manage the “business” of the mission-based organization effectively and efficiently. These courses guide managers in their development of the skills necessary to develop, seek funding for, execute, staff, and manage the finances of, and evaluate programs. In the capstone project, these are integrated in the practical – or theoretical – project of the student's own design.
Program of Study
The program of study leading to the Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management requires completion of a minimum of 36 credits of coursework. The core curriculum of 30 credits develops a broad-based foundation. This incorporates the environment of the nonprofit sector, managing and leading, resource management, strategic positioning, marketing and social media and program development and evaluation. The remaining six credits permit the student to explore areas of particular personal interest, whether in additional study in the core areas or in management, marketing, finance or technology. Students integrate the whole with a capstone experience of their own design.
A baccalaureate degree is required for admission. However, there are no undergraduate prerequisite courses. Applicants who have recently earned a baccalaureate in business, with a superior academic record, may be granted limited advanced standing in the program. In practice, advanced standing results in additional elective credit rather than a shorter program.
Students must maintain a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average to remain in good academic standing. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on probationary status. Students on academic probation will be given three semesters (in which they register for a course) to raise their cumulative grade point average to 3.0. Failure to do so, or receiving more than two grades below a B, will result in dismissal from the graduate program. These provisions do not apply to students admitted on probation; provisions governing that status are identified in the letter of admission.
Part-time graduate Nonprofit Management students may enroll in a maximum of six credits during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Full-time graduate students may enroll in nine credits per semester. All graduate students are restricted to 3 credits during the Winterim semester. Classes are scheduled in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate working professionals.
At the conclusion of this program, students are expected to:
- Analyze and evaluate environmental factors that affect the mission, directions, and challenges faced by nonprofit organizations
- Engage in strategic planning to design future programming for nonprofit organizations
- Recognize and use strategies for managing human and financial resources
- Employ current research about leadership practices to improve the students' ability to focus and guide the activities of nonprofit organizations
- Display skills in resource management, ranging from the control of financial flows to the refinement of hiring strategies and the effective use of volunteer services
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the use of the organization's resources to carry out its mission
- Investigate and explain the strategic position of nonprofit organizations vis-à-vis government, the for-profit sector, other nonprofits and their community
- Design and employ effective strategies of program development and evaluation
- Demonstrate the integration of students' knowledge of theory and research with practical application through a final graduate project.
Curriculum (36 Credits)
Central Core (30 Credits)
NPM-501 Strategic Planning in the Nonprofit
Sector (3)
NPM-510 Management and Leadership in
Nonprofits (3)
NPM-520 Human Resource Management (3)
NPM-545 Fundraising and Grant Writing (3)
NPM-531 Managing Financial Resources in
Nonprofits (3)
NPM-551 Government – Nonprofit
Relationships (3)
NPM-560 Ethical Issues in Nonprofit
Management (3)
NPM-570 Nonprofit Marketing (3)
NPM-580 Program Evaluation Methods (3)
NPM-690 Masters Project Seminar (3)
Electives (6 Credits)
NPM-691 Master's Project Seminar II (3)
BUS-520 Health Care Administration (3)
BUS-533 Advanced Financial Analysis (3)
BUS-541 Legal Issues in Human Resource
Management (3)
BUS-542 Performance Management
Systems (3)
BUS-554 Women in Leadership (3)
BUS-558 Leadership and Organizational
Development (3)
BUS-562 Leading Organizational
Change (3)
COM-505 Business Communication (3)
COM-620 Public Relations Management
CST-554 Principles and Issues in Information
Systems (3)
CST-534 Data Driven Business Decisions
CST-580 Managing Information in a Web Based
World (3)
CST-593 Web Development (3)
CST-621 Database Management (3)
ECO-548 Economics Theory in Management
(3)
ENG-503 Graduate Writing (3)*
* After careful review of a student's admissions essay and Notre Dame graduate admissions exam scores, a student may be required to complete ENG-503 within their first nine credits at the University.
Course Descriptions
NOTE: Course descriptions for business and economics courses can be found in the Leadership and Management section of this catalog. Course descriptions for communication, CST, and English courses can be found in the Contemporary Communication section of the catalog.
NPM-501 STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR
Explores the size and scope of the nonprofit sector, its
similarities to and differences from the for profit and public
sectors. Based on this examination of the sector environment,
learners engage in strategic planning for the specific nonprofit
program of their choice. [3 credits]
NPM-510 MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN NONPROFITS
Applies management and leadership principles to the nonprofit
sector. Learners expand their management skills through exploring
the differing needs and cultural perspectives of staff, volunteers,
board members, donors and consumers. Learners focus particular
attention on assessing their leadership strengths and weaknesses
through textural readings and case studies. [3 credits]
NPM-520 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Examines basic human resource management issues—strategic
workforce planning, hiring, training, personnel evaluation and
compensation. Learners apply the theory of each of these areas to
one position of their choosing, developing a portfolio of practical,
useful Human Resource applications. [3 credits]
NPM-531 MANAGING FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN NONPROFITS
Introduces the underlying concepts, language and reporting methods
of accounting and financial analysis. Emphasizes understanding and
using accounting and financial statements, rather than producing
them. Topics include budgeting, working with accountants and
financial analysts to achieve organizational goals, and managing
financial resources are explored through practical problem sets. [3
credits]
NPM-545 FUNDRAISING AND GRANT WRITING
Explores the various methods that nonprofits use to raise funds to
support the organization's operations and programs. Addresses basic
grant acquisition methodologies including conducting grant research,
making contacts, and creating standard and comprehensive case
statements. Learners write the grant application of their choice. [3
credits]
NPM-551 GOVERNMENT – NONPROFIT RELATIONSHIPS
Explores the relationship between the public sector and the
nonprofit sector. How does each influence the other? What is the
role of nonprofits in developing and implementing public policy? How
do government entities and the community at large—from donors to
consumers—influence the evolving mission of the nonprofit
organization? Addressing these questions is the focus of this
course. Learners track a specific issue of their choice. [3 credits]
NPM-560 ETHICAL ISSUES IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT
Analyzes a range of ethical issues and dilemmas inherent in the
nonprofit arena. Learners explore these issues through a series of
practical applications. [3 credits]
NPM-570 NONPROFIT MARKETING
Focuses on the complementary aspects of marketing and communications
for a nonprofit organization. Topics include segmentation, branding,
and membership recruitment. This course also explores the roles of
public relations, advertising and social media, as well as the
process of preparing persuasive communication for target markets.
Learners prepare a case statement, communications and social
media strategy for an organization or program. [3 credits]
NPM-580 PROGRAM EVALUATION METHODS
Examines performance measurement and outcomes assessment for
nonprofit organizations. Learners are also introduced to the use
basic descriptive statistics to identify, measure and present
information, particularly to their organizations' Boards and to
outside stakeholders. Learners develop an evaluation design for the
program of their choice. [3 credits]
NPM-690 MASTER'S PROJECT SEMINAR
Provides a framework for each learner's developing an original
project as a capstone to the master's program. Projects may range
from the development of a major new initiative for the student's
organization to a written thesis based on original investigation of
a specific question in nonprofit management. Through this capstone
endeavor, the learner integrates the theory and practice of many
courses. The particular design of the project must be approved by
the seminar leader. The seminar experience itself provides learners
the opportunity to discuss their progress and outcomes with their
peers and faculty. Learners are required to achieve the grade of B
or higher to complete this requirement. Prerequisite:
Completion of 21 credits, including the following core courses:
NPM-501, 510, 525, 580, and 531. [3 credits]
NPM-691 MASTER'S PROJECT SEMINAR II
Continues NPM-690 for particularly comprehensive projects. [3
credits]