Nonprofit Management

Overview

Nonprofit management programs prepare people to run foundations, public agencies, and other not-for-profit organizations.

The nonprofit sector accounts for well over one million businesses. They provide education, health care, and many other services.

Nonprofit management programs include topics such as:

Budgeting
Staffing
Fundraising
Public administration
Accounting
Taxes and laws

Schools

Only a few colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in nonprofit management. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Some universities offer graduate degrees in nonprofit management. Several universities offer specializations in nonprofit management as part of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Other programs that may offer specializations in nonprofit management include arts, health, or public administration. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Economics
English Composition
Introduction to Business
Pre-Calculus
Public Speaking

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores. It is possible to enter an MBA program even though your undergraduate major is not business-related. But you should complete courses in accounting, economics, statistics, business law, and management information systems.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) (G) (for MS)
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)
Letters of recommendation
Interview (for MBA)

Typical Course Work

The undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Business Finance
Business Law
Business Writing
Calculus for Business
English Composition
Human Resource Management
Introduction to Accounting
Introduction to Management Information Systems
Introduction to Marketing
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Management and Organization
Principles of Microeconomics
Statistics for Business

In addition, to prepare for a career in nonprofit management you probably will want to take some of the following courses. More of them will be available (and required) in a MS program than in a bachelor's or MBA program:

Accounting and Regulatory Issues in Nonprofits
Fundraising Management
Leadership in Nonprofits
Nonprofit Marketing
Strategic and Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations

A list of common graduate requirements is below:

Required courses
Internship (MBA)
Thesis (master of science; may not be required for MBA)

Things to Know

Business courses often focus on cases drawn from real life. Students sharpen their analytical and problem-solving skills by examining situations that businesses have encountered in real life.

Business courses in high school can be useful preparation for a career in nonprofit management. Your high school transcript needs to show that you are preparing for a demanding college-level program.