Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Program Is It?

Walden University's M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership program is designed to teach you about the skills, principles, and concepts of nonprofit fund-raising, finance, budgeting, strategic planning, and other related issues. Other topics covered in the curriculum include ethics and social justice, board governance and volunteer management, human resource management, and resource development. A capstone seminar is required and is completed toward the end of enrollment. The seminar focuses on issues related to governance, management, and policy and culminates in the completion of a research paper or an applied project with an accompanying written paper.

What Are the Prerequisites?

If you apply to Walden University's M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership program, you should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills as well as a desire to create positive social change for communities. A bachelor's degree or higher is required to enroll in this program.

What Are the Program Requirements?

The M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership program incorporates 51 quarter credit hours. The program is divided into a foundation course, core courses, and a capstone course.

Course Requirements

• Foundations for Graduate Study
• Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector
• Ethics and Social Justice
• Organizational Management and Leadership
• Finance and Budgeting for the Nonprofit Sector
• Human Resource Management: Building a Capable Workforce
• Board Governance and Volunteer Management
• Strategic Planning: Collaboration, Cooperation, and Coordination
• Resource Development
• Applied Research and Evaluation Methods
• Capstone Seminar

What Could I Do After I Graduate?

Career Opportunities

Once you have completed Walden University's M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership program, you will be able to pursue career options in the nonprofit sector. Besides nonprofit organizations as potential employers, other job opportunities could be found at community-based organizations at the local, state, and federal levels. Job candidates must have a desire to improve social standards and possess excellent communication and leadership skills. You could boost your chances of employment by pursuing the Certified Manager (CM?) credential offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (www.icpm.biz). Potential job titles could include:

• Nonprofit manager
• Nonprofit human resource manager
• Community advocate
• Nonprofit policy analyst

Career opportunities may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

Advanced Degrees

Once you have completed Walden University's M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership program, you will have the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree in a related field. A doctoral program in nonprofit management or public administration may include courses on public policy design, community organizing, financial management, microeconomics, and research design. A dissertation is required and is typically completed in the last two to three years of enrollment. Degrees listed are not institution-specific but constitute a sampling of continuing education options for graduates. Degrees you could pursue include:

• Doctor of Public Administration
• Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs and International Relations
• Doctor of Philosophy in Nonprofit Management and Administration
• Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies