Requirements/Curriculum

The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate is awarded to students who have completed a total of 15 credit hours of graduate coursework within a three-year period. Exceptions to the three-year completion requirement may be granted in extenuating circumstances.

Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Course Descriptions (pdf)

Required Courses:

The following list comprises students’ options to fulfill certificate requirements. In certain extenuating circumstances and upon approval by the course instructor, it may be possible for a student to complete an independent study in lieu of one of these requirements.

1.    Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations (SOWO 884) or Nonprofit Management (PUBA 756)

2.     A total of 3 credits* from any of the following:

•  Marketing and Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations (SOWO 883; 3 credits)
• Seeking and Securing Grants (PUBA 780-005; 1.5 credits)
• Grantwriting and Evaluation (PUBA 780-002; 1.5 credits)
• Program Development and Proposal Preparation (SOWO 792; 1.5 credits)
• Marketing Information Services (INLS 786; 3 credits; School of Information & Library Science students only)
• Navigating Nonprofit-Local Government Relationships (PUBA 758; 3 credits)   

3.    Financial Management for Nonprofits (PUBA 757/SOWO 885) or Health Care Financial Management (HPM 740) or Financial Management for Nonprofits (MBA 782N)**

4.    Nonprofit Law for Non-Lawyers (LAW 213)

5.    Elective ***

* MBA students who have taken marketing and sales core MBA courses need only 1.5 credits for this requirement. This requirement can be met by completing a nonprofit marketing and/or fundraising-focused independent study in addition to the courses listed above.

** The MBA 782N option is available only to MBA students who have taken core MBA courses in financial and management accounting and MPA students who have taken or will be concurrently taking PUBA 730 (Governmental and Not-For-Profit Accounting and Reporting).

*** Elective Courses
Participants must also select a minimum of 3 credit hours of elective coursework that is consistent with the stated goal of the certificate program. The course should clearly relate to a key functional area of nonprofit organizational performance, e.g. human resource management, supervision, volunteer management, public relations, etc. Listed below are current pre-approved elective courses. Certificate students may also nominate a course to be considered for their elective. This must be a course that is not a core or selective requirement for the student’s degree program.

Pre-approved elective courses:

• Asset Development Policy & Practice (SOWO 793)
• The Facilitative Leader (SOWO 790)*
• Program Development and Proposal Preparation (SOWO 792)*
• Human Resource Management (SOWO 799)*
• Sustainable Development (SOWO 880)
• Community Practice and Planning (SOWO 881)
• Citizen Participation and Volunteer Involvement (SOWO 882)
• Mediation Skills (PUBA 768)*
• Facilitation Skills (PUBA 769)*
• Navigating Nonprofit-Local Government Relationships (PUBA 758)*
• Managing Information Technology in Government and Nonprofits (PUBA 776)*
• Politics of Community Economic Development: Strategies and Choices (PUBA 770)
• Grantwriting and Evaluation (PUBA 780-002)*
• Seeking/Securing Grants (PUBA 780-005)*
• Community Development Law Clinic (LAW 397 - Law students only)
• Community Capacity, Competence, And Power (HBHE 710)
• Popular And Empowerment Education For Health Educators (HBHE 755)
• The Psychology of Adult Learning (EDUC 686)
• Management of Workplace Diversity (MBA 824-001)*
• Entrepreneurship & Minority Economic Development (MBA 836-001)*
• New Urbanism, Smart Growth, & Sustainable Community Development (MBA 850A-001)*
• Business-Government Relations (MBA 863-001)*
• Investment Strategy for Sustainability (MBA 865-001)*
• Social Entrepreneurship (MBA 866-001)*
• Environmental Strategy (MBA 869-001)*
• Systems Thinking for Sustainable Enterprise (MBA 833A-001)*
• Urban Revitalization (PLAN 763)
• Access, Outreach, and Public Service in Cultural Heritage Repositories (INLS 754)
• Financing Social Ventures: Impact Investing (MBA 820)*

* Indicates a 1.5 credit course