DEGREE OVERVIEW: NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT May 2009
Introduction | Why this degree? | What to expect | Who gets this degree and for what? | Admissions advice

What should I know about admissions?

Applying

Admissions staff recommend that prospective graduate students have a distinct vision of career goals before applying to a nonprofit management program. Applications require a personal statement or essay to describe these goals precisely. It is crucial that an applicant prepare essays and application materials meticulously, proving to the review committees that they can follow instructions and express their motivations to attend graduate school. Each program has its own requirements—many of the programs designed for working professionals do not require a graduate admissions test score if the minimum undergraduate GPA and years of work experience are met. More traditional programs for full-time students require either the GMAT or GRE.

Certificate program admissions are usually (but not always) less stringent than for the degree program, and often do not require a graduate admissions test score. Be sure to check with the programs you are interested in for specific instructions.

• Read our series of articles offering practical advice on applying to grad school
• Read our series of articles offering tips on how to prepare for grad school

Financial aid

Admissions staff also recommend that prospective students pursue many avenues of financial aid early in their graduate school research. Since many students of nonprofit management also work for nonprofit organizations, Nadia Whiteside, M.A., Asst. Director of Recruitment & Alumni Affairs for Spertus College, says, “It is always advisable to determine if an employer (or organization with which one volunteers) is willing to support graduate studies, whether through flexible scheduling, tuition reimbursement, or additional responsibilities (leading projects, etc.).”

Universities themselves often offer scholarships and graduate assistantships that help cover the cost of tuition, fees, and expenses. A preliminary list of nonprofit management scholarships offered by different universities can be found here.

• Learn more about funding your graduate education
• Learn about working while going to graduate school

Conclusion and further resources

A degree in nonprofit management can help prepare you for leadership positions within the nonprofit sector by providing you with a theoretical foundation in and practical skills for running a nonprofit. It can also provide you with opportunities to gain experience and connections within the field.

Its focus on the nonprofit setting makes the degree unique when compared with other degrees that have the option for a nonprofit concentration such as an MBA or MPA. Therefore nonprofit management programs tend to bring together students who are committed to a career in the nonprofit sector more than others.

On the value of her graduate education, Kate Church Shilvock, an alumna of the University of San Francisco Masters in Nonprofit Administration program, says, “I do believe I have already received a significant return, through the promotions I have received to date and the opportunities provided at work and in my community. Throughout the program, my employer knew of my involvement with the program, and gave me every opportunity to apply what I was learning to my daily work, which resulted in rapid career growth. My few years of nonprofit experience are augmented by my degree, placing me in the running for positions that could easily be viewed as beyond my level of experience. The most important thing that I believe my masters will bring me is showing potential future employers, in whatever field, that I pursued higher education. It shows them that I place a high value on personal growth and pursued an academic pursuit as far as I could go!”

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