Master’s Programs: Nonprofit Management
"Nonprofit organizations have long played a central role in American and international life and continue to shape current events and public policy. The caliber of Milano’s Nonprofit Management Program puts students at the apex of knowledge and innovation in this rapidly growing field, and they become part of one of the largest nonprofit networks in the U.S."
—Aida Rodriguez, Professor of Professional Practice
Leaders in the Nonprofit Sector
The program in Nonprofit Management prepares students to assume positions of leadership in nonprofit organizations. Milano’s program was one of the first created in the United States and for more than three decades has led the development of model research, curricula, and innovative instructional materials and methods used at leading academic institutions worldwide.
The program combines theory with practical skills and knowledge within a framework reflecting both individual and social justice values. These elements are important to professional education in any field, but they are of special significance in nonprofit management.
To enhance professional leadership in the nonprofit sector, the master’s degree program in Nonprofit Management offers a dual focus on comparative analysis and understanding the global civil sector. The program emphasizes the development of strong team interaction and presentation skills through direct exposure to nonprofit client projects. This blend of specialized knowledge and concrete skills makes Milano graduates uniquely suited to lead nonprofit organizations.
The Nonprofit Management Curriculum
The curriculum of the Nonprofit Management Program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for effective management and leadership in the nonprofit sector within the global community. To that end, the curriculum consists of three components through which students fulfill the degree requirement of forty-two credits:
- A required schoolwide core of nine credits
- A required program core of fifteen credits
- Fifteen credits of electives
- Three credit international or cross-cultural elective
Schoolwide Core Courses
The Milano Schoolwide Core of three required courses equips you with critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students pursuing an MS degree take all the schoolwide core courses within their first 24 credit hours of study.
Program Core Courses
Five required program core courses build on the knowledge and skill base developed in the schoolwide core. These courses provide an understanding of key nonprofit management functions and issues while sharpening your analytic and decision-making capabilities.
Curriculum requirements for students admitted before fall 2008
Electives
The third group of courses in the master's program consists of the six elective courses that you choose in consultation with your academic advisor. You may use your electives to expand your knowledge of an area of nonprofit management that interests you or to develop an area of specialization. This flexibility is possible given the broad array of courses offered by the Nonprofit Management Program, by other programs at Milano, and by other divisions of the university.